Robert Cherenson, DVM: Plan from food elitists lacks credibility

Re “The recipe for a healthier America” (Page D1, Nov. 16): Writers Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, et al., assert that there are nine things the U.S. must change about our food-production industry to create a system that maintains human and environmental health and a fair distribution of wealth. None of the authors have any firsthand expertise in agriculture, clearly have an agenda and hence lack credibility.

They argue for mandating agriculture and food production using metrics that are elusive and at times hard to measure. For example, establishing the carbon footprint of a food is complex and must include the full life cycle of the product and consider the numerous positive and negative externalities. In the case of milk, the carbon footprint of the individual cow might be high, but if she produces enormous volumes of milk, the carbon footprint per gallon produced might be low.

These metrics can be selected to advance an anti-dairy or anti-meat agenda.

The U.S. consumer has the widest selection of the healthiest foods in the world. How people choose to eat should certainly not be regulated by arrogant government bureaucrats with an agenda. Eat carrots, eat fruits, drink milk and eat meat in moderation. We don’t need more government to protect us from ourselves.

This story was originally published November 17, 2014 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Robert Cherenson, DVM: Plan from food elitists lacks credibility."