Michael Pollan, Kathleen Merrigan, Others Named among Time's 100 Most Influential People

by Katherine Gustafson · 2010-05-01 06:00:00 UTC
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Food journalist Michael Pollan, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, urban farming pioneer Will Allen, animal behavior expert Temple Grandin and Nobel-winning hunger theorist Amartya Sen now have something more in common than their support of sensible and empowering agricultural methods and policies.

They've all been named to a list that includes the likes of Lady Gaga and Robert Pattinson. Oh, and Prince.

This is the 2010 Time 100, a list of the world's 100 most influential people, at least as Time Magazine sees it. The inclusion of these great thinkers and leaders in food and agriculture is a sign that the movement calling for good, clean, fair food and food justice is resonating with a mainstream audience.

Here are some excerpts from the blurbs about each of the winners:

  • Alice Waters on Pollan "Michael's rock-star status isn't just about his rigor or brilliance. He thinks about the ethical bonds that connect our bodies, farms and food. In so doing, he has become an example to the rest of us."

  • Dan Barber on Merrigan: "If you've ever wondered who in government shoulders the complexities of moving an agenda forward in a fractured time and pushes on without getting soaked, here is your answer."

  • Van Jones on Allen: "Farm projects grow communities and nourish hope. The best ones will produce more leaders like Allen, with his credo 'Grow. Bloom. Thrive.'"

  • Marc Hauser on Grandin: "Using her unique window into the minds of animals, she has developed corrals for cattle that improve their quality of life by reducing stress."

  • Niall Ferguson on Sen: He "asked how people could starve when food was available. The answer was that the poor simply lacked the capability to buy it. On these and other issues, the argumentative Indian has persuaded."

It's great to see these innovative and inspiring people being recognized.

Katherine Gustafson is a freelance writer and editor with a background in international nonprofit organizations.
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