The new "super tomato" ?

This news story caught my eye this morning, and sparked a question...

Where would we be in health care in America if we concentrated our efforts within the food supply on creating health instead of creating wealth? Why is the nation with the "best health care in the world" not actively working within our own food supply to improve the nutrition of our food?

Here is the story: http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/italians-create-a-super-tomato-22751792

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that this super tomato is real, has health benefits as claimed, or isn't truly simply a marketing ploy. I simply do not know. Nonetheless, I wonder why this comes from Italy, and not almighty science of ag America.

I suggest that there are numerous reasons. America has used it's wealth of science to create more toxic chemicals to cover the effects of an exhausted, malnourished, abused soil. We as consumers have demanded better taste over better health. Our government has crippled the food system by singling out particular crops for subsidy, creating a political football out of our most basic needs. We as consumers have chosen convenience over health. We as consumers demand lower prices, not better quality. We as consumers judge quality based on what we see on the outside, not what is inside. We as farmers have bought into the big corporate industrial mindset, trading the wisdom of the past for financial and physical debts. The list goes on and on.

This is not intended to be a doom and gloom posting. On the contrary, my purpose is to share my thoughts in order to spur you into activity. It is easy to step back and claim that "I can't make a difference, I am only one". Whether that is true or not is not the question. the question is, are you part of the problem or part of the solution. That is really all that matters.

The one proven method of changing policy in American free enterprise is with our pocketbook. Mine and your spending habits truly determine policy of the people in charge. I do not personally see conspiracy around every corner, from a small group of peoples intent on corrupting our world and quality of life. No, I see a simpler process of people seeing advertising from a company attempting to increase profits, blindly absorbing that advertising, and using their cash to support the advertisements claims. We see and hear ads for fast food, and we are more prone to eat fast food. Eating more fast food validates the advertising and promotes more advertising. This is the vicious cycle. The way to break this cycle is for you and I to choose to stop, and consider what is in the best interest of our own families in the long run. Does saving a dollar on an artificial food product called burgers instead of having a moment of family time over a home cooked meal truly make our families, our children and our lives richer? Are the many activities we bring into our lives more important than the people in our lives?

I offer to you that if we would simply cut back on our consumption of fast food, reject the common notion that we don't have time nor funds to do what we know in our heart is right (does anyone truly think fast food is healthier than real food?), and "vote with our checkbook" on foods that will prevent health problems instead of cause them, THEN there will be more effort and thereby more choices and lower prices on healthy food.

So, I challenge you to ask yourself, are you part of the reason fast food exists, or part of the reason healthy food is making a comeback? Which side of the battle claims you?