The idea of a National Food Policy as outlined in this article is incredibly exciting. As the owner of one of the country’s first completely clean restaurants, I carry with me countless stories of customers, both adult and children alike, moved to tears upon realizing that they could eat anything on our menu. These people are victims of our food system, a system that has created health issues, allergies and intolerances through what should be one of life’s greatest pleasures: food. I speak from a personal place when I discuss this issue because everyday I am faced with the intimate realities of how the food system has directly affected the people I feed and nourish.

I also know firsthand that it is not easy creating sustainable and whole food for sale on a mass scale. Part of the problem is that it is extremely expensive to buy produce and ingredients from small farms and sustainable vendors that do not receive the subsidies that the bigger farms do. As a result, the system has rewarded and expanded cheap crops and has created a population of consumers that do not understand the value and cost of eating real foods. Real food comes from a food system — from seed to plate — that fundamentally respects human dignity and health, animal welfare, social justice and environmental sustainability. This broken food system has put deceivingly affordable food on the shelves at supermarkets and Superstores, where the majority of consumers shop. Thus, consumers have become accustomed to cheap food, not real food. I do believe that we will see costs come down as demand rises, but the reality is that it will never be as inexpensive as the mass food currently available in these outlets.

In order for a NFP to be effective, the consumer needs to be engaged. A reeducation of this consumer mindset and providing access to real foods where consumers shop regularly are other issues that I believe need to be addressed.

My hope is that these thoughts would also be considered:

1.) There needs to be a nationally funded program that educates consumers about our food system, its effects on wellbeing and the value/cost of real food.

3.) Governmental grants should be provided to small food companies developing “real, clean food” products at all levels so that they can compete against big food manufacturers.

I think what Michael Pollan and his colleagues are proposing is ambitious, but completely achievable given that mainstream consumer behavior is changing. The good news is that I am seeing a new era of awareness, mostly due to the significant rise in chronic illness and mainstream media’s recent focus on the food/body connection, that gives me hope that a true evolution is possible. Six in 10 consumers look for ingredients they recognize while shopping for food, 57% search for foods made with simple, real ingredients, and the same percentage seek food made with natural ingredients. In addition, 41% look for a shorter list of ingredients, and 33% want products made with local/seasonal ingredients (Hartman, 2013a). Unprocessed/less processed is an important food attribute for over half of consumers (Technomic, 2012). Interest in minimally processed foods has grown by 8% since 2010. Organic is also still important — organic food sales topped $26.3 billion in 2012. Sales of foods/drinks carrying a natural claim are projected to reach $39.1 billion by 2015; organic $39.4 billion (Packaged Facts, 2013a). Global natural and organic sales hit $116 billion in 2012, +10% vs 2011 (NBJ, 2013b). Just over one-quarter (27%) of adults looked to organic foods/beverages to avoid genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) in 2013; 31% were regular organic users (Packaged Facts, 2013a).

However, we need to offer consumers tools, information and products to make a real impact. By coupling a consumer change with a manufacturing change, we will experience a wave of transformation unprecented in this country. It is necessary in order for a NFP to really work. We are a nation that should be nourishing our citizens, but the citizens also need to have the desire and means to nourish themselves.

Mo Clancy, Founder, Seed + Salt