The Multnomah Food Action Plan (discussed in a previous post here; find the plan here) in short seeks to control the food sold and eaten in the region–for our own health, of course. These goals sound aspirational but government will make decisions based on these aspirations and you’ll have to live with them. Think pie in the sky emission standards aspirations which translate to $20,000,000.00 in sewer fees being ripped off for bike paths and you get the picture of what happens with government aspirations and guidelines. Government’s ‘want – to’s’ often become our ‘have – to’s.’

The 47th Avenue Farm started in a vacant lot on, you guessed it, 47th Avenue. It has since branched out and is a political supporter of –surprise! Rex Burkholder of Metro (another supporting group) and is now engaged in a land grab on an island on the Willamette River.

Look for one of the results of the Multnomah Action Food Plan to order whoever owns this plot of land to “donate” it to the hippies (I’m assuming the owner to be Dr. Robert Pamplin–my boss–who’s “donated” huge swaths of land already).

Meantime, over at “The Dirt” they’re imagining a life without carbon. I’m not kidding. They may be farmers or dirt lovers or something but don’t know much about the “carbon” they want to get rid of. They’re part of the TransitionPDX which is, in turn, affiliated with other groups. You see, if you LOOK like there are MORE groups out there agitating for the take over of the food production around here they’ll be accorded more power than you.
Among the groups urging more government involvement–if not takeover–of the food available in Multnomah County are those whose fortunes will rise with the government’s increased involvement including Whole Foods and New Seasons. With a possible government mandate coming down on food requirements, these two grocery stores will be situated to reap the benefits versus Safeway which may have to find new vendors and would be put at a disadvantage with new requirements. There’s something in it for them. Nothing wrong with that as long as you know that altruism isn’t the only thing motivating them.

ReCode Oregon meets in the “Che” (Guevarra) room of a local church. Their goal is “legalizing sustainability.” Various farmer’s markets support the plan. We can agree that farmer’s markets are wonderful community assets. But they’re private and they’re “markets.” They would become even more beholden to government under this plan.

TransitionPDX is a group created to agitate for government control of food. The group invokes the belief of ‘peak oil’ and ‘climate change’ as reasons to transition to government control over food.

Their objective? 

“Inherent within the challenges of peak oil and climate change is an extraordinary opportunity to reinvent, rethink, and rebuild the world around us.” – Rob Hopkins, The Transition Handbook.