Food and politics grow more entwined

It used to be relatively easy to isolate food from politics. You could fine tune your Twitter feed and Facebook notifications to only show images of gorgeous dishes or links to new recipes. In recent months, however, that has become a challenge as we learn that our food system and political system are completely entwined.  

A potential no-deal Brexit cloud hangs over the UK. If this cloud brings forth a shower, things could get gloomy for food lovers as prices could rise from 10 to 40% on various foodstuffs. Shortages of fresh produce are also predicted if the trucks that haul goods back and forth from mainland Europe are subject to new border crossing and inspection rules. England’s farmers will also face worrisome consequences, as EU trading partners are already balking at long term supply contracts from British meat producers. 

Across the pond, farmers in the US are becoming increasingly frustrated over the Trump administration’s escalation of the ‘trade war’ with China. They fear that the markets in China that they have spent decades cultivating are on the verge of being lost or may already be beyond repair. Farm bankruptcies are on the rise, with families fighting to save the land that their great-grandparents settled. The photo above is of wheat growing on my brother’s small grain farm in North Dakota, which has been in my family for four generations. The farm is safe for now, but if conditions change it too could be at risk. 

Recent raids by immigration officials in the southern US state of Mississippi targeted poultry production plants. If workers fear arrest and deportation, they might not show up for work, throwing the plants into disarray. The plants targeted in the recent raid belonged to some of the largest chicken processors in the country. The last time a huge immigration raid was conducted in neighboring Alabama, tomato crops withered on the vines due to worker shortages.

Restaurateurs are not safe from politics either. Chefs David Chang, Christina Tosi, and José Andrés have tried to distance themselves from investor Stephen Ross, who is holding a high-profile fundraiser for Donald Trump. Chang and Andrés have implored Ross to cancel his fundraiser, which Ross says he will not do. 

In my Twitter feed, these stories and others are spaced between tweets for the 10 best cold noodle dishes in NYC, a recipe for a dreamy coconut cake, and 11 takes on scrambled eggs. It can be difficult to reconcile the disconnect between dreamy cakes and ICE raids. Then I remember that cooking can be healing, and a meal is still one event where people can come together in harmony.

I will continue do what I believe is right with respect to the political sphere, whether that is contacting my representative, participating in a march, or donating to a worthy cause. And I will continue to cook and bake, to nourish not only my soul but also the souls of my neighbors, friends, and family.