[Medium] Our political landscape is in a state of unprecedented change and the future of our food, nutrition, and health policies are uncertain. We stand at a crossroads. Decisions by healthcare facilities as to what market practices to support through their purchases and what standards to embody, can propel a system that continues to degrade our society and challenges community health or one that protects public health and our natural resources.  

Our country is often characterized by diversity— a great patchwork of culture, business and opportunity— but the modern food system does not reflect this ideal. Where there once were dozens of farms in every region, there is now pervasive consolidation of markets. 

On the shelves of our grocery stores and in the warehouses of our national distributors we find highly refined, additive-laden foods and processed animal products produced in laboratories rather than kitchens.These products are now more prevalent on our menus than whole grains and fresh vegetables grown, harvested and processed from neighboring farms and food businesses. 

Decisions about what is healthy to eat have been dictated by industry lobbying groups whose primary motive is to promote their own profit (and not the health and welfare of consumers)  rather than the research and expertise of health professionals. 

This past year, a critical exploration into the experiences of our nation’s producers yielded confirmation that our national antitrust policies are failing, exemplified by the stories of poverty and the relinquishing of generational family farms to the few organizations powering Big Food. 

Now more than ever, our hospitals stand as beacons hope and wisdom, guiding the choices of the public and policymakers, investing in programs and food system infrastructure to improve access and affordability of healthy food, lead practices that create social and financial wealth for those they employ and serve, and direct markets that put the health of the public first...(Continue Reading)