Original subtitles

>> CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF,

TELL ME WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE

YOU'RE FROM?

>> HI, MY NAME'S NYEILA GRISSOM,

AND I'M FROM ALTA, ILLINOIS.

>> DO YOU EAT ORGANIC FOOD?

>> I DO EAT ORGANIC FOOD.

>> WHY?

>> I EAT THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T

HAVE THAT MANY CHEMICALS AND

THINGS IN THERE.

I THINK THEY'RE MORE HEALTHIER,

AND SO I EAT ORGANIC FOODS.

>> WHY IS IT WORTH IT TO YOU?

>> I BELIEVE IN EATING ORGANIC

FOOD, BECAUSE I THINK THAT

NUMBER ONE, IT'S GOOD FOR MY

HEALTH, AND NUMBER TWO, IT'S

GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

>> WHY DO YOU BUY IT?

>> WELL, WE HAVE TWO YOUNG KIDS.

WE HAVE A 9-YEAR-OLD AND A

3-YEAR-OLD, AND I KNOW THAT

ORGANIC FOOD IS HEALTHIER.

>> I BELIEVE THAT ORGANIC MEANS

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING TO DO

WITH THE PESTICIDES AND

FERTILIZERS THAT THEY USE THAT'S

SUPPOSED TO BE NOT SO TOXIC, BUT

I THINK A LOT OF IT MIGHT BE

JUST SOME BULL.

>> MY NAME IS KIP PASTOR.

LIKE MOST PEOPLE, I TRY TO

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

LIVING IN LOS ANGELES HAS OPENED

MY EYES TO MANY NEW THINGS LIKE

FARMERS' MARKETS, FRUIT STANDS,

AND LOCAL PRODUCE.

I EVEN STARTED EATING ORGANIC

FOODS BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE

HEALTHIER FOR ME AND FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT.

AND I FOUND OUT I'M NOT THE

ONLY ONE.

DO YOU EAT ORGANIC FOOD?

>> YEAH, SURE DO.

>> YEAH, AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

>> DO I EAT ORGANIC FOOD?

UM, YES.

>> I HAD NO IDEA THAT 73% OF

AMERICANS EAT SOME ORGANIC FOOD.

ORGANIC HAS GROWN 20% A YEAR FOR

THE LAST TEN YEARS.

IT'S IN MORE THAN 73% OF GROCERY

STORES, AND IT HAD $28.6 BILLION

IN SALES LAST YEAR.

IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS

TURNING TO ORGANIC AS THE

SOLUTION.

BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT

IT IS.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CERTIFIED

ORGANIC FOOD MEANS?

>> NO, NO.

>> NO.

>> I HAVE NO IDEA.

>> WOW, YOU'RE ASKING A HARD

QUESTION.

UM...

>> I KNOW THE TERM "ORGANIC

FOOD" IS THROWN AROUND A LOT,

JUST LIKE THE WORD, "FRESH," BUT

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY

CONSTITUTES SOMETHING BEING

ORGANIC.

>> I EAT OYSTERS.

WOULD THAT BE ORGANIC 'CAUSE

IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE GROUND?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IT SEEMS LIKE I'M NOT THE ONLY

ONE WHO IS CONFUSED.

SO I WENT TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH

ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD.

LIKE ME, PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE

IT'S BETTER FOR US, SAFER,

HEALTHIER, AND MORE NUTRITIOUS.

BUT IS IT REALLY?

IS IT BETTER FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT, OR IS IT

JUST A SCAM?

WHAT I FOUND OUT WASN'T WHAT I

EXPECTED.

IN ORDER TO REALLY UNDERSTAND

ORGANIC, YOU HAVE TO START WITH

THE PHILOSOPHY.

AT THE HEART OF THE PHILOSOPHY

IS GROWING FOOD BY MIMICKING

NATURE'S MODEL, PROMOTING

SUSTAINABILITY, AND NOT USING

CHEMICALS.

TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THAT, I

WENT TO TALK TO SOME ORGANIC

FARMERS.

>> I'M JUDITH REDMOND, AND THIS

IS FULL BELLY FARM, AND IT'S A

250-ACRE CERTIFIED-ORGANIC FARM.

WHAT DOES ORGANIC MEAN TO US?

IT MEANS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO

WORK WITH NATURE AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE AND USE SYSTEMS THAT

ARE PART OF NATURAL CYCLES AS

MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BUT FOR US, IT'S MORE ABOUT WHAT

WE DO TO BUILD THE SOIL TO

INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND

PROVIDE HABITAT FOR VARIOUS

DIFFERENT BEINGS THAT ARE PART

OF THOSE NATURAL CYCLES.

>> I'M KRISTIE KNOLL.

THIS IS KNOLL FARMS.

CELEBRATED OUR 30th FARM

ANNIVERSARY IN JUNE OF THIS

YEAR.

BEEN HERE A WHILE, MAYBE LONGER

THAN SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN

ALIVE.

WE WANTED TO GROW OUR OWN FOOD.

WE HAD A GARDEN IN SANTA ANA,

AND WE GREW OUR OWN FOOD, AND I

SPENT TONS OF MONEY BUYING

ORGANIC FOOD AT THE LOCAL HEALTH

FOOD STORES DOWN THERE, AND SO

WE CAME UP HERE WITH THE IDEA

THAT WE WOULD JUST GROW AS MUCH

OF OUR OWN FOOD AS WE COULD, AND

WE NEVER WANTED TO PUT ANYTHING

PESTICIDE ON IT.

>> SO WHAT'S ORGANIC MEAN TO

YOU?

>>

THAT'S SUCH A HARD WORD.

IT MEANS THAT YOU THINK ABOUT

THE SOIL.

FOR YOUR FOOD TO BE AS

NUTRITIOUS AS POSSIBLE, FOR IT

TO TASTE AS GOOD AS IT POSSIBLY

CAN, YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE

SOIL, AND YOU HAVE TO REALIZE

THAT IT IS A LIVING ORGANISM

JUST LIKE WE ARE.

I MEAN, MAYBE NOT JUST LIKE WE

ARE, BUT IT'S A LIVING ORGANISM.

IT'S ALIVE.

>> I'M CRAIG McNAMARA RIGHT HERE

IN WINTERS, CALIFORNIA.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I'M A

FARMER.

IT ACTUALLY HAS GOTTEN TO THE

POINT, IT'S SUCH A SATISFYING

THING TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE.

I LOVE IT.

F-A-R-M-E-R, FARMER.

WHEN YOU LIVE ON A FARM, WHEN

YOU'RE WORKING ON A FARM, WHEN

YOU'RE DEALING INTIMATELY WITH A

CROP, IN THIS CASE WALNUTS, YOU

REALLY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE

RHYTHMS, AND YOU SEE THE LARGER

RHYTHMS OF NATURE.

>> SO WHAT DOES ORGANIC MEAN

TO YOU?

>> WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS COMING

TOGETHER, A VERY

BACK-TO-THE-LAND PORTION THAT I

THINK MUST HAVE COME FROM WHEN I

WAS A CHILD GROWING UP, AND MY

PARENTS INTRODUCED ME EARLY ON

TO A GARDEN AND FRESH TOMATOES

AND ASPARAGUS AND PEONY FLOWERS

AND ALL SORTS OF PRODUCE FROM

THE GARDEN, COUPLED WITH THIS

INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY THAT

WE ALL HAVE TO BE POLITICAL.

THERE'S NOTHING MORE POLITICAL

THAN FARMING.

>> OH, I'M JESSICA MORRISON, AND

I WORK IN THE ORGANIC

CERTIFICATION INDUSTRY FOR

ORGANIC CERTIFIERS IN VENTURA,

CALIFORNIA.

>> AT ITS VERY BASIC, WHAT'S

ORGANIC?

>> ORGANIC, ACTUALLY, IS

CARBON-BASED.

THAT IS A TERM THAT IS NOW BEING

BROADLY USED IN A LOT OF

DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF LIFE.

BUT FOR FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE

UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO MAKE

THE CLAIM "ORGANIC," IT IS NOW

BEING REGULATED.

>> IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE'S A

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANIC AND

CERTIFIED ORGANIC.

THE LABEL ON YOUR FOOD HAS

LITTLE TO DO WITH THE

PHILOSOPHY.

>> ORGANIC IS A PRODUCTION

CLAIM.

IT DOES NOT ENDORSE THE QUALITY

OF THE FOOD.

IT IS SIMPLY A CLAIM THAT THE

PRODUCT HAS BEEN PRODUCED

ACCORDING TO CERTAIN REGULATIONS

THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH IN THE

NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM BY THE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE.

>> IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 1940s

THAT THE TERM "ORGANIC" WAS

APPLIED TO FOOD IN THE PAGES OF

WALTER NORTHBOURNE'S BOOK,

LOOK TO THE LAND.

THE TERM WAS COINED IN RESPONSE

TO THE CREATION OF SYNTHETIC

FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES.

THE WORD DIDN'T REALLY BECOME

POPULAR UNTIL THE 1960s, AND IT

WASN'T UNTIL THE EARLY 1970s

THAT ORGANIC BECAME CERTIFIED BY

INDEPENDENT CERTIFIERS.

HOWEVER, IT TOOK THE U.S.D.A.

UNTIL 2002 TO FORM THE NATIONAL

ORGANIC PROGRAM, WHICH RESTRICTS

THE TERM "ORGANIC" TO CERTIFIED

ORGANIC PRODUCERS.

CERTIFICATION IS HANDLED BY

STATE, NONPROFIT, AND PRIVATE

AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED

BY THE U.S.D.A.

>> THE FIRST THING THAT YOU

WOULD NEED TO DO IS SPEND THREE

YEARS WAITING UNTIL SUCH TIME AS

THE SUBSTANCES THAT YOU'VE USED

IN THE PAST HAVE DIMINISHED IN

THE SOIL.

THEY MUST GO THROUGH

CERTIFICATION WITH A CERTIFYING

AGENT THAT'S ACCREDITED BY THE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE.

THEY MUST ANNUALLY SUBMIT, YOU

KNOW, TO AN INSPECTION, AND THEY

MUST ONLY USE ALLOWED PRACTICES

AND SUBSTANCES.

IN THE VERY FRONT OF THE

NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM,

THERE'S THREE SPECIFIC

RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU CANNOT USE

IRRADIATION, SEWAGE SLUDGE,

OR GENETIC MODIFICATION.

THAT'S CALLED THE BIG THREE, WE

CALL IT.

LIVESTOCK, FOR ORGANIC

PRODUCTION, ARE NOT ALLOWED TO

BE FED ANTIBIOTICS, WHICH IS A

HUGE ISSUE FOR FOOD SAFETY,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE

E. COLIS ARE COMING IN AND THE

LISTERIAS.

I BELIEVE THAT ORGANIC

PRODUCTION IS SAFER THAN

CONVENTIONAL SIMPLY BECAUSE WE

HAVE RESTRICTIONS.

>> NOW I UNDERSTAND THE

TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK FOR HOW TO

BECOME A CERTIFIED ORGANIC

FARMER.

BUT IT'S JUST REALLY A BUNCH OF

REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS IT

ACTUALLY BETTER FOR ME?

SO I WENT TO SPEAK WITH A

LONGTIME CRITIC OF CERTIFIED

ORGANIC, ALEX AVERY, WHO WORKS

WITH THE CONSERVATIVE THINK

TANK THE HUDSON INSTITUTE.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY, THE ORGANIC

INDUSTRY HAS PROMOTED THAT

ORGANIC IS SAFER AND HEALTHIER

AND BETTER, AND WHEN THE MEDIA

DOESN'T QUESTION THEM ON THAT OR

REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE A PROFIT

MOTIVE TO MAKE THESE CLAIMS, OF

COURSE CONSUMERS ARE GONNA

BELIEVE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL

THEY'VE HEARD.

>> I KNOW IT'S BETTER FOR YOU.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I BUY IT

JUST BECAUSE IT'S BETTER.

>> IT'S BETTER FOR YOUR BODY AND

OVERALL WELL-BEING.

>> IT'S HEALTHIER, BECAUSE IT'S

NATURAL.

>> MIGHT BE BETTER FOR THE HEART

AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND SO AS

YOU GET OLDER, I GUESS YOU HAVE

TO START LOOKING OUT FOR THINGS.

>> DEFINITELY MORE NUTRITIONAL.

>> I DO BELIEVE THAT.

I REALLY DO, DO BELIEVE THAT.

>> PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT

ORGANIC IS SAFER AND HEALTHIER,

BECAUSE FOOD HAS GOTTEN SO

COMPLEX THAT THERE'S STILL NOT

REALLY A SHRED OF EVIDENCE THAT

ORGANIC FOODS ARE NUTRITIONALLY

SUPERIOR IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.

>> ACTUALLY, THERE ARE STUDIES

THAT CONCLUDE THAT ORGANIC FOODS

ARE MORE NUTRITIOUS, BUT THERE'S

NOT A CONSENSUS ON THE SUBJECT.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STUDIES

THAT HAVE COMPARED THE

NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF

ORGANICALLY PRODUCED VEGETABLES

TO INDUSTRIALLY PRODUCED

VEGETABLES, AND DEPENDING ON

WHICH NUTRIENTS YOU LOOK AT AND

HOW YOU DO THE COMPARISON, YOU

GET WHICHEVER ANSWER YOU WANT.

THERE'S NO REASON TO THINK THAT

ORGANIC VEGETABLES ARE ANY LESS

NUTRITIOUS THAN ANY OTHER KIND.

THEY CERTAINLY HAVE FEWER

PESTICIDES, CHEMICALS, AND ALL

OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT I

DON'T THINK ARE VERY GOOD.

>> THERE AREN'T ANY PESTICIDES.

>> PESTICIDE.

>> PESTICIDE.

>> PESTICIDES.

>> THE OTHER MAJOR

MISINFORMATION OR MISBELIEF

AMONG CONSUMERS IS THAT ORGANIC

FARMERS DON'T USE PESTICIDES.

>> CONSUMERS SOMETIMES DON'T

QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE

PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES AND

FUNGICIDES ALLOWED.

>> THE ORGANIC CERTIFICATE HAS

PESTICIDES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE,

AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE RIGHT

LANGUAGE TO SPEAK.

YOU NEVER ASK A FARMER, "DO YOU

SPRAY?" BECAUSE EVERYBODY SPRAYS

SOMETHING.

>> I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS

ABOUT WHETHER WE SPRAY, AND I

GUESS THEIR ASSUMPTION IS THAT

IF YOU'RE ORGANIC, YOU DON'T

SPRAY.

ALMOST ALL -- I MEAN, EVERYBODY

SPRAYS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER,

WHETHER YOU'RE APPLYING SOME

SORT OF A NUTRIENT, WHETHER

YOU'RE APPLYING A B.T., WHICH IS

APPROVED AND ORGANIC.

>> THE NATIONAL LIST OF APPROVED

SUBSTANCES FOR USE IN CROP

PRODUCTION IS SET FORTH IN THE

NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM, AND IT

BASICALLY DESCRIBES WHAT TYPE OF

SUBSTANCES YOU CAN USE FOR

CERTAIN TYPES OF EFFORTS, FOR

PEST CONTROL, FOR WEED CONTROL.

THERE ARE ONLY CERTAIN

SUBSTANCES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO

BE USED, BUT THESE SUBSTANCES

ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT

NATURALLY OCCURRING OR ONLY

SLIGHTLY SYNTHESIZED.

>> YOU THINK ORGANIC FOOD COSTS

MORE?

>> WELL, YEAH, IT DEFINITELY

DOES.

WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY

STORE, IT COSTS MORE THAN

REGULAR STUFF.

>> IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT I

THINK IT'S BETTER FOR YOU.

>> YOU KNOW, MY IMPRESSION IS

THAT IF YOU GET LUCKY AND YOU

PAY ATTENTION, SOMETIMES YOU CAN

GET GOOD DEALS.

>> YES, VERY EXPENSIVE.

THAT'S WHY I KIND OF PICK AND

CHOOSE WHAT I EAT ORGANICALLY.

>> OKAY, CAN I EXPLAIN WHY

ORGANIC FOOD IS EXPENSIVE?

I WANT TO TELL YOU WHY AN

ORGANIC WALNUT IS EXPENSIVE.

BECAUSE THE TOOLS THAT I HAVE

AVAILABLE TO ME ARE EXPENSIVE.

I USE THE HIGHEST AND BEST TO

TAKE CARE OF THE PEST PROBLEMS

THAT WE ENCOUNTER.

THE COVER CROPPING TO HELP US

FERTILIZE OUR CROP, THE COMPOST,

THESE ARE ALL INGREDIENTS,

RESOURCES THAT ADD UP.

I FIGURE THAT MY INPUTS

ORGANICALLY COST ME ABOUT 18% TO

20% MORE THAN THE WAY I USED TO

DO IT.

PEOPLE SOMETIMES HAVE THE

MISCONCEPTION THAT BY GROWING

ORGANICALLY, WHAT I GROW, IN

THIS CASE WALNUTS, IS GOING TO

HAVE AN INFERIOR COSMETIC LOOK

TO IT OR THAT I'M LOSING YIELD

AND TONNAGE.

I SAY, "NO, NO WAY, NO, I'M A

BUSINESSMAN."

I'M IN THIS TO DO A HEALTHY

PRODUCT AND TO SUPPORT MY

FAMILY.

I'M NOT GONNA DO SOMETHING

THAT'S GONNA EARN ME LESS MONEY

OR BE LESS QUALITY IN THE

MARKETPLACE.

I'VE GOT PRIDE.

I STAND BY MY PRODUCT.

SO I WANT THE BEST, AND I WANT

YOU TO HAVE THE BEST.

>> PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST USED TO

GOING TO THE SUPERMARKET, AND

WITH ALL THE PRICES AT THE

SUPERMARKET ACTUALLY GOING UP

RIGHT NOW AND KIND OF COMING

CLOSER TO WHERE THE ORGANIC

PRICES ARE, PEOPLE ARE STARTING

TO SAY, "WELL, IF THE ORGANIC IS

ONLY THIS MUCH MORE, WHEREAS

BEFORE IT WAS THIS MUCH MORE,"

PEOPLE ARE GOING, "WELL, WHY NOT

GET THE MUCH BETTER, MUCH

HEALTHIER, MUCH MORE DELICIOUS

PLANTS?"

SO I THINK NOW WHAT YOU'RE

HAVING IS AN INFLUX OF JUST TONS

OF PEOPLE GOING, "IF IT'S JUST

THIS MUCH MORE, JUST A SLIGHT

BIT HARDER, WHY NOT JUST GO ALL

THE WAY INTO IT AND GET THE BEST

PRODUCT I CAN?"

SO YOU KNOW, REALLY, PEOPLE ARE

STARTING TO REALIZE THAT YOU GET

WHAT YOU PAY FOR, BASICALLY.

>> I AM A CERTIFIED ORGANIC

FARMER AND HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED

PROBABLY 15 TO 17 YEARS.

SO I'VE BEEN FARMING SINCE 1980

ON THIS LAND AND DOING WALNUTS,

AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T GROW UP ON

A FARM AND I DIDN'T MARRY A

FARMER'S DAUGHTER, I HAD A VERY

SMALL AMOUNT OF EDUCATION.

BEING A NEW FARMER, A YOUNG

FARMER WITH A HUGE MORTGAGE

PAYMENT AT THE END OF EVERY

HARVEST, I REALLY FELT I NEEDED

TO GET ON THE TREADMILL AND

PRODUCE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

AND THEN I REALLY EMBRACED THE

TOOLS OF THAT ERA AND OF THAT

TIME AND PUT IN MY TOOLBOX TOOLS

THAT I DON'T USE ANY LONGER.

WHAT CHANGED WAS SEVERAL THINGS,

THE FACT THAT JULIE AND I LIVE

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

ORCHARD, THAT WE STARTED RAISING

A YOUNG FAMILY MADE US VERY

AWARE OF ANY TIME THAT WE HAD A

PEST INFESTATION AND NEEDED TO

APPLY A MATERIAL TO ABATE THAT

THAT IT WAS RIGHT THERE.

WE WERE LIVING IT.

I CAN REMEMBER MANY TIMES WHEN

JULIE WOULD COME HOME FROM WORK,

AND WE WOULD HAVE JUST SPRAYED

THE ORCHARD EITHER BY HELICOPTER

OR BY GROUND RIG, AND THE AIR

WAS SATURATED WITH MATERIAL THAT

WE'D BEEN SPRAYING, AND IT GAVE

YOU THIS VERY UNHEALTHY FEELING

AT THAT TIME, AND FRIENDS WOULD

COME OVER AND SAY, "WHAT IS THAT

SPICY AROMA IN THE AIR?"

"WELL, THAT'S MATERIAL THAT WE

JUST PUT ON, OMITE, TO CURTAIL

MITES."

SO IT WAS THAT DIRECT AWARENESS,

BUT IT WAS ALSO A REAL AWARENESS

AND UNDERSTANDING OF TRYING TO

MIMIC THE BALANCE THAT NATURE

PROVIDES FOR US.

AND AS I BEGAN TO CHANGE OUR

INPUTS, AS WE MADE A

CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT TO MOVE

TOWARDS APPLICATION OF COMPOST,

AS WE STARTED GROWING COVER

CROPS, LEGUMINOUS PLANTS, OVER

TIME, NOT OVER A YEAR, NOT OVER

THREE NECESSARILY, BUT OVER A

LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME, I COULD

SEE HEALTH RETURN TO A PART OF

THE ORCHARD THAT REALLY HAD BEEN

DYING.

>> I HAD A LOT OF FUN LEARNING

ABOUT CERTIFIED ORGANIC ON

FARMS, BUT THE FARMERS DON'T

MAKE THE RULES.

THEY JUST FOLLOW THEM.

TO BE CERTIFIED ORGANIC, YOU

HAVE TO BE AUTHORIZED BY THE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE.

THERE'S BEEN SOME CONTROVERSY

ABOUT THEIR POLICIES AND

REGULATIONS, SO I WENT TO GET

THE STRAIGHT ANSWERS.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST

IN INTERVIEWING SECRETARY

VILSACK AND DEPUTY SECRETARY

MERRIGAN FOR YOUR FILM, AND

THOUGH PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE

BEEN AGREED UPON, WE REGRET TO

INFORM YOU THAT THE SCHEDULED

INTERVIEWS ARE GOING TO BE

CANCELED.

IF YOU'D LIKE A RESPONSE IN

WRITING, THAT ARRANGEMENT CAN BE

MADE.

WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK

WITH YOUR FILM.

>> WE TRIED TO SPEAK WITH THE

U.S.D.A. AT SEVERAL LEVELS, AND

ACTUALLY, WE HAD AN INTERVIEW

THAT WAS SCHEDULED.

QUESTIONS WERE APPROVED.

IT WAS SET.

BUT IT WAS THEN CANCELED.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>> I THINK THEY KNOW THAT

POLITICALLY, IT'S ALMOST A THIRD

RAIL AS FAR AS FOOD AND

AGRICULTURE.

IT'S A VERY POLITICALLY TOUCHY

TOPIC, SO THEY DUCK IT.

>> THE U.S.D.A.'S LACK OF

TRANSPARENCY IS UNACCEPTABLE,

AND IT BRINGS THEIR POLICIES

INTO QUESTION.

>> AS A MATTER FACT, IT'S FUNNY,

BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT OWNS THE

"ORGANIC" WORD IN THIS COUNTRY,

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I

DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH.

>> IT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEN

THE PUBLIC STARTS TO TRUST THE

CERTIFICATION AS SOMETHING

THAT'S THE END-ALL AND BE-ALL,

AND THEY MIGHT STOP ASKING

REALLY CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT

WHAT IS IN THE FOOD, HOW IS IT

GROWN, WHERE IS IT GROWN.

>> BECAUSE ORGANIC PREDATED THE

NATIONAL U.S.D.A. PROGRAM, THERE

WAS ALREADY A WHOLE ARMY OF

ORGANIC CERTIFIERS.

SO THE U.S.D.A. DIDN'T WANT TO

CREATE ANOTHER POLITICAL

FIRESTORM BY PUTTING THOSE

PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS, SO WHAT

THEY DID WAS, THEY ESSENTIALLY

DEPUTIZED AND PUT A U.S.D.A.

SEAL OF APPROVAL ON THE

CERTIFIERS.

>> THAT SEEMS LIKE A BIG

PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE U.S.D.A. IS

NOT FULLY IN CHARGE OF

REGULATING ORGANIC.

BUT OUTSOURCING INSPECTIONS

DOESN'T STOP THEM FROM

SUBJECTING FARMERS TO

SUBSTANTIAL PAPERWORK AND

GREATER FEES.

>> THEY CHARGE ORGANIC FARMERS

ADDITIONAL MONEY TO BE ORGANIC,

AND THEY GOT IT ALL

ASS-BACKWARDS.

THEY SHOULD CHARGE THE PEOPLE

THAT ARE USING CHEMICALS, AND

THEY DON'T.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE

DESTROYING THE SOIL, AND THEY

DON'T CHARGE THEM, BUT THEY

CHARGE THE GUY THAT'S DOING IT

THE RIGHT WAY MORE MONEY, WHICH

IS CRAZY.

>> THE CERTIFIERS ARE IN

BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES AND ARE

MARKETING THEMSELVES TO THE

ORGANIC FARMERS ON A PRICE

BASIS, AND THEY'RE COMPETING

AGAINST EACH OTHER ON A PRICE

BASIS.

SO IF YOU'RE MARKETING YOURSELF,

AND YOU'RE SAYING TO THE FARMER,

"I'LL CERTIFY YOUR OPERATION FOR

'X' AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, AND I'LL

COME AND DO THE ONCE A YEAR,"

AND THAT GUY'S PAYING YOU, HOW

MUCH INCENTIVE IS THERE FOR YOU

AS THE CERTIFIER TO MAKE YOUR

CLIENT MAD BY BLOWING THE

WHISTLE ON HIM IF HE'S CUTTING A

CORNER OR NOT DOTTING ALL THE

I'S AND CROSSING ALL THE T'S?

IT'S A SERIOUS INHERENT CONFLICT

OF INTEREST.

>> I FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST

PROBLEM WITH ORGANICS IS

INSPECTIONS.

I KNOW FROM BEING INSPECTED THAT

THE INSPECTOR COMING INTO A

FARM, YOU'RE COMING INTO A WORLD

THAT IS SO COMPLICATED, I CAN'T

IMAGINE GETTING A HANDLE ON IT

IN ONE VISIT ONCE A YEAR.

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN

ANY OPERATION THAT HAS LOST ITS

U.S.D.A. ORGANIC CERTIFICATION

STATUS BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S BLOWN

THE WHISTLE, AND I THINK IT

SHOWS THAT THE SYSTEM IS RATHER

TOOTHLESS.

AND IN FACT, DAN GLICKMAN, WHEN

HE LAUNCHED THE NATIONAL ORGANIC

PROGRAM, MADE CLEAR THAT THE

U.S.D.A. WAS NOT ENDORSING

ORGANIC OR MAKING CLAIMS FOR

SUPERIOR NUTRITION OR SAFETY.

AND IT'S UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL

MARKETING SERVICE OF U.S.D.A.,

NOT UNDER ANY OF THE NUTRITION

PROGRAMS.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T

HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON IN THAT

REGARD, SO ORGANIC IS SIMPLY A

MARKETING TOOL AND IS PROMOTED

BY THE U.S.D.A. AS A MARKETING

TOOL.

>> YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO

BE PHILOSOPHICALLY IN THE

ORGANIC FARMING BUSINESS.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUMP

THROUGH THE HOOP.

SO WE'RE STARTING TO SAY, WELL,

KNOWING YOUR FARMER'S MORE

IMPORTANT THAN THE

CERTIFICATION BECAUSE OF FOOD

MILES OR BECAUSE OF LARGE-SCALE

SYSTEMS THAT CALL THEMSELVES

ORGANIC, BUT IN A PHILOSOPHICAL

SENSE, THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE

ORGANIC.

>> WHEN MY JOURNEY STARTED, I

EXPECTED ALL FARMS TO BE SMALL

AND DIVERSE.

BUT I'VE REALIZED THAT CERTIFIED

ORGANIC IS BIG BUSINESS, AND

LARGE CORPORATIONS ARE TAKING

OVER THE LABEL.

>> ALL THE BIG AGRIBUSINESSES

ARE INTERESTED IN LABELING

THEMSELVES AS CERTIFIED ORGANIC.

>> EVERYBODY WANTS IN.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO COMPETE IN.

>> YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT

LARGE CORPORATIONS HAVE BOUGHT

UP ORGANIC BRANDS.

THEY'RE CONSOLIDATING.

SILK SOY MILK AND HORIZON DAIRY

ARE PRODUCED BY DEAN FOODS,

ODWALLA AND HONEST TEA BY

COCA-COLA, NAKED JUICE BY PEPSI,

KASHI AND MORNING STAR BY

KELLOGG'S, BOCA BURGERS BY

KRAFT, CASCADIAN FARMS AND

NATURE VALLEY BY GENERAL MILLS,

AND ALEXIA AND LIGHTLIFE BY

CONAGRA.

>> BIG ORGANICS CAN KIND OF GET

TIED UP INTO JUST FOLLOWING A

GUIDELINE AND NOT NECESSARILY

DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT

THING TO DO.

THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE THERE'S

A PROFIT THERE, THERE'S A NICHE

MARKET THERE.

>> ORGANIC IS SEEN TO BE A

MARKET NICHE THAT'S ATTRACTIVE

FOR LARGER GROWERS.

THEY'RE NOT GRAVITATING TOWARDS

IT NECESSARILY BECAUSE,

PHILOSOPHICALLY, THEY BELIEVE IN

CARETAKING THE LAND AND GROWING

NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOOD FOR THE

PEOPLE WHO EAT IT.

>> IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THE

PUBLIC IS CATCHING ON TO THE

BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FOOD.

BUT THIS CORPORATE SYSTEM ISN'T

THE WORLD THAT CRAIG AND JUDITH

HAD IMAGINED, AND I'VE REALIZED

THE PHILOSOPHY IS BEING

COMPROMISED BY LARGE

AGRIBUSINESS INTERESTED MORE IN

MAKING A PROFIT THAN IN TAKING

CARE OF THE LAND.

>> ONCE YOU CREATE A

CERTIFICATION SYSTEM, THEN FOLKS

WHO WANT TO USE THAT CERTIFICATE

TO GROW THINGS CAN LEARN JUST TO

GAME THE SYSTEM.

>> HUGE ORGANIC FARMS WHICH

PRODUCE A SINGLE CROP USE LARGE

AMOUNTS OF ENERGY INPUTS AND

LESS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

PRACTICES.

ORGANIC DOES NOT MEAN LOCALLY

GROWN OR FRESH.

LARGE COMPANIES HAVE STARTED

IMPORTING CHEAPER ORGANIC FOODS.

100% OF ORGANIC COCOA, VANILLA,

AND BANANAS COME FROM OTHER

COUNTRIES.

>> I MEAN, IF SOMETHING IS GROWN

ORGANICALLY UNDER A TECHNICAL

LEGAL FRAMEWORK, BUT IT'S GROWN

HALF A WORLD AWAY, SAY IN

PARAGUAY AND CHINA, AND BY THE

TIME IT GETS TO YOU IT'S WHO

KNOWS HOW OLD, IS IT ORGANIC?

IF THE NUTRITIONAL DENSITY IS

OUT OF THE FOOD BECAUSE IT'S NO

LONGER LIVING FOOD OR IF IT

WERE GROWN IN SOIL THAT'S NOT

OPTIMIZED TO BE LIVING SOIL,

THEN IS IT REALLY ORGANIC FOOD?

>> THESE COMPANIES TAKE THE

IMPORTED SUGAR, COCOA, AND

VANILLA AND TURN THEM INTO

CHEAP, UNHEALTHY, PROCESSED

PRODUCTS.

CAN A PROCESSED CANDY BAR REALLY

BE ORGANIC?

>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE

LABELED ORGANIC MAKE NO SENSE AT

ALL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT

PARTICULARLY HEALTHY, AND JUST

BECAUSE THEY'RE ORGANIC DOES NOT

MAKE THEM HEALTHY.

>> NOW I KNOW THAT BIG

AGRIBUSINESS IS TAKING OVER THE

LABEL.

BY MERGING SMALL, SUSTAINABLE

FARMS INTO HUGE MONOCULTURES AND

NOT CARING FOR THE LAND, THEY

ARE PUSHING CERTIFIED ORGANIC

AWAY FROM ITS FOUNDATION.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE LABEL IS

LESS ABOUT PHILOSOPHY AND MORE

ABOUT PROFIT.

I'VE LEARNED THAT THE NATIONAL

ORGANIC PROGRAM IS

WELL-INTENTIONED, BUT IT'S VERY

FLAWED.

SO THEN WHY IS BEING CERTIFIED

ORGANIC IMPORTANT?

>> I THINK CERTIFICATION IS A

VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE REAL

WORLD.

I MEAN, PEOPLE DON'T BUY THEIR

FOOD JUST AT CSAs AND THROUGH

FARMERS' MARKETS.

PEOPLE BUY THEIR FOOD AT

WALMARTS AND AT, YOU KNOW, BIG,

LARGE GROCERY STORES.

SO THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND, THEY

NEED SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO

JUDGE IF THE CLAIMS THAT A

FARMER IS MAKING ARE TRUE,

BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE

FARMER DIRECTLY.

>> THE CERTIFIED ORGANIC PROGRAM

IS A VERY POSITIVE AND

CONSTRUCTIVE MOVE PARTICULARLY

FROM THE STANDPOINT OF

CONSUMERS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO

MANY LABELS THAT END UP ON FOOD

THAT ACTUALLY HAVE ALMOST NO

MEANING, IF NO MEANING

WHATSOEVER.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE THE

TERM "NATURAL."

OFTEN THOSE FOODS CAN HAVE

PRODUCTS IN THEM THAT WE

WOULDN'T BE VERY HAPPY WITH IF

WE REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE'RE

INGESTING.

>> IF FOOD ISN'T CERTIFIED

ORGANIC, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT IT.

THE ORGANIC STANDARD AT LEAST

PROVIDES A BASELINE OF KNOWLEDGE

FOR A CONSUMER TO HAVE.

>> IT TURNS OUT THAT CERTIFIED

ORGANIC IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED

THAN I THOUGHT.

I LEARNED THAT THE PHILOSOPHY IS

SOUND, BUT THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED.

THE U.S.D.A. HAS DONE A POOR JOB

REGULATING IT, AND LARGE,

CORPORATE FARMS ARE TAKING

ADVANTAGE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

BUT HOWEVER IT'S GROWN AND

WHEREVER IT'S GROWN, THE

CERTIFIED ORGANIC LABEL ALWAYS

MEANS THAT THE FOOD WAS MADE

WITHOUT POISONOUS, MAN-MADE

CHEMICALS THAT HARM WORKERS,

THEIR FAMILIES, AND ALL OF US.

THAT'S WHY I CHOOSE IT.

>> I EAT ORGANIC FOOD SELFISHLY.

I'M GONNA GO WITH THE FIRST

REASON IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT

MY OWN HEALTH.

I TRY TO OPERATE ON THE

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE, WHICH

IS THAT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT

THOSE PESTICIDES DO TO ME, AND

THE STUDIES ARE NOT TOTALLY

DONE, AND I'M NOT REALLY WILLING

TO MESS AROUND UNTIL I FIND OUT.

>> THE CONSUMING PUBLIC IN THIS

COUNTRY IS BEGINNING TO

UNDERSTAND THE KINDS OF TOXINS

THAT ARE SHOWING UP IN THEIR

SYSTEMS AND THE CONSEQUENCE, THE

PRICE THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT

IN OUR OWN PERSONAL HEALTH AND

OUR CHILDREN'S.

AND AS THIS CONTINUES TO MOVE

FORWARD, PEOPLE WILL BE MOVING

MORE AND CONTINUE TOWARDS

ORGANIC.

>> WE'VE ALL HEARD THE CONCERNS

ABOUT PESTICIDES, BUT WE ASSUME

THAT THEY'RE SAFE BECAUSE THE

GOVERNMENT APPROVES THEIR USE.

THIS ENDORSEMENT ISN'T GOOD

ENOUGH FOR ORGANIC FARMERS.

ARE THEY BLOWING IT OUT OF

PROPORTION, OR ARE THERE REAL

RISKS TO CHEMICAL FARMING?

I HAVE TO FIND OUT HOW DANGEROUS

MODERN AGRICULTURE REALLY IS.

>> WE'RE DESIGNING A SYSTEM THAT

IS GEARED TOWARDS INDUSTRIAL

PRODUCTION.

MODERN AGRICULTURE IS INDUSTRIAL

AGRICULTURE.

>> A YOUNG LADY WHO'S KIND OF AN

ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE CAME TO THE

FARMERS' MARKET ONE DAY AND WAS

LIKE, "OH, SO WHAT ARE THESE

PLANTS?"

I'M LIKE, "OH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE

DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, FOOD, YOU

KNOW, PRODUCTS AND WHATNOT."

AND SHE'S LIKE, "OH, WELL,

WHAT'S THAT?" AND POINTS TO A

TOMATO PLANT.

SO I, YOU KNOW, TOLD HER, "OH,

THAT'S A TOMATO PLANT," AND SHE

GOES, "OH, TOMATOES COME FROM A

PLANT?"

>> IF YOU GENERALLY ASK KIDS

WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, THEY'LL

SAY, "TRUCKS."

NOT KNOWING WHERE YOUR FOOD

COMES FROM LEAVES YOU UNABLE TO

REALLY MAKE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT

WHAT YOU EAT.

>> YOU ASK MOST KIDS IN

NEW YORK CITY WHERE FOOD COMES

FROM, THEY'LL TELL YOU THE

SUPERMARKET, AND THERE'S NO

CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT YOU

COULD ACTUALLY BUY EVERY PART OF

A HAMBURGER HERE.

THERE IS SUCH DISCONNECT,

PARTICULARLY FOR, I THINK, CITY

KIDS.

>> WHEN THERE'S, LIKE, A

DISCONNECT FROM WHERE YOUR FOOD

COMES FROM, YOU LOSE THAT

APPRECIATION, AND NOW YOU SEE,

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE EATING ALL

THIS FAST FOOD.

WHAT YOU EAT HAS SUCH AN EFFECT

ON SO MANY OTHER THINGS, WHETHER

IT'S YOUR OWN HEALTH OR THE

ENVIRONMENT, HOW PEOPLE ARE

GETTING PAID.

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.

>> PEOPLE AREN'T CONNECTED TO

WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM.

WHY DOES THAT MATTER?

WHAT DON'T WE KNOW ABOUT THE

FOOD WE EAT?

>> WE USE, IN THIS COUNTRY,

ABOUT 60 BILLION POUNDS OF

PESTICIDES EVERY YEAR, ALL OF

THEM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO BE

HARMFUL AND ALL OF THEM USED IN

A WAY THAT PUTS THEM DIRECTLY

OUT INTO OUR FIELDS, INTO OUR

HOMES, ONTO OUR LAWNS AND

GARDENS, ONTO OUR GOLF COURSES,

AND EVENTUALLY INTO OUR RIVERS,

STREAMS, AND WATERWAYS.

SO ALL OF THEM EVENTUALLY END UP

EITHER ON OUR FOOD OR IN OUR

DRINKING WATER.

ONE THING WE KNOW IS THAT FOR

MANY OF THE PESTICIDES,

INCLUDING THE ORGANOPHOSPHATE

PESTICIDES, IS THAT THEY'RE VERY

HARMFUL WHEN EXPOSURE TAKES

PLACE DURING EARLY LIFE.

WE HAVE HARD EVIDENCE FROM

ROBUST SCIENTIFIC STUDIES THAT

PROVE BEYOND A DOUBT THAT

ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDES

ATTACK AND DAMAGE THE BRAIN AND

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

>> WE'VE BECOME RELYING ON

CHEMICAL TO DO THE JOB THAT

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

IF WE SEE PESTICIDES, THEY ARE

THE SAME AS PHARMACEUTICAL

DRUGS.

THEY ARE FOREIGN TO THE BODY.

THEY WILL DO SOME TOXICOLOGICAL

EFFECT, BUT THEY ARE NOT BOUND

TO THE SAME REGULATION THAT ARE

APPLIED TO PHARMACEUTICAL

PRODUCT.

THE ONLY REASON THAT PESTICIDE

WERE NOT TESTED IN HUMAN STUDY,

BECAUSE ITSELF ACTUALLY CAUSE

TOXICITY ALREADY.

>> THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT WE ARE

INCREASINGLY INDUSTRIALIZING OUR

AGRICULTURE IN THIS COUNTRY.

MORE AND MORE PESTICIDES,

INSECTICIDES ARE BEING USED TO

GROW THE FOOD JUST BY THE SHEER

SIZE OF THE FARMS AND THE

FARMING OPERATIONS, AND THE

RISKS JUST DON'T GO AWAY.

>> SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACUTE

TOXICITY VERSUS CHRONIC

TOXICITY.

CHRONIC TOXICITY HAS NEVER BEEN

TESTED, NEVER BEEN REQUIRED TO

BE TESTED.

SO WE ARE BEING USED AS

EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL.

HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW

RESIDUE OF THOSE PESTICIDES IN

THE FOOD THAT EVERYBODY EAT

TODAY?

>> NOT ONLY ARE THEY AFFECTING

I.Q. OF CHILDREN, THERE MAY BE

CORRELATIONS WITH ALL OF THESE

OTHER INCREASES IN CHILDHOOD

DISORDERS.

AND THIS NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED

AND STUDIED MORE, BUT I WOULD

SORT OF COME FROM THE STANDPOINT

OF SAYING LET'S USE THE

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AND STOP

USING THEM!

BUT ON A DAILY BASIS, WE'RE

RISKING THE HEALTH AND LIFE AND

INTELLIGENCE AND FERTILITY OF

OUR CHILDREN.

>> THIS COUNTRY HAS 1.1% OF

AUTISMS.

WE HAVE ABOUT 13% OF PRETERM

BIRTH DEFECT.

WE HAVE NUMEROUS OF NEUROLOGICAL

DISORDERS, ADHD AND SO ON AND SO

FORTH.

AND YOU KIND OF WONDER, "WHAT

CAUSED THOSE MORBIDITY?"

IT'S VERY OBVIOUS.

THE DISEASE BURDEN ARE GETTING

HIGHER AND HIGHER.

>> I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN YOU

CONSIDER WHAT WE'RE INGESTING

UNKNOWINGLY THROUGH A FARMING

SYSTEM THAT WAS MODERN IN ITS

THINKING BUT DIDN'T DO THE

LONGER-TERM RESEARCH WELL

ENOUGH, WE WOULD STOP EATING

WHAT WE'RE EATING.

>> SOMETIMES IN THE U.S., WE DO

TAKE ACTION ON THE MOST HARMFUL

PESTICIDES.

WE EITHER RAMP THEM DOWN OR BAN

THEM ALTOGETHER.

THE PROBLEM IS, THE COMPANIES

STILL NEED TO SELL THEM, AND SO

THEY END UP SELLING THEM TO

OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WE DO TRADE

WITH.

THEY END UP HARMING THE

ENVIRONMENT AND THE WORKERS AND

THEIR FAMILIES IN THOSE OTHER

COUNTRIES AS WELL AS COMING BACK

TO US ON CONTAMINATED, IMPORTED

FOOD.

SOME OF THE DIRTIEST, MOST

HAZARDOUS PESTICIDES THAT WE BAN

IN THIS COUNTRY COME BACK TO US

IN CONTAMINATED FOOD.

>> ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT

OBAMA'S CANCER PANEL, 41% OF

AMERICANS WILL GET CANCER IN

THEIR LIFETIMES.

HAVING SPOKEN TO KEY SCIENTISTS

AND RESEARCHERS, I LEARNED THAT

CANCER GROWTH IS STIMULATED TO A

LARGE EXTENT BY TOXINS FROM THE

ENVIRONMENT.

WE HAVE TO BEGIN BY DETOXIFYING

WHAT WE EAT.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP

DID A STUDY OF PESTICIDE

RESIDUES ON FOOD.

THEY CAME UP WITH THE DIRTY

DOZEN.

THESE 12 FOODS HAVE THE HIGHEST

PESTICIDE RESIDUES, SO YOU

SHOULD EAT ORGANIC:

THE CLEAN 15.

IF YOU HAVE TO EAT CONVENTIONAL,

THESE FOODS HAVE THE LOWEST

PESTICIDE RESIDUES:

THE PROBLEMS ARE BIGGER THAN

TOXIC CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD.

THE SYSTEM IS FOCUSED ON LARGE

AGRIBUSINESS THAT POLLUTES THE

ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S NOT FOCUSED ON WHOLESOME

FOODS BUT ON PROCESSED PRODUCTS,

WHICH ARE UNHEALTHY.

>> WELL, WE LIVE IN A FOOD

SYSTEM IN WHICH SOME FOODS ARE

CHEAPER THAN OTHERS BECAUSE

SOME FOODS ARE SUBSIDIZED AND

OTHERS AREN'T.

RIGHT NOW IN THIS COUNTRY, WE

SUBSIDIZE CORN, SOYBEANS, WHEAT,

AND COTTON.

WE DO NOT SUBSIDIZE WHAT THE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REFERS

TO AS SPECIALTY VEGETABLES,

WHICH ARE REAL VEGETABLES, AS

FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

>> BASICALLY, A SUBSIDY IS MONEY

GIVEN OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT.

DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION,

SUBSIDIES HELPED FARMERS MAKE A

LIVING WHILE KEEPING THE PRICE

OF FOOD REASONABLE ENOUGH FOR

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

NOW THE GOVERNMENT PAYS BIG

CORPORATE FARMS TO GROW CROPS

LIKE CORN AND SOYBEANS, WHICH

ARE USED TO PRODUCE CHEAP,

UNHEALTHY FOOD AND FEEDSTOCK FOR

CATTLE TO BECOME BURGERS.

THIS ENSURES THAT PROCESSED

PRODUCTS ARE LESS EXPENSIVE IN

THE SUPERMARKET AND AT THE

DRIVE-THROUGH.

>> FOOD THAT IS MORE AFFORDABLE

IS OFTEN LESS NUTRITIOUS.

IT'S A STRANGE THING HOW, YOU

KNOW, WE SUBSIDIZE SO MUCH OF

CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE TO

PRODUCE WHITE FLOUR.

WHAT SHOULD BE A MUCH MORE

LABOR-INTENSIVE, EXPENSIVE

PROCESS ACTUALLY HAS BECOME LESS

EXPENSIVE TO EAT WHITE FLOUR

THAN TO EAT PLAIN, WHOLE-WHEAT

FLOUR.

>> AND SO WE'RE SUBSIDIZING IN

THE BILLIONS.

HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS

EVERY YEAR U.S.D.A. IS SPENDING

TO SUBSIDIZE THESE CROPS.

TO A FARMER, NONE OF OUR FARMERS

WHO ARE GROWING WHAT IS CALLED

SPECIALTY CROPS OR HIGH-VALUE

CROPS -- NOW, THOSE CROPS ARE

THE THINGS WE EAT -- FRUITS,

VEGETABLES, CHEESE, EGGS, MEAT,

DAIRY, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF --

THOSE DON'T GET ANY SUBSIDIES.

ON ONE SIDE, WE'RE SUBSIDIZING

THINGS THAT DON'T FIT WITH A

GOOD HEALTH PATTERN AND TOTALLY

IGNORING WHAT IS PROVIDING GOOD

HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES.

>> PAYING FOR CORN AND SOYBEANS

AND WHEAT FOR WHAT?

IT'S NOT A GOOD FARM POLICY.

I WOULD ARGUE IT'S HELPED

DESTROY OUR FARM COMMUNITIES

ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE

IT'S GONE INTO MONOCULTURE

SCALE, AND WE'VE DESTROYED THE

MARKETS FOR LOCAL FARMERS WHO

NOW CAN'T MAKE A LIVING.

>> YES, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG

WITH OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

IT PRODUCES TOO MUCH PROCESSED

FOOD AND TOO MUCH JUNK FOOD AND

TOO MUCH FOOD IN GENERAL.

>> ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, ALMOST

2/3 OF AMERICAN ADULTS ARE

SERIOUSLY OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.

THAT'S A 150% INCREASE IN JUST

THE LAST 30 YEARS.

OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN DOUBLED

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.

>> THIS IS THE FIRST ERA IN THE

HISTORY OF MANKIND THAT THE LIFE

EXPECTANCY OF OUR WORLD, THE

BABIES BORN IN AMERICA NOW, IS

SHORTER THAN OURSELVES OR THEIR

FATHERS, AND IT'S DUE TO

OBESITY.

THIS IS NOT AN OPINION.

THIS IS A FACT.

SO THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO FEED

OURSELVES DIFFERENTLY.

>> THE GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN

SET FOR WHAT KIDS ARE SUPPOSED

TO BE EATING WERE BASED ON VERY,

VERY OLD STANDARDS, AND THOSE

STANDARDS ARE NUTRIENT-BASED,

WHICH MEANS THAT FOOD COMPANIES

CAN DESIGN PRODUCTS TO MEET THE

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS NO

MATTER HOW RIDICULOUS THOSE

PRODUCTS MAY BE.

MY PARTICULAR FAVORITE IS

SOMETHING CALLED AN UNCRUSTABLE,

WHICH HAS 51 INGREDIENTS.

MY RULE IS, NEVER BUY ANYTHING

WITH AN INGREDIENT YOU CAN'T

PRONOUNCE, AND DON'T BUY

ANYTHING WITH MORE THAN FIVE

INGREDIENTS ANYWAY.

WE WOULD ALL BE MUCH BETTER OFF

IF WE WERE EATING LESS PROCESSED

FOODS IN SMALLER QUANTITIES.

>> ONE IN THREE CHILDREN BORN

AFTER YEAR 2000 WILL END UP WITH

TYPE 2 DIABETES, AND THE

HEALTHCARE COST OF THAT IN THAT

LIFETIME OF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS

$400,000.

THERE'S A HEALTHCARE COST WE'LL

NEVER AFFORD.

>> I THINK THE WAY THAT WE'RE

LOOKING AT THE COST OF FOOD IS,

LIKE, "WHAT IF YOU PAY MORE NOW

AND PAY LESS LATER?"

THAT THE HIDDEN COSTS OF THE

FOOD ARE ACTUALLY STRIPPED AWAY

AND NOT THERE, AND IT'S JUST THE

TRUE COST OF THE FOOD.

>> BECAUSE OUR HEALTH BILLS

CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND WE'RE

PAYING THAT OUT THE OTHER

POCKET, OUR TOXIC LOAD IN OUR

ENVIRONMENT IS CONTINUING TO

INCREASE, AND WE'RE GONNA PAY

THAT PRICE, BUT WE DON'T EQUATE

THAT WHEN WE GO AND BUY THE

TOXIC FOOD IN THE GROCERY STORE.

THAT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOD

WE CAN PICK UP OFF THAT SHELF.

>> I'M SHOCKED BY THE IMPACT OF

CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE, HEALTH

COSTS OF OBESITY AND DIABETES,

THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF

PESTICIDE USE, LIKE CANCER, AND

THE RISKS OF CHEMICALS IN OUR

SOIL AND WATER, SUBSIDIES

CONTINUING TO ASSIST BIG WEALTHY

AGRIBUSINESS WHILE DESTROYING

SMALL, LOCAL FARMS.

IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, WE

HAVE TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS

ENTRENCHED CYCLE.

IT'S HURTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND

KILLING US.

>> I THINK WE SHOULD BE

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE,

BECAUSE MODERN AGRICULTURE THAT

WE'VE BEEN A PARTY TO FOR

DECADES NOW IS DEAD-END.

IT'S COMING TO AN END.

PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING THIS.

AS THE SYSTEM TRANSITIONS, HOW

CAN WE HELP IT FASTER?

WE, AS CONSUMERS, CAN DEMAND

THAT HEALTHY, ECOLOGICALLY BASED

FOOD FOR ALL OF OUR LIVES.

THAT'S THE FUTURE.

>> WHERE DOES ORGANIC FIT IN TO

THAT?

ORGANIC IS A VERY IMPORTANT,

VIABLE PIECE OF THIS LARGER

FABRIC, AND WOVEN TOGETHER, I

THINK ORGANIC IS VERY IMPORTANT

IN OUR FUTURE.

FOR ME, PERSONALLY, IT'S NOT THE

BE-ALL END-ALL.

>> ON MY JOURNEY, I'VE

DISCOVERED THAT CERTIFIED

ORGANIC IS AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE

TO OUR AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS.

BUT IT MAKES UP LESS THAN 1% OF

TOTAL CROPLAND.

IT'S A POSITIVE MOVEMENT, BUT IT

ONLY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE.

I WANT TO FIND OTHER FARMING

SOLUTIONS, WAYS TO INCREASE

ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, BUILD

COMMUNITY AROUND NUTRITION, AND

FURTHER EDUCATION.

TO GET SOME MORE ANSWERS, I

HEADED BACK TO THE FARMS.

>> WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE IT

TO WHERE WE'RE REGENERATING OUR

SOILS, IMPROVING THE

ENVIRONMENT, AND GETTING

HEALTHIER FOOD TO PEOPLE?

>> WELL, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE

NOW -- 6.9 BILLION PEOPLE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDISCOVER

AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS FOR EVERY

PLACE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RELEARN HOW

TO DO IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING

IS WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A

MODEL THAT WILL HOPEFULLY

PROVIDE SOMETHING USEFUL GOING

FORWARD, AND WE LOOK AROUND, AND

WE JUST OBSERVE, AND WE JUST

ITERATE.

>> ALL OF OUR ORCHARDS USE A

METHOD CALLED INTEGRATED PEST

MANAGEMENT.

SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH TO

SPRAY AND WHAT TO SPRAY FOR AND

WHEN NOT TO SPRAY.

>> AN IPM CAN INCLUDE CHEMICAL

AND NONCHEMICAL APPROACHES, BUT

THE WHOLE GOAL OF IPM IS TO HELP

FARMERS TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE

MOST TOXIC CHEMICALS BY

PROVIDING THEM WITH LESS TOXIC

OR NONTOXIC ALTERNATIVES.

IN NONCHEMICAL ALTERNATIVES,

THEY MIGHT LOOK AT CROP

ROTATION.

NOW, CROP ROTATION IS ALMOST

ESSENTIAL.

THE REASON WHY IS, IF YOU ROTATE

YOUR CROP, NOT ONLY ARE YOU

ROTATING THE GOOD STUFF THAT

EACH CROP PUTS INTO THE SOIL,

BUT YOU'RE ALSO ROTATING THE

NUTRIENTS THAT EACH CROP SUCKS

OUT OF THE SOIL, AND BY ROTATING

AND GETTING A GOOD MIX, YOU'RE

PRESERVING THE HEALTH OF YOUR

SOIL.

>> ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FOOL

THE PESTS IS TO MOVE THINGS

AROUND SO THEY DON'T GET AN

ESTABLISHED HOME.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS MOVING THINGS

AROUND TO KIND OF STAY ONE STEP

AHEAD OF THE PESTS.

>> IN ADDITION, THERE'S

CHEMICALS THAT FARMERS CAN

CHOOSE OFF WHAT'S CALLED A GRAS

LIST -- GENERALLY REGARDED AS

SAFE -- AND THESE ARE REALLY

EFFECTIVE.

THEY INCLUDE THINGS THAT YOU

MIGHT FIND IN YOUR KITCHEN,

THINGS LIKE LEMON OR CAYENNE

PEPPER, LOTS OF THINGS YOU

WOULDN'T WANT TO GET IN YOUR

EYE, AND NEITHER DO INSECTS.

>> THAT'S CONVENTIONAL AG

DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL,

DEALING WITH SUSTAINABLE.

THAT'S A SOLUTION.

LET'S LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST

OPPORTUNITIES WE COULD HAVE TO

REBUILD FUTURE SOIL AND CLEAN UP

OUR WATERWAYS AND HAVE HEALTHIER

FOOD IN OUR SYSTEM IS TO BRING

THE ANIMALS BACK AND TO ADD

PASTURE IN THE FARM CYCLE.

>> WE'VE INCORPORATED ANIMALS

INTO OUR CYCLE, AND ANIMALS, AS

PART OF BUILDING SOIL, IS

SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY BELIEVE

IN.

THAT CYCLE IS A REALLY OLD ONE,

AND IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE.

>> IT WOULD CREATE SOME SMALLER

FARMS, AND IT WOULD START TO

REBUILD THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT

HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THIS

ENTERPRISE.

BUT IT WOULD BUILD THE

ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND

HEALTH OF THE SOIL AND HEALTH OF

THE WATER AND HEALTH OF THE FOOD

BACK INTO OUR WHOLE PUBLIC

HEALTH, PUBLIC POLICY, ECOLOGY,

AND COMMUNITIES.

>> BUT THERE ARE INCREASINGLY

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT ARE

MUCH BIGGER, SO WATER, ENERGY,

CLIMATE.

IN MANY CASES, AGRICULTURE

CAN'T, BY ITSELF, ADDRESS THOSE

ISSUES.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE IN

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS

ISN'T JUST A CHALLENGE FOR

AGRICULTURE.

IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR SOCIETY.

>> WE CAN'T EXPECT FARMERS TO

SOLVE AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS BY

THEMSELVES.

WE NEED TO TEAM TOGETHER.

SO I LEFT THE FARMS AND HEADED

BACK TO THE CITIES IN SEARCH OF

PEOPLE EXPLORING NEW SOLUTIONS.

AT MY FIRST TOP, I MET ALBERTO.

HE OPENED UP A RESTAURANT

COMMITTED TO SERVING CLEAN FOOD

TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> MY NAME IS ALBERTO GONZALEZ.

I'M FROM ARGENTINA ORIGINALLY,

AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF GUSTORGANICS.

I USED TO COME TO NEW YORK MANY

YEARS AGO AND REALLY HAVE A HARD

TIME TO FIND GOOD-QUALITY FOOD

AT A PRICE THAT I WAS ABLE TO

AFFORD, SO THAT, FOR ME, WAS,

YOU KNOW, LIKE A SIGN OF AN

OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING

INTERESTING.

AND I STARTED TO RESEARCH A

LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FOOD

SYSTEM, AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY,

YOU KNOW, BY THE OPPORTUNITY AND

BY THE SITUATION, YOU KNOW?

GUSTORGANICS, IT'S THE FIRST

CERTIFIED ORGANIC RESTAURANT IN

NEW YORK, AND IT'S THE FIRST

RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD THAT

USES 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC

INGREDIENTS.

COMPANIES ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO

MAXIMIZE PROFITS, AND THERE IS

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

THE ISSUE, IT HAS TO DO, IN MY

OPINION, WITH VALUES.

WE DON'T BUY STUFF FROM BIG, BIG

COMPANIES THAT WE DON'T SHARE

THE SAME VALUES, EVEN THOUGH

THEY ARE ORGANIC AND CERTIFIED

BY THE U.S.D.A.

WE'VE BEEN DOING DIFFERENT

THINGS TO EXPAND AND TO ENGAGE

MORE PEOPLE INTO WHAT WE DO.

NOW, DURING MAY, WE'RE LAUNCHING

THE FIRST U.S.D.A.-CERTIFIED

ORGANIC PUSHCART IN THE STREETS

OF NEW YORK, IN MANHATTAN.

WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING REAL

FOOD -- YOU KNOW, REAL FOOD,

YOU SEE? -- REAL FOOD TO THE

STREETS OF MANHATTAN SO PEOPLE

WOULD HAVE AN ORGANIC, NICE

OPTION TO HOT DOGS AND ALL THE

FOOD THAT, YOU KNOW -- WHO KNOWS

WHERE IT'S BEING MADE.

MY DREAM IS TO OPEN ANOTHER

RESTAURANT IN CALIFORNIA WHERE

WE CAN DO 100% ORGANIC AND ALSO

100% LOCAL.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE MY DREAM.

WE SEE THAT THERE IS A LITTLE

BIT OF GROWTH OF RESTAURANTS

THAT ARE TRYING TO DO MORE LOCAL

STUFF, I MEAN, BECAUSE THE

DEMAND IS THERE.

THE PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION

AND CARE ABOUT FROM WHERE THEY

BUY THEIR FOOD, YOU KNOW?

AND THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN MORE AND

MORE.

>> SERVING UP GOOD MEALS IS A

GREAT START, BUT THERE'S MORE

WORK TO DO.

I HAVE TO CROSS THE EAST RIVER

TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT EDUCATES

PEOPLE ABOUT FOOD.

>> SLOW FOOD USA IS A NATIONAL

NETWORK OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO

WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO

IMPROVE THEIR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM,

GET GOOD, CLEAN, AND FAIR FOOD

TO BE AVAILABLE TO MORE PEOPLE.

SO FOOD THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S BOTH

GOOD FOR YOU, THAT TASTES GOOD,

AND THAT YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT,

FOOD THAT'S CLEAN, FOOD THAT'S

GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THAT

DOESN'T DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT,

AND FOOD THAT'S FAIR.

>> YOU KNOW, IT STARTED IN

ITALY, AND IT WAS BASICALLY IN

RESPONSE TO THE SPREAD OF FAST

FOOD.

YOU KNOW, THE FOOD AND

AGRICULTURAL CULTURE WAS KIND OF

DISAPPEARING, AND THERE WAS A

GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE WHO REALLY

DIDN'T LIKE THE LOOK OF THAT AND

SO STARTED THIS MOVEMENT THAT

WAS REALLY SAYING, LIKE, "WE

DON'T WANT FAST FOOD.

WE DON'T WANT THIS FOOD THAT'S

HOMOGENOUS AND INDUSTRIALIZED

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, ROBS PEOPLE

AND CULTURES AND CITIES OF THEIR

INDIVIDUALITY AND OF THEIR LOCAL

ECONOMY.

WE WANT SLOW FOOD."

SO EVEN IN ITALIAN, ACTUALLY,

IT'S AN ENGLISH PHRASE, SORT OF

A REJECTION OF WESTERN AMERICAN

KIND OF FAST FOOD.

>> JUST THINK OF WHAT SLOW FOOD

DID LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

THEY HAD THEIR FIRST EVER SLOW

FOOD NATION IN SAN FRANCISCO.

70,000 TO 80,000 PEOPLE OVER

THAT WEEKEND PARTICIPATED IN

JUST WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT:

LEARNING.

THEY HAD INCREDIBLE WORKSHOPS,

SEMINARS, SPEECHES, PEOPLE

GARDENING OUT IN FRONT OF THE

CITY HALL IN SAN FRANCISCO,

EDUCATION, FUNDAMENTAL

EDUCATION.

>> THERE'S SOMETHING I'M FOND OF

REFERRING TO.

KFC HAD THIS CAMPAIGN, AND IT

WAS LIKE, "YOU CAN'T COOK THIS

CHEAP AT HOME."

AND IT WAS LIKE 10 PIECES OF

CHICKEN AND 4 BISCUITS AND

WHATEVER, AND ONE OF OUR BOARD

MEMBERS WAS ALSO A CHEF AND A

FOOD ACTIVIST, AND HE, LIKE,

WENT OUT TO THE STORE AND SHOWED

THAT HE COULD EASILY DO IT FOR,

LIKE, A BUCK LESS THAN THE KFC

VERSION, AND PLUS, HE HAD ALL

THIS CHICKEN STOCK LEFTOVER THAT

HE FROZE, HE COULD USE FOR OTHER

THINGS, AND IT WAS LIKE, THAT'S

NOT A REALITY FOR A LOT OF

PEOPLE, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE

DON'T KNOW HOW TO COOK ANYMORE.

I THINK IT'S PART OF WHY WE

EXIST IS WE'RE TRYING TO

RECONNECT PEOPLE WITH MAKING

YOUR OWN FOOD AND KNOWING WHERE

IT COMES FROM.

>> WE ALSO HAVE TO START SORT OF

AT THE BASIC LEVEL, AND THAT'S

IN OUR SCHOOLS, EDUCATING

CHILDREN,

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE KIDS GET

THAT TASTE SENSATION ABOUT

EATING LOCAL FOOD, THAT TASTE

MEMORY, AND START GROWING THE

FOOD THEMSELVES AND PREPARING

IT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU

START MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

>> LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

WE HAVE DEFAULTED TO WHAT WE

CONSIDER THE CHEAPEST FOOD, SO

WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR SCHOOL

LUNCH AND FOOD PROGRAMS, AND

LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THIS NATION

HAVE BEEN DOING WONDERFUL WORK

IN TRYING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN,

BUT WE'RE NOT PUTTING THE RIGHT

RESOURCES TOWARDS IT.

AND WE NEED TO BE EDUCATING

CHILDREN AS TO WHY WE'RE FEEDING

THEM WHAT WE'RE FEEDING THEM.

>> KIDS WILL EAT REAL FOOD WHEN

THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WHEN

THEY'VE PLANTED THE SEEDS, WHEN

THEY'VE TOUCHED IT WITH THEIR

HANDS, WHEN THEY'VE GROWN THE

FOOD AND COOKED IT THEMSELVES,

'CAUSE THEY'LL BE A LOT MORE

CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FOOD

IS.

THEY WON'T BE SCARED OF IT.

THEY'LL BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH

IT, BUT THEY'LL ALSO BE PROUD

OF IT.

>> THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO

ADDRESS AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, AND

THE ENVIRONMENT IS TO EDUCATE

THE NEXT GENERATION, OUR

CHILDREN.

WE HAVE TO START FROM THE GROUND

UP, AND I FOUND TWO SCHOOLS THAT

ARE CHARTING THE COURSE TO A

BRIGHTER FUTURE.

>> WE ARE IN OUR EDIBLE

SCHOOL YARD.

IT'S OUR VEGETABLE GARDEN.

WE'VE HAD GARDENS AROUND THE

SCHOOL FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAVE A VERY SMALL

VEGETABLE COMPONENT, BUT OVER

THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN

ABLE TO REALLY EXPAND IT THANKS

TO FRESHFARM MARKETS, WHICH HAS

PROVIDED SUPPORT AND FINANCING.

SO WE NOW HAVE 10 RAISED BEDS

AND 5 PLANTER BEDS AND SOME

CONTAINERS, AND WE GROW THREE

SEASONS WORTH OF VEGETABLES HERE

THAT THE KIDS PLANT, TEND,

HARVEST, COOK, AND EAT.

>> THE PEAS!

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> COOL.

>> THE PEAS ARE OVER THERE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, THE KIDS ARE

THOROUGHLY ENGAGED, AND YOU SEE,

SOMETHING LIKE THIS, EVEN

THOUGH, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT LOOK

AT, "OH, THE KIDS ARE HAVING

FUN."

BUT THIS IS ALL ABOUT WORKING.

THIS IS A JOB.

THEY HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO DO

THE JOB.

THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO

THE JOB.

EVEN IF IT HAS NOTHING TO DO

WITH LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS,

THEY'RE LEARNING A LOT ABOUT

WORKING INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH

THE GROUP AND SELF-ESTEEM AND

ALL THOSE THINGS, WHICH IS WHAT

I LOVE ABOUT THE GARDEN.

THIS IS A VERY DIRECT, IMMEDIATE

CONNECTION FOR THEM, AND

EVERYBODY LOVES TO EAT.

HARD TO BEAT THAT.

>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

>> WE'RE PUTTING IN SPINACH

SEEDS EVERY THREE CENTIMETERS.

>> EVERY THREE CENTIMETERS.

>> YEAH.

>> EVERY THREE CENTIMETERS, WE

PUT IN --

>> THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

>> WHAT IS THAT?

>> A SPINACH SEED.

>> IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT THE

THIRD GRADERS HAVE LEARNED A LOT

ABOUT BASIC NUTRITION

INFORMATION, ABOUT HOW TO MAKE

GOOD, BETTER FOOD CHOICES.

SO WE LEARNED ABOUT WHEAT AND

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE

FLOUR AND WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR AND

WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD AND WHITE

BREAD.

WHAT ELSE DID WE DO?

>> WE, LIKE, LOOKED AT SOME,

LIKE, LITTLE SNACK OR CEREALS,

AND THEN WE CHECKED THE FIVE

MAIN INGREDIENTS, AND THEN YOU

HAD THEM ALL ON THE TABLE.

>> AND WHAT DID WE DECIDE ABOUT

THOSE FIVE INGREDIENTS?

THIS OR THIS?

>> THIS.

>> YEAH, WE BASICALLY DECIDED WE

SHOULD AVOID THOSE TWO, RIGHT?

>> IT'S FOOD THAT HAS FAT IN IT,

AND IT'S NOT THE BAD FAT, BUT

IT'S THE GOOD FAT, AND IT

HELPS YOU.

>> OH, WELL, STOP RIGHT THERE.

THAT IS SUCH A GOOD POINT.

THERE'S TWO KINDS OF FATS,

RIGHT?

UNSATURATED.

>> UNSATURATED.

>> UNSATURATED.

>> AND THE ONES FROM PLANTS ARE

CALLED...

>> SATURATED.

>> NOT ALWAYS, BUT MOSTLY.

I'D LIKE TO SEE EVERY SCHOOL

HAVE HEALTH AND DIETARY

EDUCATION.

I THINK IT DOESN'T EXIST IN MOST

PLACES, AND IF IT'S GONNA BE

NUTRITION EDUCATION, IT SHOULD

BE FOCUSED AROUND FOOD, NOT

AROUND NUTRIENTS.

WHAT WE DO SEE IN HERE IS THAT

KIDS GROW THE FOOD IN THE

GARDEN, OR IT COMES FROM THE

FARMERS' MARKET, AND THEY STUDY

IT.

THEY SMELL IT, THEY LOOK AT IT,

THEY FEEL IT. THEY CHOP IT UP,

AND THEN THEY EAT ALL OF IT.

I MEAN, WE WERE SCRAPING THE POT

TODAY.

>> AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN

TAKE HOME WITH THEM, 'CAUSE THEY

TAKE HOME THE RECIPES.

THEY TAKE HOME THE KNOWLEDGE.

SO YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S

TANGIBLE TO THE KIDS IS GREAT.

>> WHAT'S THAT?

WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING?

>> KALE.

>> KALE.

>> BIG THING OF KALE.

>> WHAT'S THAT FOR?

>> OH, IT'S FOR A CUCUMBER

YOGURT SAUCE.

>> AND THIS IS GOOD.

YOU GOT TO TAKE THIS HOME.

>> I'M GONNA GET A WHOLE...

>> IT TASTES GOOD.

>> MMM.

>> MMM.

>> I LIKE IT.

>> GOOD.

>> IT'S GOOD.

IT WAS REALLY GOOD.

>> GOOD.

>> GOOD.

>> AWESOME.

>> THEY LOVE THE VEGETABLES.

THEY LOVE THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE

FROM BEGINNING TO END, BUT I

THINK PARTICULARLY THANKS TO

JENNIFER'S EFFORTS THIS YEAR,

THEIR EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED AS

TO WHAT VEGETABLES TASTE LIKE.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, WE FIND THAT

THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THE

LEFTOVERS.

>> THEY NEVER HAVE ANY

LEFTOVERS.

>> YEAH, THEY EAT EVERY BIT,

AND WE OFTEN HAVE TO LIMIT --

AT ONE POINT, WHEN WE REALIZED

IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY

ELSE TO HAVE SECONDS, WE HAVE TO

TELL THEM THEY CAN'T HAVE IT,

AND THEN THE TEACHERS FIGHT OVER

IT.

THE SCHOOL LUNCH HERE IS PRETTY

PITIFUL.

THERE'S NO KITCHENS HERE.

IT COMES PREPACKAGED WITH

PLASTIC WRAP ON TOP, AND IT'S

HEATED UP, AND THE PLASTIC IS

MELTED INTO IT, SO RIGHT NOW,

WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY IMPACT ON

THAT.

SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A REAL

KITCHEN, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD

PROBABLY BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE

SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS FUNDING SOME

OF THIS, BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IN

THE SCHOOL HERE IS OUTSIDE

FUNDING, WHICH HOPEFULLY, IN

THIS CASE, WILL LAST, BUT, YOU

KNOW, IN MANY CASES, I THINK, IS

KIND OF IFFY.

THE BEST THING WOULD BE IF THEY

WERE FUNDING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS

AND THEY WERE HAVING THE

CAFETERIAS COOK THE SAME FOODS

THAT THE KIDS WERE COOKING IN

CLASSROOMS, AND THEN THE RECIPES

GO HOME TO FAMILIES.

>> SCHOOL GARDENS EDUCATE

CHILDREN, BUT THEY DON'T ADDRESS

WHAT'S SERVED IN CAFETERIAS.

I WENT TO THE CALHOUN SCHOOL TO

MEET "CHEF BOBO," WHO HAS COOKED

UP A MODEL FOR AFFORDABLE,

HEALTHY, AND DELICIOUS SCHOOL

LUNCHES.

>> I'M CHEF BOBO, EXECUTIVE CHEF

AND FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR OF THE

CALHOUN SCHOOL.

I HELP KIDS DEVELOP PALATES FOR

REAL FOOD.

I DON'T CONSIDER FAST FOOD REAL

FOOD, BECAUSE IT'S FOOD THAT'S

BEEN PROCESSED AND HAS NO

NUTRITIONAL VALUE, SO IT'S NOT

REAL FOOD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO.

>> CAN I HAVE SOME?

>> IT GIVES THE KIDS SUCH A

GREAT CHANCE TO GET A LOOK AT

SOME THINGS MAYBE THEY AREN'T

USED TO SEEING.

THIS IS NEW YORK CITY.

HALF OF THEM DON'T KNOW WHAT

CERTAIN VEGETABLES, WHERE THEY

COME FROM OR WHAT THEY ARE.

FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE, THE FIRST

YEAR, I GREW MINT HERE, AND KIDS

HAD NO IDEA MINT WAS, LIKE, AN

ACTUAL THING THAT GREW IN THE

GROUND.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE A

FLAVOR IN ICE CREAM OR

SOMETHING, SO...

>> CHEF BOBO CAME IN EIGHT YEARS

AGO, AND HE BROUGHT IN ORGANIC

FOOD, AND BEFORE, WE WERE, I

GUESS, USING A CATERING SERVICE,

SO I KNOW MY LUNCH CONSISTED OF

BAGELS WITH CREAM CHEESE EVERY

DAY FOR LUNCH, AND BOBO CAME IN

AND BROUGHT VEGETABLES AND A LOT

OF OPTIONS FOR SOUPS AND

SANDWICHES AND SIDES.

HE'S REVOLUTIONIZED OUR LUNCH

PROGRAM.

>> I STARTED OFF WITH, "WHAT THE

HELL AM I GONNA DO?

YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO DO THIS

HEALTHY LUNCH PROGRAM, AND I GOT

TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT."

I KNEW I HAD TO GET THEM

INTERESTED, SO I STARTED OFF

WITH MAKING FOODS I KNEW THEY

WOULD LOVE.

I HAD TO MAKE A COUPLE OF REALLY

HARD DECISIONS.

LIKE, I KNEW THAT IF THEY SAW MY

FOOD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS GOOD,

OUT OF HABIT, THEY WOULD

PROBABLY COVER IT WITH KETCHUP,

SO I OUTLAWED KETCHUP IN THE

CAFETERIA.

MY FIRST MEAL, I CAN STILL

REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.

IT'S A MEAL THAT KIDS WOULD

LOVE.

I MADE FRIED CHICKEN, MASHED

POTATOES, GREEN BEANS, TOMATO

BASIL SOUP, AND HAD A GRILLED

CHEESE SANDWICH.

THEY LOVED THE FOOD.

I STARTED TO SAY, "OKAY, I'VE

GOT THEIR ATTENTION," SO I

STARTED, INSTEAD OF FRYING

FOODS, COOKING IT IN A

CONVECTION OVEN.

AND HOPEFULLY, WHEN THEY GO OUT

OF CALHOUN, THAT'S WHAT THEY

WANT TO EAT INSTEAD OF THE CRAP,

THE JUNK FOOD.

>> WELL, TODAY, WE HAVE CHICKEN.

>> LEMON CHICKEN.

>> LEMON CHICKEN. MY FAULT.

AND RICE WITH PIGEON PEAS.

>> PIGEON PEAS. PIGEON PEAS.

>> AND WE HAVE GUACAMOLE ON THE

SIDE.

>> AND I HAVE SOME GREENS.

>> IT'S REALLY, ACTUALLY, REAL

FOOD, AND THIS FOOD, I MEAN,

LIKE, IT'S QUALITY FOOD.

IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT FOR

LUNCH.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU HAVE TO EAT

FOR LUNCH.

IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT.

>> DO YOU THINK IT'S HEALTHIER?

>> MUCH HEALTHIER.

>> YES.

>> YES.

BY TONS.

>> DO YOU GUYS EAT LIKE THIS AT

HOME?

>> YES.

>> NOT EVEN THIS HEALTHY

SOMETIMES, AND SO THIS IS GOOD.

I MEAN, GENERALLY, IT IS

HEALTHY, BUT IT FEELS LIKE

YOU'RE AT HOME ALMOST, THAT

YOU'RE EATING FOOD AT HOME, NOT

FOOD IN A SCHOOL.

>> IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD

LUNCH, YOU CAN'T LEARN.

IF YOU DON'T EAT, YOU CAN'T

LEARN.

AND SO IT'S A KEY ELEMENT NEEDED

FOR LEARNING.

>> I KNOW WHAT THIS IS, AND...

>> IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN

WHAT IT WAS BEFORE YOU GOT HERE?

IS IT CHEAPER?

>> IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT

WAS BEFORE WE GOT HERE.

CALHOUN PAID INSTITUTIONAL

CATERER $3 PER PERSON PER DAY.

WHEN I CAME, THEY SAID, "OKAY,

WE WANT YOU TO DO THE SAME THING

FOR $3 A PERSON PER DAY."

I SAID, "GREAT."

I'VE KEPT TO $3 A DAY.

IS IT THE SAME AS PUBLIC

SCHOOLS?

PROBABLY NOT.

THEY PROVIDE ABOUT $2.60 A DAY.

THAT ALL GOES TO ADMINISTRATIVE

COSTS.

AND THEY GET ABOUT 95 CENTS TO

$1 A DAY FOR FOOD.

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE

EQUATION THERE.

I HAVE A CHEF WHO RECENTLY LEFT.

HE WORKED FOR ME 3 1/2 YEARS.

HE'S GONE TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN

THE SOUTH BRONX, WHICH IS A

PLACE WHERE THEY NEED DECENT

FOOD, 'CAUSE THERE'S NONE THERE.

YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND A DECENT

SUPERMARKET.

AND HE'S CREATING A HEALTHY

LUNCH PROGRAM THERE, AND HE'S

GONNA TAKE THOSE COMPONENTS THAT

HE CAN USE AND VARY THE

DIFFERENT COMPONENTS AND DO IT

ON $2.50 A DAY.

SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HAVING

SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO DO IT

DO IT.

>> WE NEED TO IMPROVE SCHOOL

FOOD.

WE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT, YOU

KNOW, WE WANT EVERYONE TO GROW

UP WITH HEALTHY FOOD.

WE WANT TO FIGHT OBESITY.

WE WANT TO RAISE A HEALTHY

GENERATION OF KIDS.

WE CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS WE'RE

MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS WHO

ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO SCHOOL

LUNCH AS THEIR ONLY GUARANTEED

MEAL, THAT THAT MEAL IS HEALTHY.

OTHERWISE, THEY'RE NOT EATING

HEALTHY FOOD, AND WE'RE

PERPETUATING THE PROBLEM.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FEEDING

KIDS HERE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH

OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.

WE'RE ABLE, IN OUR COUNTRY, TO

COME UP WITH MONEY TO FIGHT A

WAR IN AFGHANISTAN WITH NO

TROUBLE AT ALL, AND YET WE CAN'T

COME UP WITH MONEY TO MAKE SURE

THAT KIDS EAT WELL IN SCHOOL?

THAT'S A POLITICAL PRIORITY.

>> SEEING CHILDREN EXCITED TO

LEARN ABOUT HEALTHY FOOD REALLY

INSPIRED ME, BUT IT MADE ME

REALIZE THAT EDUCATING OUR

CHILDREN IS NOT ENOUGH.

WE SHOULD ALL SET A BETTER

EXAMPLE, AND IN ORDER TO DO

THAT, WE NEED TO EDUCATE

OURSELVES.

I JUST LEARNED THAT MY DINNER

TRAVELED 1,600 MILES FROM THE

FARM TO MY TABLE.

THAT'S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE.

WE NEED TO CLOSE THAT GAP, AND

WE CAN DO IT BY GROWING AND

BUYING LOCAL FOOD.

>> I THINK WE START SOLVING THE

CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM BY

INTENTIONALLY LOCALIZING.

PEOPLE REALLY CAN MAKE CHOICES

ABOUT HOW THEY EAT, AND SO IF

PEOPLE WILL INTENTIONALLY

LOCALIZE THEIR FOOD BUYING, IF

THEY WILL SUPPORT SMALL, LOCAL

FARMS, IF THEY'LL GO TO FARMERS'

MARKETS, IF THEY'LL GROW

SOMETHING IN THE BACKYARD, IF

THEY'LL INVITE THEIR NEIGHBORS

TO SHARE WHAT THEY'VE GROWN AND

INVITE THEM TO GROW SOMETHING,

WE CAN START FROM THE CENTER

GOING OUT.

THAT LOCALLY GROWN ORGANIC FOOD

IS THE GREATEST STUFF THERE IS.

I MEAN, EATING IS THE LAST GREAT

ADVENTURE, AND DISCOVERING, YOU

KNOW, THE GREAT FLAVOR AND TASTE

OF LOCAL ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IS

THE MOST ADVENTUROUS THING THAT

YOU CAN DO.

>> ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT

YOU CAN GO TO FIND LOCAL

AGRICULTURE IS AT A FARMERS'

MARKET.

I VISITED DOZENS ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN 7,000,

MAKING THEM A CONVENIENT AND FUN

WAY TO BUY AFFORDABLE LOCAL AND

SEASONAL FOOD.

>> IT GIVES PEOPLE A SENSE OF

COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT

CULTURES WHERE GOING TO THE

LOCAL MARKET IS A WAY OF LIFE

THEY'VE KNOWN ALL THEIR LIVES.

IT BRINGS THEM CLOSER TO THE

PERSON WHO GROWS YOUR FOOD.

IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO

LOOK AT SOMETHING AND SAY, "WHAT

IS THAT?

HOW DO YOU COOK IT?"

>> THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN FARMERS AND CUSTOMERS,

SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEIR FOOD IS

GROWN, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF THE

ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES, BUT

ALSO IN TERMS OF THE LABOR

PRACTICES.

>> AND THEY'LL TELL YOU, "FARMER

JOHN GREW THIS.

FARMER JOE GREW THIS.

THIS ONE COMES FROM SAN DIEGO."

>> ALL OF OUR FARMERS ARE REALLY

COMMITTED TO GROWING FOOD IN A

SUSTAINABLE WAY.

THEY MAY NOT ALL BE ORGANIC, BUT

THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MAKING

SURE THAT THEY HAVE A FRESH

PRODUCT THAT IS GROWN WITH

PROBABLY THE BEST FARM PRACTICES

THAT THEY CAN EMPLOY.

>> WE'RE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE

PRICE-WISE THAN IT USED TO BE.

>> THE KINDS OF FARMERS THAT ARE

COMING TO FARMERS' MARKETS ARE

SMALL-TO-MEDIUM-SIZE FARMERS.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A FARMERS'

MARKET IS, THE MIDDLEMEN GET

ELIMINATED, AND THE FARMER COMES

DIRECTLY TO THE CUSTOMER, AND

THEN THE CUSTOMER GETS WHATEVER

THE FARMER IS RAISING IN ITS

FRESHEST AND MOST SORT OF

PRISTINE FORM.

THE FARMER GETS BACK PROBABLY

92%, 93% OF THAT DOLLAR.

>> A FARMERS' MARKET IS NOT JUST

ABOUT SELLING FOOD.

IT'S A COMMUNITY SPACE.

I THINK HAVING FARMERS' MARKETS

CHANGES THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND

TRULY BRINGS AND BRIDGES

COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

>> FARMERS' MARKETS ALSO BUILD

COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING

AFFORDABLE LOCAL FOOD TO

LOW-INCOME SHOPPERS.

>> EBT IS THE ELECTRONIC BENEFIT

PROGRAM, WHICH IS TRANSFER OF

FUNDS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL'S

ACCOUNT TO MY ACCOUNT.

I THEN GIVE THEM SCRIPTS TO BE

ABLE TO USE AT ANY OF THE

FARMERS' STANDS.

IT'S THE OLD FOOD STAMP PROGRAM,

BUT THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO

STOP PRINTING MONEY.

>> SINCE 1997, OUR FARMERS THAT

ARE QUALIFIED, AND THAT'S FRUIT

AND VEGETABLE GROWERS, TO ACCEPT

THE WIC, WHICH IS THE WOMEN,

INFANTS, AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

COUPONS -- ACCEPT WIC COUPONS AT

THE FARMERS' MARKET, SO WE'VE

DONE THAT SINCE THE VERY

BEGINNING.

IF YOU COME TO THE MARKET AS A

WIC SHOPPER OR A FOOD-STAMP

SHOPPER, COME TO OUR INFORMATION

TABLE.

SHOW US YOUR WIC COUPON BOOKLET.

TELL US YOU WANT TO SPEND $15

AT MARKET TODAY.

WE GIVE YOU, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE

WRITE OFF FOR YOUR $15, BUT WE

ALSO GIVE YOU 15 FREE MARKET

DOLLARS TO GO AND SPEND ON FOOD

AT THE MARKET.

IF YOU'RE A FOOD-STAMP CUSTOMER,

WANT TO TAKE OUT $20 FROM YOUR

FOOD STAMP ACCOUNT, WE GIVE YOU

AN ADDITIONAL $20 OF OUR MARKET

DOLLARS TO SHOP AT MARKET.

>> IN 2005, WE HAD EBT AT THREE

MARKETS AND DID JUST UNDER

$1,000 IN SALES.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD EBT ACCESS AT

24 MARKETS AND DID $250,000 IN

SALES.

NOW, THAT GROWTH IS AMAZING, BUT

IT DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO CHIP

AWAY AT THE ALMOST $1 BILLION OF

TOTAL FOOD STAMP DOLLARS IN

NEW YORK CITY.

>> THE WHOLE REDEMPTION OF FOOD

STAMPS AT FARMERS' MARKETS IS

VERY LOW, SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT

OF WORK, I THINK, TO DO TO

EDUCATE THE CONSUMER AND ALL OF

THOSE AGENCIES THAT FARMERS'

MARKET REDEMPTION IS A REALLY

STRONG WAY FOR THEM TO GO.

>> BUYING LOCALLY AT FARMERS'

MARKETS IS ANOTHER STEP IN THE

RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT IT'S TIME

TO DISPEL THE MYTH THAT FOOD

CAN ONLY BE GROWN IN THE

COUNTRYSIDE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY,

MORE PEOPLE LIVE IN CITIES THAN

IN RURAL AREAS.

LET'S START IN OUR

NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO STRENGTHEN

COMMUNITIES AND TO GROW OUR OWN

LOCAL FOOD.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPACTS, I

THINK, OF THIS FARM IS JUST TO

REMIND PEOPLE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE

TO GROW A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOODS

HERE IN THE CITY.

FOOD ACCESS IN EAST NEW YORK IS

PRETTY SEVERELY LIMITED.

IT'S A LARGE COMMUNITY.

IT'S 180,000 PEOPLE.

IT HAS SOME OF THE WORST CASES

OF DIABETES AND OBESITY IN

NEW YORK CITY.

WE WORK WITH 24 YOUTH, WHICH IS

TEENAGERS AGE 13 TO 18 THAT

EITHER LIVE OR GO TO SCHOOL IN

EAST NEW YORK, AND IT'S A PAID

INTERNSHIP FOR THEM.

THEY WORK ON THE FARM.

THEY HELP OUT OTHER GARDENERS.

THEY RUN A STAND AT OUR FARMERS'

MARKET, AND WE TALK ABOUT FOOD

DISTRIBUTION.

WE TALK ABOUT FOOD ACCESS.

WE TALK ABOUT AGRICULTURE ON THE

GLOBAL SCALE, BUT WE ALSO TALK

ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES IN EAST

NEW YORK.

>> I GO TO CLARA BARTON HIGH

SCHOOL, WHICH IS LOCATED IN

CROWN HEIGHTS.

EVER SINCE I STARTED WORKING

HERE, LIKE, I LEARNED A LOT

ABOUT MY HEALTH AND WHAT, LIKE,

DIABETES ARE JUST MORE THAN

JUST EATING CANDY.

IT'S ACTUALLY, LIKE, THE GREASE

FOOD, THE AMOUNT OF GREASE FOOD

THAT YOU EAT IF YOU CATCH IT,

AND, LIKE, YEAH.

SO LIKE, EVER SINCE I STARTED

WORKING HERE, LIKE, IN MY

HOUSEHOLD, IT'S MUCH, YOU KNOW,

MORE BETTER.

WE RECYCLE.

WE EAT THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT

WE EAT, BUT, LIKE, WE ACTUALLY

MIX IT WITH THE STUFF THAT I

ACTUALLY BRING HOME FROM HERE.

WE DRINK LESS SODA, LESS JUICE.

WE DRINK MORE WATER.

SOMETIMES WE MIX THE WATER WITH

OUR JUICE AND OUR SODAS.

AND, YEAH, WE COMPOST IN OUR

HOUSE TOO, SO ANY VEGETABLE

SCRAPS THAT WE HAVE, WE JUST

THROW IT IN AND BRING IT OVER

HERE AND JUST THROW IT IN THE

COMPOST.

>> THE BASIS OF THIS PROJECT WAS

COMMUNITY GARDENS.

THERE ARE 60 COMMUNITY GARDENS

IN EAST NEW YORK.

THERE'S A GREAT POTENTIAL THERE

FOR GROWING A LOT MORE FOOD.

>> URBAN FARMS MAKE GOOD FOOD

AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO

NEED IT.

ON MY TRIP TO SAN DIEGO, I SAW

THAT URBAN FARMS CAN ALSO BRING

A GREATER SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

NOWHERE IS THIS MORE APPARENT

THAN AT THE NEW ROOTS FARM,

WHERE IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL OVER

THE WORLD WORK SIDE BY SIDE.

>> MY NAME'S AMY LINT, AND I

WORK FOR THE INTERNATIONAL

RESCUE COMMITTEE, AND I'M THE

COORDINATOR OF THE NEW ROOTS

COMMUNITY FARM, WHICH IS A

TWO-ACRE URBAN FARM IN

CITY HEIGHTS, SAN DIEGO.

THE NEW ROOTS COMMUNITY FARM

STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO FROM

OUR NEWEST ARRIVAL CLIENTS,

WHICH ARE THE SOMALI BANTU AND

THEIR FARMING COMMUNITY.

>> WE GOT FIVE, SIX, SEVEN

DIFFERENT ICONIC PEOPLE HERE,

YOU KNOW, LIKE CAMBODI AND

HISPANIC, SOMALI BANTU, AND WE

GET HMONG COMMUNITY, LAOS AND

THAIS AND ALSO CHINESE.

SO THIS PLACE RIGHT HERE IS

BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

>> OVER 80 PEOPLE CAN HAVE A

PLOT TO GARDEN AND MAKE

DECISIONS, GROW THEIR OWN FOOD,

AND THEY REALLY CHANGE THEIR

DIET TO INCLUDE A LOT OF NEW

GREENS THAT THEY WEREN'T

CURRENTLY HAVING BEFORE.

THE OTHER STRONG IMPACTS THAT

WE'VE SEEN AS WELL IS THE MENTAL

HEALTH ASPECT, THAT THIS GARDEN

IS THERAPY FOR MANY PEOPLE.

I DON'T THINK THIS COULDN'T BE

REPLICATED ANYWHERE ELSE WITH

THE BACKING OF A STRONG GARDEN

OR URBAN POLICY AROUND AND

INTEREST IN GROWING FOOD IN THE

URBAN CENTER BY DECISION MAKERS.

RIGHT NOW, IN THE MIDST OF THIS

ECONOMY, PEOPLE ARE REALLY

INTERESTED IN GROWING FOOD.

>> WELL, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE

DON'T REALIZE HOW EASY IT IS TO

GROW FOOD AND HOW MUCH FOOD YOU

CAN GROW ON A STUNNINGLY SMALL

PLOT OF LAND.

>> I TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY

IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS TO OUR

NATION'S AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS,

BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE

LOS ANGELES TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE.

I'M HEADED TO MY LAST STOP,

HAYGROUND ORGANIC GARDENING, TO

LEARN WHAT I CAN DO IN MY OWN

BACKYARD.

>> WE STARTED OUT, ACTUALLY, IN

A SMALL HOLLYWOOD BACKYARD, JUST

REALLY AN AVERAGE-SIZED LOT, I

WOULD SAY.

WASN'T VERY LARGE AT ALL.

I AM LOGAN WILLIAMS.

I REPRESENT HAYGROUND ORGANIC

GARDENING ALONG WITH MY FATHER.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR

SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND WE GROW

AND SELL ORGANIC, EDIBLE PLANTS,

AS WELL AS DO ORGANIC, EDIBLE

LANDSCAPES.

>> I'VE BEEN DOING IT A LONG

TIME, AND I'M STILL FASCINATED

ABOUT PLANTING A SEED AND

WATCHING IT GERMINATE, RIGHT?

IT'S JUST A CERTAIN FEELING YOU

GET, AND YOU DON'T GET THAT WITH

ANYTHING ELSE.

>> DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH SUN

YOU GET, YOU CAN GROW ANY NUMBER

OF THINGS IN A RELATIVELY

LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPACE.

>> THESE RIGHT HERE, ACTUALLY,

JAPANESE CUCUMBERS.

SPECKLED ROMAINE.

THERE ARE JALAPEÑOS.

RED RIB DANDELION GREENS.

RED ROMAINE.

YOU GOT A GREEN BUTTER LETTUCE

OVER THERE.

THESE WOULD BE PUMPKINS.

THERE'S A BOB MARLEY MINT THAT

WE'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE

COUNTRY WHO SELL THAT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S A MINT THAT BOB MARLEY

ACTUALLY USED TO GROW IN

JAMAICA.

I'D SAY IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE

BEST TECHNIQUES TO HAVE ORGANIC

LOCAL FOOD FOR YOURSELF AT HOME

GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU ARE

GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE OF

IT, EVEN IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO

IS GROWING ON, LET'S SAY, A

BALCONY IN AN APARTMENT OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, I THINK,

GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE

IMPORTANCE OF GROWING

ORGANICALLY, AND THEY CAN DO IT

IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.

AND I THINK THAT'S HAPPENING

FAST.

>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY

DOABLE FOR SOMEBODY AT HOME.

THIS IS JUST ABOUT

1 1/2 FOOT-DEEP RAISED BED, SOME

GOOD ORGANIC POTTING SOIL.

>> THIS RIGHT HERE IS PURE WORM

CASTINGS, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS NO

ODOR.

PURE, CLEAN, IT IS SO

CLEAN-SMELLING, YOU CAN'T

BELIEVE IT.

>> IT'S AMAZING.

>> OH, I KNOW.

>> ONCE THEY REALIZE IT'S REALLY

NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK IT IS,

PEOPLE ARE GONNA START GROWING

MORE AND MORE STUFF FOR

THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE GONNA BECOME MORE AND

MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT, REALLY.

>> PEOPLE ARE ALSO REALIZING HOW

THERAPEUTIC IT IS.

'CAUSE REALLY, YOU FEEL GOOD

WHEN YOU PLANT A SEED.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT,

AND IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT, YOU

GOT TO TRY IT.

>> IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME SLIGHT

EFFORT, BUT ONCE YOU GET

SOMETHING TANGIBLE FROM IT, YOU

TEND TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT IT AND

REALLY JUST ENJOY THE

EXPERIENCE, SO THAT'S REALLY HOW

IT STARTS OUT WITH EVERYBODY.

YOU'RE KIND OF RELUCTANT.

LIKE, "OH, I CAN'T GROW

ANYTHING.

I'M JUST ME."

AND TURNS OUT YOU'RE AS GOOD A

GARDENER AS YOU WANT TO BE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT FOOD.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE

OF FOOD.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT I DO WHEN

I GO HOME AT NIGHT.

I'LL GO IN, AND I'LL GET THAT

CHICKEN, AND WITHIN 20 MINUTES,

I HAD THOSE CHICKENS DRIED AND

CLEANED OUT, STUFFED WITH APPLES

AND FRESH CARROTS AND ONIONS,

PUT A NICE LITTLE RUB OF OLIVE

OIL THAT CAME FROM THESE TREES

HERE, A LITTLE BIT OF GARLIC.

WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT HERE?

I'M TALKING ABOUT SIMPLICITY.

I'M TALKING ABOUT NUTRITION.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT

ARE SO GOOD FOR YOU.

AND YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT TOOK

ME TO DO?

25 MINUTES.

THE ESSENCE THERE IS SO

PROFOUND.

YOU'RE CREATING A NUTRITIONAL,

DELICIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SIT

AROUND THE TABLE, TO DISCUSS

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THAT DAY,

TO SHARE IN ALL OF THE GOODNESS

OF SOCIETY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON

WHATEVER OTHER SYSTEM IS

CONTRARY TO THAT, WHETHER IT'S

FAST FOOD, "I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH

TIME."

THOSE ARE ALL VERY VALID ISSUES.

BUT I THINK IF WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT OUR NATIONAL HEALTH, IF

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

THE TOPIC OF THE DECADE,

OBESITY, WE CAN CHANGE THAT.

>> I THINK THAT THE FOOD SYSTEM,

IN SOME WAYS, IS LIKE A MIRROR

OF ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS

THAT ARE BROKEN.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROFITING

FROM IT ARE CORPORATIONS AND BIG

BUSINESS, AND INDIVIDUALS ARE

SUFFERING.

HUMAN HEALTH IS SUFFERING.

>> THE FOOD SYSTEM -- I MEAN,

IT'S A SYSTEM, BUT IT'S A GIANT,

COMPLEX PROBLEM.

THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES THAT FIT

INTO IT.

>> AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO

WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO

REINVEST IN COMMUNITIES, TO HAVE

HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD.

>> WE NEED TENS OF THOUSANDS, IF

NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, OF

FARMERS IN THIS NATION, AND THEY

WILL NOT BE ME.

THEY WILL NOT BE 59 YEARS OLD.

THEY WILL BE 26 AND 32 AND 18.

>> THE SPECIAL INTERESTS KEEP

PUMPING THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

INTO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO BUY

THEIR VOTES.

SO HOW DO YOU GET GRASSROOTS

MOVING?

IT CAN MOVE.

IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE

IT MOVE.

>> IF 2 TELL 4, 4 TELL 8

PEOPLE, AND 8 PEOPLE TELL 16

PEOPLE ABOUT THESE THINGS,

EVENTUALLY, WE ARE GONNA HAVE SO

MANY ALLIES, YOU KNOW, SO MANY

PEOPLE SUPPORTING THIS THAT,

EVENTUALLY, WASHINGTON WILL MAKE

THE CHANGES.

>> WE'RE FINALLY AT THIS MOMENT

WHERE I THINK WE'RE ALL LOOKING

AT EACH OTHER AND SAYING, LIKE,

"WE NEED TO DO THIS TOGETHER."

>> THAT'S GONNA TAKE YOU, THE

CONSUMER, TO SAY, "WAIT A

MINUTE.

RESEARCH, ORGANIC AND

SUSTAINABLE FARMING, AND ALL OF

FARMING IS VERY IMPORTANT."

>> ON MY JOURNEY, I'VE LEARNED

THAT WE ARE TACKLING THESE

ISSUES.

SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE A

MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL

OF US.

THERE'S BEEN A 13% INCREASE IN

NEW FARMS, BUT WE STILL NEED

MORE LOCAL, ORGANIC FARMERS.

BUILD A COMMUNITY WITH YOUR

NEIGHBORS AT A FARMERS' MARKET.

TALK TO THE FARMERS ABOUT THEIR

PRACTICES.

COOK A FAMILY MEAL AT HOME.

WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO

INCREASE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL

LUNCHES AND SCHOOL GARDENS TO

GUARANTEE A SAFE AND HEALTHY

FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

SUPPORTING LOCAL, ORGANIC

AGRICULTURE CAN BE A STEP TO

DEALING WITH LARGER GLOBAL

ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE,

WATER ISSUES, FOSSIL-FUEL USE,

OBESITY, CANCER, DIABETES, AND

THE LIST GOES ON.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU EAT,

WHERE IT COMES FROM,

AND EAT DIFFERENT.