Do you ever feel guilty about your food purchases? Is it confusing trying to decide whether you should be buying hormone-free, gluten-free or no GMO’s?
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing author Michele Payn about her upcoming book to be published on March 20 called “Food Truths From Farm to Table. 25 surprising ways to shop and eat without guilt.” We all eat food and we all should be informed consumers of it – right? This book reminds us that food is a basic necessity and not a political statement. Michele helps guide you in turning food confusion into food clarity so you can have confidence in the food you buy, prepare and serve to your family. Michele grew up on a farm in Michigan and continues her farm roots by raising dairy cattle. Besides farming, Michele is an author, innovator and professional speaker giving her voice to agriculture and overcoming food insecurity.
Read my interview with Michele who tells us about what her new book addresses – simplifying smart food shopping, reducing your guilt at the grocery store, and finding freedom to enjoy your food again. Michele is also the author of “No More Food Fights.” This book is chock-full of everything you want to know about how our farmers and ranchers raise and care for the food we all eat. You can pre-order Michele’s latest book “Food Truths From Farm to Table” found on https://www.amazon.com/Food-Truths-Farm-Table-Surprising/dp/1440849978.
-
What is your background with agriculture?
I was raised on a dairy farm in southern Michigan, have been breeding Holsteins since the age of nine and still have them running around my front yard today. As a mom, I find the barn to be the best classroom for my daughter and she is proudly carrying on the tradition. I have had the privilege to work with farmers from more than 25 countries across four continents and have found the same tenets of farming to hold true across the world. I have been involved in agriculture my entire life, from the farm to the laboratory to the kitchen to business. I believe my life’s calling is to connect the worlds of farm and food. -
What inspired you to write this book?
I wrote this book because I saw a huge disconnect:- Between truth and choices.
- Between the plate and the farm.
- Between food marketers trying to differentiate commodity products as “new and improved” by Virtue of production and processing techniques that are often beyond consumers’ understanding.
- Between celebrating food in our culture and demonizing it.
- Between feeling good about shopping for and preparing meals for your family, and being overwhelmed with guilt about whether the labels they bought were “the best.”
-
Out of the 25 food truths, which are the top 3 food truths you think the American public has the most misconceptions on?Food truth 1: Hormones are in everything. Maple syrup, kale, French fries and steak all have hormones in them. All food does, with the exception of salt. Hormones are the chemical messengers of life; they are required by all living plans and animals. As such, hormones are in our food – and our bodies. I think the lack of understanding about this has created a lot of unnecessary fear in the dairy and meat aisles, on labels, and what farmers are doing to your food.
Food truth 10: Genes are the coolest ingredient on your plate. An Oklahoma State study showed that 80% of our food should be labeled if it contains DNA. Since all food contains DNA, it’s a little concerning. The science of food is amazing, whether the genetics are allowing for fewer chemical to be sprayed on a crop, preservatives working scientifically to allow us enjoy nutritious food year-round, the ability of one gene to be inserted to allow corn to become naturally resistant to insects, or breeding an animal that is less dangerous.
Food truth 12: Sustainability is complex and essential to family businesses. The well-being of the environment is essential to farms and ranches; it’s where our families live and play – but also our businesses are dependent on soil, water and air. The amount of technology used in today’s farming is mind boggling and helps minimize inputs, while also reducing food waste (e.g. Arctic Apple). However, there’s an element of sustainability that many forget; family businesses that thrive for generations are those that sustain local communities. In order for family farms to be truly sustainable, there has to be a business element that allows families to prosper.
-
This book took a lot of research, time and effort to compile. What was the most valuable piece of information you discovered or were not aware of?
Great question; I learned so much from the interviews I conducted across the country and am working to share their stories on my blog and through Facebook Live. While I was certainly familiar with the economics of farming and ranching, but it was a little shocking to put pencil to paper to lay out the numbers of a typical farm and show the hundreds of thousands of dollars of loss. Even when the agricultural economy is good, farmers are making a multi-million dollar bet against mother nature and many other risks. If you question why the size of farms have increased, consider the increase of costs to operate a business and that farmers are receiving a smaller percentage of your food dollar. -
In an ideal world, how would you want the public to view the American farmer?
The right people raising the right food for the right reasons. Farmers are people, just like everyone reading this; the book was to unveil modern farming practices so more food buyers could understand how food is being raised today, but also to have an inside look at the people behind the products. Farmers and ranchers represent 1.5% of the American population, work crazy hours and have a tendency to be very private. That combination makes it tough to counter all the sensationalism there is about food, particularly against celebrity sensationalism. However, the 55+ contributors to Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Surprising Ways to Shop & Eat Without Guilt represent the real experts in food; they are the farmers, ranchers, dietitians and food scientists with firsthand knowledge of food truths. The families involved in agriculture live and work and on the land in which they’re raising your food and they are doing the best they can with the knowledge they have. -
What suggestions do you have for farmers/ranchers on how they can help to educate or bridge the gap between public perception and the reality of how our food is grown and raised?
Bridging the gap comes through conversation. Dietitians, like yourself, bring a valuable perspective to the plate, as do food scientists – there are many voices needed in the discussion. Farmer and ranchers can help people understand why they raise food the way they do and offer firsthand perspective that only 1.5% of the U.S. population holds.
One of my philosophies shared in the book is to know the farming, know the science, or know the system.
-
What’s the main take away you want the public to have after reading this book?
I dedicated the book to every person who has felt guilty or confused at the grocery store. Unfortunately, that’s the majority of people buying food for their family. It’s time to bring clarity and help people feel good about food as a basic necessity. Food is at the center of so many traditions. Food is essential to our bodies. Food deserves to be celebrated, enjoyed and shared. The same could be said about the truth in food.The truth in food lies in the way it was produced, how you choose it and the value it brings to your family. Find the truth from people with firsthand involvement. Use the truth to help your family. Talk about the truth to empower others.
Food is central to a family’s well-being. My hope is that Food Truths from Farm to Table will bring clarity to grocery shopping and allow people to enjoy food again.
