Next an edited interview from the Food Chain Radio in which we hear from David Gumpert, author of Raw Milk Revolution on the case of Dan Alger, an Amish farmer accused of illicit trade in raw milk. Why does the US FDA claim unpasteurised milk is dangerously unsafe, while - in contrast to a lot of processed food - no recent deaths are attributable to it? Is the influence of agribusiness discernible in US food legislation which seems to disadvantage the small farmer? We continue into hour two.
Next it's a piece from Sea Change Radio. Frederick Kaufman, English professor, author and contributing editor to Harper's Magazine on how food markets Focusing on the global wheat markets. He demystifies some of the jargon such as Speculators Commodities Index Funds, and tells how they interfere with the market's abilities to connect buyers and sellers while making prices volatile, this making huge profits for the financial speculators who set them up, and adding to the prices of basic foodstuffs that consumers end up paying.
We conclude with an interview of Patrick Holden. He speaks about the UK Soil Association, and the importance of organic food, suggesting that relying on capitalism to keep the shops supplied with food is unwise, he recommends alternatives such as cultivating direct relationships with farmers.
Thanks to Michael Olsen from Food Chain Radio for the Dan Alger interview. Thanks to Alex Smith from Radio Ecoshock for the Julian Cribb interview. Thanks to Sea Change Radio for the Frederick Kaufman interview.