Conversations about Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma

Michael Pollan's recent book, Omnivore's Dilemma, has moved several conversations forward. Perhaps it took an eloquent partisan of a counter-cultural food philosophy to explain, precisely and without prejudice, the strengths and limitations of the official definition of "organic," and to sort through the various contenders for a "post-organic" alternative food philosophy.

I am still reading the book, and holding on to the edge of my (subway) seat each morning and evening, eager to hear the conclusion of this sorting.

Here are some links.

Mother Jones magazine has a good excerpt from the book and some photographs from Joel Salatin's Polyface Farm, which anchors some of the most interesting sections of Omnivore's Dilemma.

Chef Ann Cooper's weblog quotes from Katherine Mangu-Ward of the Wall Street Journal, who covered the progress and, again, troubling ironies implied by organic food from Wal-Mart.

Jack from Fork and Bottle wrote to point out the interesting exchange between Pollan and Whole Foods' founder, CEO, and weblogger John Mackey. The exchange was covered in Grist, and in a thread on the Slow Foods Forums. Jack has been reorganizing and revitalizing those forums, so now would be a good time to register if you are not already a member.