Food as Radical Empathy

     In my first semester as a Regenerative Agriculture major at KU, I learned a lot about the basics of this new farming method along with some of its implications.  These introductory courses mainly focused on teaching us about new ways to grow food within a more ecosystem-oriented framework, but what happens once the food is grown?   Now, I have a new set of courses aimed toward magnifying some of these fundamental ideas, and I think Alkon's TED Talk is a great introduction to some of these more specific concepts.  

      In my Fundamentals of Regenerative Agriculture class last semester, we read a book titled Restoration Agriculture by Mark Shepard, and one of the main concerns he raised was the fact that farming communities that were once vital to the success of rural economies are being diminished by large corporations focused solely on profit rather than quality food.  After listening to the TED Talk, I can see that Shepard and Alkon are analyzing different aspects of the same issue.  For example, Shepard goes in depth about limiting the control that large corporations have on farming operations to promote a better livelihood for farmers and to promote new farming methods to help alleviate environmental issues.  One of Alkon's focuses is on how these corporations price and distribute the unhealthy, processed foods that line the shelves in the grocery stores.

    This is where I believe that the idea of food empathy plays a very significant role.  In order for issues such as the one in the paragraph above to be solved or at least reduced, people from a wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses need to know what it's like to be in each other's situation.  This can lead to a diverse community of people with different experiences who can effectively communicate their ideas.  By practicing food empathy, we are taking the steps necessary to not only provide everyone with adequate food, but with food that is unprocessed and nutritious.