04-16-2007 Planning Commission Packet

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t .�x �Y'.�h .�� ry.jf ; , a ` �'� 1 I� f;<t G"'�k'. _ .� ^� . V� �� • f"' ' �. �t � �I i. _ Z:�S . "'��"`. Can "Or anic" Survive Wal-Mart? g '•"�•c�: T-�� 4..��. • �- Michael Pollan's booh,The Omnivore's to roll out a complete selection of organic foods—food certified �•�P ,. . ,a�, ' '?'''� '��, `��;�. Dilemma(The Penguin Press,2006)is causing by the U.S.D.A.to have been grown without synthetic pesticides ?,. . �;� .'.:;� ,' �:• a stir among people concerned about organic or fertilizers—in its nearly 4,000 stores.Just as significant,the • �'��; , �.r� food and the sources of our food supply.His company says it will price all this organic food at an eye-poppingly � 1::' booh is both a ceiebration of our inherent tiny premium over its already-cheap conventional food:the organic •,,y,.�.�,�. connections with food and a disturbing critique Cocoa Puffs and Oreos will cost only 10 percent more than the of industrial food production methods which conventional kind.Organic food will soon be available to the tens of abuse the soi1,water,animals,and farm millions of Americans who now cannot afford it—indeed,who have worhers.The term"organic"food may lose its little or no idea what the term even means.Organic food,which � intended meaning of clean and sustainable food represents merely 2.5 percent of America's half-trillion-dollar food production. economy,is about to go mainstream.At a stroke,the azgument that "Mass Natural"originaily appeard in The New York Times Magazine. it is elitist will crumble. Michael Po11an is the author of several boohs,including The Omnivore's This is good news indeed,for the American consumer and the American Dilemma, �O Michaei Polian,2006.We are pleased to promote Michael land.Or perhaps I should say for some of the American land and a great Pollan's upcoming visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on deal more of the land in places like Mexico and China,for Wal-Mazt Thursday,Apri119th,from 9:00 a.m.through 2:30 p.m.Mr.Polian wiil is bound to hasten the globalization of organic food.(Ten percent of present the heynote address entitled"What's For Dinner?The Ethics and organic food is imported today.)Like every other commodity that global Aesthetics of Eating."Tichets and information for this event are available corporations lay their hands on,organic food will henceforth come from through the Minnesota Arboretum Landscape at(952)443-1422 or email wherever in the world it can be produced most cheaply.It is about to ArbEdu@umn.edu. go the way of sneakers and MP3 players,becoming yet another rootless THE WAYS WE LIVE NOW COVERSTORYTO PAGE 2 Mass Natural Mass Natural .......................................1 "Elitist"is just about the nastiest name you can call someone,or An article by Michaei Poilan a something,in America these days,a finely-honed term of derision in , the culture wars,and"elitist"has stuck to organic food in this country � like balsamic vinegar to mache.Thirty years ago the rap on organic _ M@@t tIl@ LOCaIS ...................................4 1 was a little different;back then the stuff was derided as hippie food, � crunchy granola and bricklike brown bread for the unshaved set(male and female division).So for organic to be tagged as elitist may count Community Supported Agriculture.........6 as progress.But you knew it was over for John Kerry in the farm belt when his wife,Teresa,helpfully suggested to Missouri farmers that they go organic.Eating organic has been fixed in the collective From the General Manager.................... 7 imagination as an upper-middle-class luxury,a blue-state affectation ' as easy to mock as Volvos or lattes.On the cultural spectrum,organic stands at the far opposite extreme from Nascar or Wal-Mart. COCY1pOStlllg AllyOtl@�...........................7 But all this is about to change,now that Wal-Mart itself,the nation's � largest grocer,has decided to take organic food seriously.(Nascar � � P is not quite there yet.)Beginning later this year,Wal-Mart plans � �j�� t�t�