[OKC] demand an apology to arugula

Fri Feb 13 08:12:22 PST 2009

Yesterday I read the press release about Oklahoma House Bill 2151, by state
Rep. Don Armes, R-Faxon. In Orwellian language, Armes claims the bill will,
". simplify regulation of livestock producers by making the state the
single-source regulator in Oklahoma (other than the federal government)." 

I was struck by the labeling, divisive language of Armes' quotes. 

"Unfortunately, there's been a trend of over-reach by fringe groups who
don't know much about animals, agriculture production, or the free market,
yet still feel the need to impose their version of 'animal Nirvana' on local
farmers and ranchers through arbitrary regulations," said Armes, R-Faxon.
"This bill will simply ensure that livestock regulations are developed by
experts at the state level who know what they're doing."

And this: 

"Let's be honest: The majority of people in San Francisco probably think the
chicken just magically appears ready to eat next to the arugula and tofu in
the grocery aisle," Armes said. "In a place like Oklahoma, where there are
literally more cattle than people and agriculture production generates
billions of dollars in gross state product, it just makes sense to have
trained experts making regulatory decisions."

Honesty? Really! There are so many prevarications and inane statements in
just these two quotes it's hard to know where to start. 

First, about that "let's say hateful things about Californians" thing: I
have a sister and brother-in-law who are former residents of the Bay
<file:///C:\Users\shauna\AppData\Roaming\Windows%20Live%20Writer\PostSupport
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farmers. They live two hours north of San Francisco and operate a small,
sustainable and organic family farm in Mendocino County, Calif. They are
amazing, informed people with a firm grasp on the agricultural business,
very connected to their land and to the local food movement in their county
as well as in that demonized Bastion of Enlightened Eating known as San
Francisco. I am so proud of them for what they are working hard to do. Wanna
talk sweat equity? This is it! 

This summer they shared their abundance of produce with local food banks and
they are constantly hosting visitors at the farm to teach them how to be
more self-sufficient and live sustainably. Most especially my sis and
bro-in-law understand the inhumanity, pollution and public health hazards of
industrialized factory farms. As farmers they were huge supporters of
Proposition 2, the ballot question Armes references in his
<http://www.okhouse.gov/OkhouseMedia/news_story.aspx?NewsID=2908>  press
release. 

Second, given all the problems our nation and Oklahoma faces, are
belittling, mischaracterizations such as these from Armes the mark of
leadership, or of someone bought and paid for by the Confined Animal Feeding
Operation (CAFO) industry? 

Blogger Oklavore <http://oklavore.com/>  wrote a beautiful, eloquent reply
to this nonsense: 

I am sick of people using food to exacerbate perceived divisions. Just
yesterday a state
<http://www.okhouse.gov/OkhouseMedia/news_story.aspx?NewsID=2908>
representative invoked "arugula" to conjure feelings of "us" and "them." How
is it that a salad green has come to represent elites, or in this case
ignorant, elitist city-folk? Remember Obama's so-called "arugula moment" in
mid-2007? Ridiculous. It grows in the wild and is easy to cultivate, for
goodness sake! What's the big deal? It's been hijacked as a political tool
(remember "freedom fries"?). Could it be that Californians have actually
gotten more informed about food and agriculture and that's why they voted
for Proposition 2? What do you think? 

More of Oklavore's reply here <http://oklavore.com/> . And more about
California's Proposition 2 here
<http://www.iowacci.org/news/EQIP%20report%2012-08.pdf> . 

Third, as Oklavore notes, why pick on arugula! As I write this, I am
feasting on arugula harvested from my backyard cold frame. It grows in the
winter dammit! It's great with eggs. It's great in dips. It's heavenly in
salads. I think it would be wonderful to flood Rep. Armes email inbox
demanding he apologize to arugula! Or maybe we can take him a nice supply of
arugula from Oklahoma's local farmers along with a stack of studies about
what CAFOs are doing to our grand land. Or maybe we call the TV stations and
invite them to a salad sit-in!  

But fourth and finally and more to heart of the matter: The demand for an
apology to arugula is light-hearted, but this bill and its true intent are
deadly serious. I think this bill has nothing to do with supporting local
agriculture, and everything to do with protecting big agribiz CAFOs from any
possible future federal regulation of their Grinch-hearted, inhumane CAFO
pens and their filthy practices.  

CAFOs will spend millions in lobbying and advertising and spin factories to
protect their taxpayer-subsidized machine as long as possible regardless of
the overwhelming
http://foodkills.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/cow-farm.jpgmountain of
evidence confirming the damage they do to Oklahoma's rural communities and
economies, people, environment, public health, watersheds, tourism and
natural resources. So maybe we can help Rep. Armes understand we the people
aren't as uninformed as he thinks and won't take this gross assault on
arugula, on family and friends in California, and most importantly, on
Oklahoma's rural and urban communities. From our container and backyard
urban gardens, from our small, thoughtfully run farms, from our hearts and
minds yearning for healthy communities, clean skies and water, and humanity
for all people and all species, we can can speak louder than Armes' bully
pulpit. 

Here's Armes' email address: donarmes at okhouse.gov and his phone number (405)
557-7307. 

If you want, throw in a few links to studies about CAFOs in your email too.
See below for links to get you started. Please spread the word and share
more studies and info if you want. 

. CAFOs Uncovered: The Untold Costs of Confined Animal Feeding
<http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_indu
strial_agriculture/cafos-uncovered.html>  Operations 

. Industrial <http://www.iowacci.org/news/EQIP%20report%2012-08.pdf>
Livestock at the Taxpayer Trough: How Large Hog and Dairy Operations are
Subsidized by the Environmental Quality Incentives Program 

. Local <http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/ra04/sb1128.html>  control and
CAFOs: A public health issue for rural counties 

. Assessment of <http://istpp.org/pdf/istpp_cafo.pdf>  Impacts on Health,
Local Economies, and the Environment with Suggested Alternatives 

. Farmers Worry About CAFO Dairy: Pollution, Land Values Are
<http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?/site/voice_stories/farmers_worry_about_
cafo_dairy_pollution_land_values_are_concerns/issue/25>  Concerns

This info is archived at my blog :::
http://thinklady.typepad.com/thinklady/.

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