05/29/06 Slow Food

Slow Food. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. We as American's have gotten used to fast. The internet is fast, banking is fast and of course our food is fast. The faster, the better. Taste is usually sacrificed for convenience. A movement was started in Italy in 1986 and has become an international non-profit education organization to slow down the fast food industry. This movement was called simply, Slow Food and is dedicated to supporting and celebrating food traditions. By reviving the pleasures of the table, and using our taste buds as our guides, Slow Food U.S.A. believes that our food heritage can be saved. Executive Director of Slow Food USA, Erika Lesser says its part of our Ag heritage. LESSER: We want to remind everybody that Ag is agriculture. That there is culture in the heart of food and that food in a way is the center of our society and our lives from start to finish. And so what we feel like we bring is not just a larger perspective on how food fits in with a kind of world view but also that understanding that the agriculture is not just what comes out of the ground, it's what goes on your plate, it's what goes into your body and it's what brings your family together everyday. The Slow Food movement was originally founded in 1986 as a protest to fast food restaurants moving into Italy. LESSER: This caused a huge scandal, public outrage and many, many people said this is just an invasion of fast food culture. You know our beautiful old country and Italian traditional food is under siege as a result and so Slow Food was founded as an organization. Even though it was born from a protest our goal is not to protest what is bad about food but to celebrate what is good about food. And to educate people about not just how good food can be delicious and can be pleasurable but can be a way of connecting to the planet and understanding the role that we have in the world, that we are responsible for where our food comes from. It effects our environment, it effects our well being and the well being of everyone around us. According to Lesser Slow Food is as much about education as it is enjoyment. LESSER: Ultimately what it boils down to for us; we're looking for ways to improve the food system so that the food that we eat is ultimately good, clean and fair. And in a way, good, clean and fair encompass everything we're looking for. Good is about does it taste good, does it give you pleasure. Clean is; was it produced in a way that nurtured the environment as opposed to harming it and fair; were the farmers paid a fair wage for their product and also on the other hand can everyone get access to it. Is there fair access to it, is their justice in our system. Tomorrow, more on the Slow Food Movement and how you can get involved. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.