Food. Water. Air.

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Dear Friends,

LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM:

(02:17) Food, water, and an odd congressional foreign policy alliance;
(19:11) Facing the climate emergency, with Margaret Klein Salamon;
(36:49) Understanding the Farm Bill, with Aaron Lehman;
(53:59) May garden Q&A, with Kathy Byrnes.

More of this everywhere please!

Food. Water. Air. Without them, we’re dead in about three weeks, three days, and three minutes, respectively. This week’s program features a lot of food talk, with criticism of both state (Iowa) and local (Des Moines) government.

Re: the latter … Kathy and I have spoken glowingly of the Des Moines City Council after council members unanimously embraced our proposal to establish a Food Security Task Force in 2020. The impetus behind the task force was to better prepare our community for the inevitable food shortages that will result from a wide range of climate impacts.

The task force was intended to be ongoing, tackling one aspect of food security during each six-month iteration. The initial phase focused on individuals growing food in their own spaces. It wrapped up in August, 2021, resulting in the creation of the FEED DSM website and a handful of code change recommendations.

Nearly two years later, the task force sits idle and the recommendations collect dust. City officials claim to understand the urgency of climate change and the inevitability of widespread food insecurity, yet the lack of action suggests otherwise.

Do I sound frustrated? Yeah, more than a bit. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly in the past, I’m proud of what Des Moines has done so far. The short list:

  • Favorable ordinances that support residents raising their own food;
  • Planting strawberries on city-owned land;
  • Establishing community gardens.

But given the scarcity heading our way — and already beginning, given the numerous supply-chain disruptions — these effort are a far cry from what’s needed.

Here are some actions all of Des Moines (council, staff, us!) should get to work on immediately:

  • Promote the FEED DSM website constantly and extensively;
  • Act on the initial code change recommendations from the task force;
  • Plant fruit and nut trees, berry-bearing plants, and pollinator gardens everywhere;
  • Greatly expand the number of community gardens;
  • Earmark hundreds of acres of City land for professional farmers to grow food for sale;
  • Actively encourage businesses, schools, hospitals, etc. to buy from local sources; and
  • Partner with metro-area farms for dairy, grain, meat and other food production.

My request today is specifically to those of you who live in Des Moines: Call or write our City Council members:

  • Thank them for their significant past efforts.
  • Thank them for continuing to pursue sustainability in other realms (energy and transportation, for example).
  • Let them know that the urgency of food security demands broad and immediate attention.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action. If you’d like to support our work, please consider donating. We aren’t funded by big corporations or foundation grants. We rely on our local partners — small businesses, non-profits, and you!

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In addition to THIS WEEK’S PODCAST, listen to the Fallon Forum on these affiliates:

– KHOI 89.1 FM (Ames, Iowa)
– KICI.LP 105.3 FM (Iowa City, Iowa)
– WHIV 102.3 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana)
– KPIP-LP, 94.7 FM (Fayette, Missouri)
– KCEI 90.1 FM (Taos, New Mexico)
– KRFP 90.3 FM (Moscow, Idaho)
– WGRN 94.1 FM (Columbus, Ohio)
– KKFI 90.1 FM (Kansas City, Missouri)

Please support the local businesses and non-profits who make this program possible. Click on their logos on the Fallon Forum website and in our weekly email, and visit Dr. Drake Family Psychiatry, Story County Veterinary Clinic, Bold Iowa, and Birds & Bees Urban Farm. Thanks to Des Moines Irish Session for providing our bumper music, and thank you for supporting the civil alternative to the shock jocks!

Ed Fallon