Food Econ 101

This interview of one Paul Roberts is a tad too simple, even for someone who, at some point of his or her college life, may have fallen asleep on an open copy of Mankiw's Principle of Economics, but it still is an interesting read. I think it's because he does say some things that make a lot of sense. So I think I'll add his latest book, The End of Food, to my list of "Books to Check Out of the Library When I'm Done with my MA."

Excerpts:

"So we need to ask: How do we make trade more effective and equitable and efficient? I think that there’s a lot of ideology flying around here: Let’s do local, not global; free trade is bad. There’s a lot we have to reverse, but you have to separate the moral argument from the pragmatic argument, and that’s hard to do."

And:

"What I think consumers are really hungry for at this point, if you’ll excuse the pun, is an understanding of the economic forces that are shaping things. If you go into a grocery store, everything that’s there represents a business calculation. I think consumers need to begin to unpack and understand those business decisions: Why is that stuff here? You realize that all these decisions have massive consequences on the flavor and quality of our food, on the health impacts, the safety of the food supply, and, I think in the long term what we’re realizing is, on the sustainability of the food system."

Sound impossible? Mate, we've got to start somewhere and each one could be a bit more responsible, no?