Unless you followed every word of every GOP debate, you might not know where the Republican presidential candidates stand on food and farm policy. Have no fear, as HeadCount is here to inform you on the issues NOT in the headlines.

• School lunch is an issue we have discussed in past issue updates and a topic that has reared its head in the GOP. Michele “celery is my favorite food” Bachmann came out against USDA regulation of food lunches in one of her tweets stating, “Where in the Constitution does it say the federal government should regulate potatoes in school lunches? It doesn’t.” She’s now gone from the race, but fellow GOP candidate Rick Perry - who actually supported banning sugary soda’s in school cafeterias as governor of Texas - agreed with Bachmann that the federal school lunch food regulations were too stern. As for Ron Paul, well he hates regulation as well, but he wants to take it a step further and cut out school lunches all together!
• Food Stamps is another hot topic among the GOP candidates. Newt Gingrich has been the most outspoken on the topic amongst the candidates and wants to do away with food stamps and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which helps nearly 20% of Americans get food. Gingrich sees the debate between Republicans and Democrats as “paychecks versus food stamps” and believes that President Obama is best described as the “the food stamp President.” One of his more interesting comments was when he said, “We’ve had people take their food stamp money and use it to go to Hawaii.”
• Rick Perry was a farmer on his family ranch for 13 years after returning from being in the Air Force and won the race for Texas agriculture commissioner in 1990. An interesting fact about Perry is that during his farming days, a large portion of his income came from federal subsidies.
• So what do all the other candidates have to say about farming? Well, Ron Paul wants to do away with the Department of Agriculture all together. Paul believes that the Department of Agriculture gives subsidies to corporations and raises food costs for “regular people.” Paul has joined the battle with farmers, even starting his own group in Iowa, Farmers for Ron Paul. This group is against the National Animal Identifitcation System (NAIS), which identifies and tracks animals for health and safety reasons. Winning cheers, though, from some small family farmers and people in the raw foods movement, Paul supports efforts legalize the sale of raw milk across state lines. On the other side of this debate, Governor Mitt Romney supports keeping farm subsidies and investing in the agriculture business in the United States, calling it “the key to our economies and families.”

As you can see, there is a lot to digest when it comes to food and farm policy and our GOP candidates. I hope I was able to help inform you on where these Presidential hopefuls stand on food and farm topics.

Sushi chef Bun Lai may just be the most sustainable chef out there. Bun, who grew up in Connecticut and spent much of his time  at the beach, is now the owner of Miya's, the top sushi spot in New Haven.

But this story isn't about enterprise; Miya's is not your conventional sushi restaurant and how Lai put his sushi spot on the map is what will really blow you away.

Bun had always been a proponent for sustainability and eating the right food and for the right reasons, but one day along the Long Island sound, Bun took this to a new level. He and a friend were flipping rocks and looking for the little green crabs he had grown custom to from his youth, when he stumbled upon something new...something different. Bun Lai found a crab he had never seen before and peaked by his curiosity, he decided to take this specimen back home with him and do a little research. As it turns out, Mr. Lai came across the Asian shore crab, one of the many invasive species that plague or society and cost our government close to $120 billion in damages. So what did Bun do?

Well, most people wouldn't have been as curious as Bun and probably would have just ignored this new crab, but Bun is not like everyone. He found something he was not accustomed to and, after doing some research,  he figured out a way to put this problem crab to good use. Lai excavated the meat from the crab and added it to a new sushi roll he called the Kanibaba, which is now his restaurants biggest hit.

Bun Lai has found a way to kill two birds (er, crabs) with one stone. Not only does he help get rid of an invasive species that is damaging a delicate ecosystem, he also makes a delicious dish that is loved by the people of New Haven. It's both profitable and environmentally friendly. This is sustainability in its purest form.

Bun Lai is not content with only one sustainable dish, and he has continued to push the envelope in terms of turning a negative into a positive.  Lai uses the Dead Man's Fingers, an invasive seaweed, as the base of his very popular Miso soup. Bun Lai's choice to use local invasive species as items on his menu, while doing away with traditional fish such as tuna, eel and shrimp, is a very progressive move that is paying off. Hopefully Bun will serve as an inspiration for other chefs who want to push into new frontiers of sustainable dining.

Turn on the news, and you might hear that government is too big, and that regulations are killing business. Well, it’s true that government keeps cracking down on fresh food sold directly to consumers on the black - or should I say 'green' - market. But somehow, government agencies aren’t doing anything about junk food advertising for kids or salmonella outbreaks. Does that make you mad? Well, then let’s first lighten the mood with a little news from Farm Aid.

• The 26th Annual Farm Aid took place in Kansas City on August 13th. John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, and Neil Young, who started Farm Aid together in 1985, performed their own sets, along with Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Jakob Dylan and Jason Mraz. Farm Aid has raised over $39 million over the years to help promote family farms in the United States. One such example is the Adams family of Altoona, Alabama who run a small organic farm. The tornadoes that tore through the South in April wrecked their farm and left them without crops and with a ton of mess. Farm Aid gave the couple a $500 grant, which they used to purchase an industrial chainsaw to cut fallen trees on their property.  Although only a small donation, it was a huge help to the family, allowing them to get back on their feet and back to work. We’re also happy to report that Farm Aid has hosted a HeadCount booth for the last six straight years, and this was our best ever! At one point, a volunteer wearing a HeadCount t-shirt appeared on the video screen, and Neil Young pointed to him and reminded the crowd to vote!

• OK. Now to some stuff that’s not so rock n' roll. Our top such story this month comes out of San Francisco as the Shareable Food Movement is meeting the law. It appears that San Fran has their own “underground market”, where homemade food and goods are sold amongst members of the Forage SF. The market was started in an attempt to let people have their products gain exposure, even though they were not created in the certified commercial kitchens. The “underground” market became a huge success and thousands of people started showing up. But, earlier this summer, the San Francisco health department put the kybosh on this foodie paradise and the whole operation is now up in the air.

• It appears that the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Food and Drug Administration are ready to do…well, pretty much nothing in regards to food marketing to children. At the request of Congress, the four government agencies have been asked to give voluntary principles for food companies to follow to curb marketing junk foods to children. The problem here is that these are only voluntary principles and not laws. What’s even more interesting? “The FTC Act explicitly forbids the Commission from issuing a rule restricting food advertising to children.” So let me get this straight, giant food companies are supposed to “voluntarily” conform and curb their marketing of questionably nutritious foods to children and make less money? I will believe it when I see it.

• More government in action, er, I mean, “inaction.” According to the Wall Street Journal, the USDA knew for months that turkey from agriculture giant Cargill Inc. has a salmonella contamination, but they did nothing until 77 cases and one death were reported. The reason? U.S. law apparently does not consider salmonella to be a poisonous contaminant.

Well, one can hope that the trend for local, sustainable and nutritious foods will have lasting impact and that government finds a role that best serves the needs of all people. In the mean time, if you hear about any neat stuff going on in the food and farm world, be sure to let me know so we can get it in the next update.

So you made it through Memorial Day BBQ’s and July 4th hot dogs. If you’re anything like most Americans, this probably isn’t your most sustainable or healthy time of year. But to bring you back to earth, here are a few stories and good reads from the world of food and farming:

• How do you like this use of your tax dollars? The Food and Drug administration conducted a year-long sting operation using false identities to acquire… raw milk from an Amish farmer. They then had it tested in labs to prove it was unpasteurized, after which the FDA filed an injunction against Dan Allgyer and shut him down. Then an organization called Grassfed on the Hill gathered on the Upper Senate Park to support Mr. Allgyer, even bringing a cow to the park that sits directly across from the senate. They milked the cow and served the fresh milk to the crowd, playfully “daring” one another to drink it. Raw milk has made a come back in recent years as more Americans try to eat  things that are local, fresh and unprocessed.
• Along side "Spicy Pie," arepas and fried dough vendors, farmers markets are starting to make regular appearances at concert festivals. The Dave Matthews Band Caravans feature an area for locally grown and organic food, and the recent Phish Super Ball IX had one of its own. Reverb, the non-profit that is organizing the farmers market at the Caravans, is also working with various concert tours to provide locally-grown food for the meals served to artists and their crews backstage. As if I needed another reason to long for a backstage pass!
• After years warning about the dangers of BPA in food containers, it appears that some California lawmakers are trying to end its use, once and for all. Assembly member Betsy Butler introduced a bill called the Toxin-Free Infant and Toddlers Act, which would ban the use of BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, infant formula, and baby food. BPA, also known as Bisphenol-A, is harmful chemical that is used in the lining of food and drink containers. Studies show that there is a clear link between BPA and increased risk of cancer, diabetes, reproductive, neurological, and developmental disorders. A BPA-ban is currently pending in 12 states and most recently China announced that they would make a move to ban BPA. Health advocates are hopeful that the legislation will get passed this time around as the FDA has evidence that over 90% of canned foods are contaminated with BPA.
• You know the cover to Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti” album? Yeah the one with all the fire escapes. Well what I always thought it could use some vegetable gardens. OK, maybe I never thought that before, but gardening on fire escapes is a big trend in urban locations – so much so that a store opened in San Francisco last month catering just to people who want to grow veggies on those little metal escape routes.

So what Food and Farm happenings are grabbing your attention? I’d really like to know. Please send any interesting links, or just your thoughts, my way. I’d love to hear from you.

Happy springtime, everyone! In the last month or so we’ve seen food prices hitting record highs and budget discussions around food get heated, so let’s jump right into the thick of it.

• In the wake of March’s devastating earthquake and accompanying tsunami, Japan is struggling with a nuclear crisis whose severity rivals that of Chernobyl. What you may not know is that this devastation has brought with it a food crisis. Once word got out about a potential radiation leak, millions rushed to stores to stock up on food, water, and other everyday essentials. Now, as a result of the breaches at the Fukushima nuclear plant, large tracts of agricultural land are irradiated and unusable.
• Food shortages aren’t limited to Japan, though. Following last year’s U.S. Census, the USDA released an interactive infographic that illustrates the locations of so-called “food deserts” – defined as a location where healthy and affordable food is scarce for one reason or another. The spread of food deserts seems to correspond with the fact that food prices have hit a 20-year high this year.  But there’s also some startling demographic data associated with the trend.  Major grocers who can provide relatively inexpensive and healthy options are abandoning urban minority populations, leaving them with few options other than fast food joints. These areas, unsurprisingly, are a huge factor in the national obesity epidemic.
• In related news, the coffee bean futures market has reached its highest peak in the last 34 years. Owing largely to repeated years of low production on Colombian farms, the supply of beans is in bad shape. This, in combination with a growing coffee-drinking middle class in countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, creates a perfect storm of supply and demand. As a result, wholesale costs on beans are shooting way up, with many roasters being forced to increase their prices. (Meanwhile, futures brokers are sipping their Frappuccinos all the way to the bank). The good news is that the International Coffee Organization predicts that in the coming months, Colombian coffee production should increase in comparison to previous years.
• If you watched the news during April, you probably found that the drawn-out battle over the federal budget was pretty inescapable. Among the proposed spending cuts was a $5.7 billion dollar slash to the USDA and FDA budgets.  Ultimately, the USDA alone saw its budget drop by $2.6 billion. These cuts will have a major impact on sustainable agriculture conservation, biodiversity, environmental quality incentives, wetland reserves programs, and other areas of immediate concern for the food and farm crowd. That’s not to say that the USDA has been perfect when it comes to conservation, etc., but it’s nevertheless the most important organizing force in America in those fields.

These are some wild days in the world of food and farm.  If you notice any fascinating food and farm news you think should be included in my next update, send it my way!

Singer/Songwriter Nathan Moore (Surprise Me Mr. Davis, ThaMuseMent) has been traveling the country for the past month webcasting his experience 24/7 and picking up gigs along the way from the people watching. The project, called “Hippy Fiasco,” is best described by the artist himself:

"Hippy Fiasco is an entire new way of touring where lovers of song and abandon tell us where to play as we go. Most ‘Fiascos’ are held in people's homes, backyards, public meeting places or other unexpected venues."

Tonight, the Hippy Fiasco tour takes a pause in Nathan's hometown of Staunton, VA, bringing together a multitude of friends for an amazing local cause, the Staunton Community Garden.

Tune in to HippyFiasco.com tonight from 9-11 PM ET to enjoy a very special musical collaboration and consider donating to the cause. Donations made via www.hippyfiasco.com/donate will be equally support the Staunton Community Garden and HeadCount, which is sponsoring and publicizing this special event.

The second season of Jamie Oliver’s ABC TV series Food Revolution makes the show's  name ring even truer, as the lovable Brit finds himself taking on public officials in the city of Angels.

When the Los Angeles Unified School District caught wind that Jamie was headed to LA schools to look at their lunch menus, he was immediately banned from any school before he stepped off his flight. (This is in stark contrast to the locale of Season 1:  Huntington, WV, which embraced Oliver and his healthy food campaign during the show's first season).

The LA School District said they did not object to Oliver's pro-health message. They just didn't want cameras in schools and the inevitable "drama" that comes with reality television.

Oliver suspected that their motives were more self-serving.  In an interview on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Oliver fired back:

“I think, basically, they don't want me washing their dirty laundry in public. I'm a firm believer when it's public money and public service and your taxes pay for it. Then, maybe, transparency is quite a good thing in a democracy.”

One area school, the  West Adams Preparatory High School, acted independently and invited Oliver to help them make their cafeteria offerings healthier, noting that more than half their students are obese. The welcome was short lived though; the District found out and Jamie was given the boot after just two weeks.

This season of Food Revolution is only 2 episodes deep, and a lot of ground has been covered. Although there are many hoops to jump through, Jamie is charging on.  In an effort to illustrate how un-healthy even the milk in schools can be, Oliver filled a school bus with 57 tons of sand to represent how much sugar LA students consume weekly in flavored milk alone.

But the biggest story coming out of the show might be the one behind the scenes. The way the LA School District has responded to Oliver underscores the fact that schools have a lot to answer for when it comes to what they are feeding kids.

Food has long been associated with peace and harmony. The first Thanksgiving, the phrase “breaking bread together,” it’s all about getting along. But if you look at some recent headlines, you can see that food is also a frequent point of contention. Whether it’s Taco Bell, pork production, or genetically-engineered alfalfa, opinions differ and billions of dollars are at stake. So try to digest this:

• “Is there sand in your taco meat?” That is one of many questions that Taco Bell asks and answers on a new web page in response to a class action suit claiming that their beef taco filling may not have that much beef at all. (The answer is “no,” by the way.) They also took out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal under the banner “Thank you for suing us,” and then defending themselves against the charges. Whether the plaintiffs have a legitimate beef or not (sorry!) the hoopla shows the power consumers have to hold big restaurant chains and food producers accountable. Taco Bell was so affected by the lawsuit that they have released an entire new ad campaign to counter it.
• Speaking of meat, there has been an open discussion inThe New York Times about the safety of the meat we eat, the safety of employees and sustainability. In his “Food Manifesto,” celebrated chef Mark Bittman addresses unhealthy and unsafe food production in America. He goes on to offer ways we can fix these problems, suggesting that we end government subsidies for processed foods, begin subsidies for those who produce food for direct consumption, break up the USDA and FDA, and tax the marketing of unhealthy foods. In response to the piece, a representative of the National Pork Producers Council fired back with his own letter to the editor, boasting of new efforts to keep facilities clean and the fines put in place by “tough new federal regulations.” He also states that the livestock is kept in “safe and comfortable conditions.” And while he seems to be on board with “sustainable alternatives,” he’s quick to take a jab at the costliness of that route.
• In one of the best articles I have read in a long time Organic Consumers Association founder Ronnie Cummins accused the"organic elites" of succumbing to Monsanto. Cummins rails on Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farm dropping their opposition to mass commercialization of Genetically Engineered (GE) crops. He posits that the reasons their tune has changed is because Whole Foods and Stonyfield’s CEOs are personal friends and financial contributors to now USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, who has cozy ties to the biotech industry and bioengineering giant Monsanto. After the article received some attention, Cummins hit with another piece in which he dissects Monsanto and their alleged wrongdoing. The uproar centers around Alfalfa, which the author notes is currently the U.S.’s fourth largest crop and 93 percent of the time is not sprayed with toxic herbicides.

What’s on your plate? Leave your thoughts and comments below.

Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a feature on a growing trend: the newfound popularity of farming among America's young people. Focused on the young farming community in Oregon, the article points out the connection between 'foodie culture' and the new breed of young, college-educated people who are opting to work hard and get their hands dirty.

Why farming? Well, over the past decade or so, we've seen a rise in the number of public figures who are big promoters of American agriculture, notably including avid avocado farmer Jason Mraz. Farming's public image has been made a lot cooler, too, by music festivals like Farm Aid and Sweetlife. And it's probably got something to do with a general resurgence in folk culture, including music, of course (think of everyone's favorite Edward Sharpe song). Asking the same question actually led Country Living magazine to put together a list of “25 Reasons Country is Chic.”

This trend has been slowly expanding for a number of years, aided by organizations who see it as a move toward a healthier future for America. Programs like WWOOF, or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, have been working to create access to the farming life for young people; the past two years, meanwhile, have seen the rise of the National Young Farmers' Coalition, a network which aims to provide a support infrastructure for this new generation. An organization of young people called The Greenhorns (which is currently producing a documentary of the same name) is looking to “recruit, support and promote young farmers in America.”

And that support is needed. Despite the rise in popularity among young people, the average farmer in the United States is 58 years old. In particular, it's difficult for new farmers to find access to land, information and necessary equipment: frequently coming into the business with little money to begin with, many farmers have a difficult time paying off college loans. On the plus side, the federal government has begun to step in and help. In 2008, the federal Farm Bill included a program for helping new farmers and ranchers get started; last year's version included $18 million in funding for new farmer education.

It's a difficult time to be a farmer in America, for sure. But for Americans who are fond of healthy and local produce, the emergence of this trend is some really great news. If our young farmers can hang on and get financially stable, we'll have fresh, local produce for generations to come.

The Strokes will be headlining this spring's annual Sweetlife Festival, a music festival that explicitly supports and promotes healthy eating and living green.

This announcement has added to the buzz surrounding the band’s first album in five years, Angles, which recently became available for pre-order and is scheduled to be released on March 22.

The April 30th festival in Columbia, Maryland will be presented by Sweetgreen, a healthy fast-food chain based in the DC area. In keeping with their commitment to sustainable living, the festival will feature seasonal, local food. And, a portion of the proceeds of the festival will benefit the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, which was created to fight obesity and promote healthy eating.

Other musicians involved in food activism include Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Moby, who is vegan and even published a book criticizing factory farming.

Listen to The Strokes' newest single here: You're So Right by ackkac