Kitchen Cabinet Buzz

Riffing off the ideas put forth by journalist Michael Pollan, columnist Nicholas Kristof proposes that Barack Obama change the title of the agriculture secretary to "secretary of food."

A century ago, more than a third of Americans worked in farming, Kristof notes. But now that figure is less than 2 percent. "In contrast, 100 percent of Americans eat."

A U.S. Department of Food, he writes, would "signal that Mr. Obama seeks to move away from a bankrupt structure of factory farming that squanders energy, exacerbates climate change and makes Americans unhealthy—all while costing taxpayers billions of dollars." He goes on to enumerate some of the many problems that make our food system fall far short of what it could be.

First, though, Obama has to pick someone for the position, and he still hasn't. And given the speculation and ever-changing roster of names of likely picks, it appears that Obama might be setting a course for the food system that would be less-than revolutionary.

He has, as Kristof notes, "made comments showing a deep understanding of food issues," but "the names that people in the food industry say are under consideration for agriculture secretary represent the problem more than the solution."

Kristof doesn't go into those, nor does he mention any specific candidates that he might have in mind. But several other observers have weighed in with dozens of names. The latest batch includes Patty Judge, lieutenant governor of Iowa, Jill Long Thompson, a former USDA official who lost a bid for Indiana governor this year, and Rep. John Salazar of Colorado.

Strangely, Obama has apparently not consulted the senator with the most power over agricultural issues: Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, chairman of the agriculture committee. Chris Clayton of the DTN Ag Policy Blog reported on Wednesday that Harkin "hasn't received any phone calls from Obama's transition team about agricultural issues."

"Not even once, not one call," Harkin said on a conference call with reporters. "Quite frankly, this is disturbing."

Not that Harkin would necessarily suggest an agriculture secretary who would shake things up—he is as beholden to agribusiness interests as any Iowa politician needs to be. But if Obama's failure to reach out isn't quite "disturbing," it does seem odd, and it adds to the mystery of what Obama might have in mind for American food policy.

"Secretary of agriculture" is often thought of, when it is thought of at all, as a low-priority position. It has drawn the least amount of buzz among all of Obama's cabinet picks. But Kristof is right—agriculture (food) policy should not be thought of as separate from energy, education, health, or the environment. It is at the root of all of those.

"Even if you don't think agriculture is a high priority given all the other problems we face," Pollan told Kristof, "we're not going to make progress on the issues Obama campaigned on—health care, climate change and energy independence—unless we reform agriculture."