“At the heart of the sustainable-food movement is a belief that America has become efficient at producing cheap, abundant food that profits corporations and agribusiness, but is unhealthy and bad for the environment. The federal government is culpable, the activists say, because it pays farmers billions in subsidies each year for growing grains and soybeans. A result is an abundance of corn and soybeans that provide cheap feed for livestock and inexpensive food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup. They argue that farm policy — and federal dollars — should instead encourage farmers to grow more diverse crops, reward conservation practices and promote local food networks that rely less on fossil…

It’s “a little like ‘American Idol,’ except everyone is Simon Cowell — everyone has an opinion.” ~President Barack Obama

Isn’t it interesting that something we’ve been drinking for centuries has become such a designer item? And that designer status may be in danger because of the economy? Well, maybe not. History shows us that when it comes to food and beverage, a shrinking economy generally causes us to eat at home more, cook at home more, and brew our own coffee. As coffee has risen in popularity as a designer item, the availability of all things coffee has skyrocketed. I can go to my local grocery store (and mind you, I live in a town of less then 10,000 inhabitants) and pick up a large variety of flavored coffee…