What would you serve Michael Pollan?

If Michael Pollan were coming to your place for dinner, what would you serve him and why?

Should the government have a role in the food industry?

Pollan shows a number of instances in which government policies have apparently worsened the crisis in our food culture. What do you think should be the proper role of government in deciding how we grow, process, and eat our food?

Has capitalism contributed to our food problems?

Pollan argues that capitalism (and specifically the “industrial model”) is a poor economic model to apply to the problems of food production and consumption because it operates in contradiction with “the logic of nature”. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

Is technology a factor in the food crisis?

Pollan indirectly indicts the development of technology as a key factor in the worsening “food crisis”. Since the Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture and Extension Systems play a key role in technology development and transfer, how should we respond to this concern?

What is your family’s food tradition?

In Omnivore’s Dilemma, Pollan describes the “natural history” of four meals and investigates the origins of each meal. What do you eat on a regular basis and where does your food come from? How would you describe your family’s or culture’s food tradition?