Stopping School Lunch Reform

In case you didn't hear, the food lobby (or lobbies) successfully resisted the proposed changes to make school lunches more healthy by, in part, cutting back on french fries and pizza.

The food lobby argued that pizza and french fries should be counted as vegetables.

Paperback Edition of The Politics of Food Supply!

It's official: Yale University Press is publishing a paperback edition of The Politics of Food Supply!

For the paperback edition, I wrote a new preface that discusses the world crisis of 2007-2008. This new preface explains the connection between that food crisis -- which centered on sharply increased food prices -- and the analysis of US agricultural policy in the book.

In addition, the paperback edition is much cheaper than the hardcover, at only $22. It will be available in February 2012.

Yale University Press lists the paperback edition on its website. And, you can pre-order the paperback edition on the Barnes and Nobles website for just $18.

Amazon.com just put it up as well -- $22 per-order.

Check it out!

French Fries as Vegetables

I was listening to National Public Radio a couple weeks ago, and I heard a story about how the USDA is trying to change school menus to reduce the amount of french fries the kids are served. The point was to try to fight childhood obesity.

The story on NPR pointed out that Senator Susan Collins and others were fighting the proposed regulations. Here is the story.

One of the things that surprised me was the discussion about french fries (potatoes) versus "other vegetables." I get that potatoes are tubers and vegetables, but it's just odd to hear that someone might choose between french fries and broccoli as a vegetable for dinner.

So, in the 1980s, were french fries and ketchup counted as two servings of vegetables?

Book Award

Yesterday, my book received the Book Award given by the Political Economy of the World-System (PEWS) section of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

There were eleven books nominated for the 2011 PEWS Book Award.

I am very excited and pleased that my book won this award, which emphasizes the contributions made to understanding the relationship between national policies and processes and the world economy.

Book on Sale

I just saw that Amazon.com has my book on sale for about $38, which is about a 30% discount. Yes, still expensive, but it's a much better price that usual.

The Politics of Food Supply at Amazon.com

Fast Food, Healthy Children's Menus?

I saw this article the other day in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, about chain restaurants (few of which are fast food) that are trying to make children's menus that are more healthy.

On the one hand, of course, we should applaud such a move by restaurants, especially of the fast food variety. (Check out the book Fat Land to see how such unhealthy diets infiltrated schools and affected children's health.) Any step is positive.

On the other hand, I find it difficult to believe that even a move such as this will have much of an effect on children's health or diets.

Plus, it's worth noting that McDonald's, KFC, and many other fast food restaurants are not signing up to be part of this program, according to the article.

Resiliency of Farm Subsidies

Even amidst the debt ceiling talks, farm subsidies continue to be protected. This New York Times article discusses attempts by Presidents G. W. Bush and Obama to make cut particular programs, but each one failed.

I wouldn't be surprised if farm subsidies saw a few cuts, but I don't expect them to be very significant. Support for farm subsidies cuts across political party and region. In addition, farm subsidies actually represent a fairly small portion of the overall federal budget.