Slow Food home | About us | Foundation | Editore | Sloweb | Press Office | Store     Sloweb     Home | Sloweek | Voices from the Slow world | Slow Talk | News | Watch & Listen             Good Food Declaration 29 Aug 08 - Sloweb In occasion of Slow Food Nation, the largest celebration of American food in history which began today in central San Francisco, a Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture was signed on 25 August to help accelerate the transformation of the present industrialized agricultural system in the US. Endorsed by academics, students, agricultural institutes, writers, farmers, filmmakers and chefs, the declaration emerged as the movement to establish better food and farming in the US gains continued strength and support from all sectors of society. The declaration states: ‘We, the undersigned, believe that a healthy food system is necessary to meet the urgent challenges of our time. Behind us stands a half-century of industrial food production, underwritten by cheap fossil fuels, abundant land and water resources, and a drive to maximize the global harvest of cheap calories. Ahead lie rising energy and food costs, a changing climate, declining water supplies, a growing population, and the paradox of widespread hunger and obesity. 'These realities call for a radically different approach to food and agriculture. We believe that the food system must be reorganized on a foundation of health: for our communities, for people, for animals, and for the natural world. The quality of food, and not just its quantity, ought to guide our agriculture. The ways we grow, distribute, and prepare food should celebrate our various cultures and our shared humanity, providing not only sustenance, but justice, beauty and pleasure’. There are twelve proposed principles which should frame future food and agricultural policy, ensuring better health and wealth in all countries worldwide. These are: 1.Forms the foundation of secure and prosperous societies, healthy communities, and healthy people. 2. Provides access to affordable, nutritious food to everyone. 3. Prevents the exploitation of farmers, workers, and natural resources; the domination of genomes and markets; and the cruel treatment of animals, by any nation, corporation or individual. 4. Upholds the dignity, safety, and quality of life for all who work to feed us. 5. Commits resources to teach children the skills and knowledge essential to food production, preparation, nutrition, and enjoyment. 6. Protects the finite resources of productive soils, fresh water, and biological diversity. 7. Strives to remove fossil fuel from every link in the food chain and replace it with renewable resources and energy. 8. Originates from a biological rather than an industrial framework. 9. Fosters diversity in all its relevant forms: diversity of domestic and wild species; diversity of foods, flavors and traditions; diversity of ownership. 10. Requires a national dialog concerning technologies used in production, and allows regions to adopt their own respective guidelines on such matters. 11. Enforces transparency so that citizens know how their food is produced, where it comes from, and what it contains. 12. Promotes economic structures and supports programs to nurture the development of just and sustainable regional farm and food networks. For more information, or to express your support, visit www.fooddeclaration.org Victoria Blackshaw v.blackshaw@slowfood.it   News archive from Terramadre News archive from Slowfood Foundation for Biodiversity News archive from University of Gastronomic Sciences News archive from Watch & Listen           News     United States - 01 Sep 10     Eataly in New York     The philosophy and campaigns promoted by Slow Food over the past twenty years to strengthen regional, tasty and sustainable food, and reconnect consumers with the origin of their food, have...           News archive     Brazil - 17 Aug 10     Gastromotiva     Terra Madre chef and Slow Food convivium empower disadvantaged youth to enter culinary careers ...     Russia - 16 Aug 10     Biodiversity Hangs in the Balance     Slow Food joins the protest against destruction of Europe’s largest repository of rare fruit ...     United Kingdom - 13 Aug 10     Food Justice     Slow Food UK praises social justice report’s call for action ...     Philippines - 10 Aug 10     Against the Grain     The Indigenous Taguibong people in the Philippines continue to practice the traditional rice threshing and milling methods of their ancestors ...     Georgia - 05 Aug 10     Meeting in the Birthplace of the Vine     First Terra Madre Georgia held with a focus on wine and small producers ...     Italy - 03 Aug 10     Strengthening the Indigenous Voice     Slow Food enters into a partnership to advocate for indigenous groups around the world ...     Archive previous news   Slow Food 2010 - All rights reserved - P.iva 91008360041 - Powered by Blulab