What Would Henry Wallace Do?

In this time of turmoil in our food system—commodity prices going up and down like a yo-yo, food contamination cases becoming more commonplace, environmental and climate effects on agriculture becoming more serious, and the world's hungry growing at a startling rate—how would would the United States' greatest Agriculture Secretary, Henry Wallace, respond?

In a commentary published last weekend in the Des Moines Register, IATP's President Jim Harkness reflects on the challenges that Wallace faced during the Great Depression (another economic and farm crisis, combined with the Dust Bowl) and how he created a series of integrated programs to stabilize prices and transition farmers toward environmentally sustainable practices. Jim called on new Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to take bold steps: Rather than tinker around the edges, we must transform our food system.

Jim and I have co-authored a chapter in the great new book, Mandate for Change, that outlines nine policy proposals for Vilsack and the Obama administration to start building a new food system—many of them updates of principles outlined by Wallace's vision.

It's impossible to guess how Wallace would have responded to today's situation. But you can bet his approach would have been creative and bold, with a reverence for farmers and the land.