The sustainable agriculture community continues to advocate for modifications in the nation's food system, a trend recognized in the recent Washington Post story "Where Policy Grows: Iowan Dave Murphy is Challenging the Corporate Farming of America."The story focuses on the efforts of Iowan Dave Murphy, who was propelled into his role as leader of Food Democracy Now following his successful efforts to prevent establishment of a hog operation near his sister's family farm. Addressing the impact of Dave Murphy and his organization, the Washington Post article states that:
The first campaign by Murphy's nonprofit group, Food Democracy Now, was a petition calling for more sustainable food policies and suggesting six progressive
candidates for secretary of agriculture last November. After the secretary was appointed, he added a list of 12 candidates for key deputy and undersecretary
positions. To date, two of the so-called sustainable dozen have received key appointments. Kathleen Merrigan, a professor at Tufts University who helped develop national organic standards, was appointed deputy secretary. Doug O'Brien, an assistant director at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, will be Merrigan's chief of staff. . . .
Within four days, 14,000 people had signed the petition. More than 70,000 had signed when Murphy requested a meeting with new secretary Vilsack, who, despite Murphy's early reservations, had surprised him with his openness and candor. After the meeting, Murphy called Vilsack the "right individual to meet the challenges of the 21st century." Without the petition, he added, "we never would have got in the door."
