July 4, 2015

I am tucked away this fourth of July weekend with my family, with time to reflect on this beautiful country of ours and what it means to be free.

While we may lag other countries, 64 to be exact, when it comes to labeling GMOs, there are also things that give me hope.

In the ten years of this work, I have seen independence in action, business leaders, parents, farmers, children, teens who are taking action, using their freedoms, their liberties to change our food supply.

It is working. Demand for clean and unpolluted food is exploding. And while we use the adjective “organic” here in the U.S. to describe food that is produced without artificial ingredients like dyes, growth hormones and GMOs, other countries simply call it “food” and label the “genetically engineered” and other altered kinds.

But change is happening.

Capital is flowing into the clean food movement.

Companies like Hampton Creek have raised millions from investors around the world.

Mega food companies are acquiring the smaller organic ones. It can be tough to digest, but inside of these mega companies things are changing. Parents inside of them are spearheading the efforts. The corporate boards need to change, perhaps to retire and be replaced by parents of today’s kids. Why? Because we know the irrefutable truth: that our children that have earned the title of “Generation Rx” because of the rates of food allergies, diabetes, obesity, cancer, asthma and autism.

This generation of parents can not turn away, because while our children may only be 30% of the population, they are 100% of our future. Our country depends on their health.

We have to come together. It is happening. Courage is contagious, and each time that one of us steps forward to advocate for change, another is inspired to do the same.

The Declaration of Independence mentions three rights which human beings possess: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No one may rightfully deny us these things. The pursuit of health is a pursuit for happiness. Disease is dis-ease. In our fight for clean food, for a revolutionary change to our food system, we are not alone. We are living up to the founding principals of our country. These rights are “unalienable.”

The Declaration does not proclaim a right to happiness itself, but rather that we are born with minds and talents that we may use to pursue happiness.

Each of us has a unique set of skills, gifts and talents that have been given to us. No two of us are the same. None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something. In this work, the combination of our collective talents is unstoppable. In this pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, this freedom of health that we pursue, it is very much an all-hands-on-deck time.

So this Fourth of July, I found myself bowing my head in gratitude: for the pioneering vision of our founding fathers, for the pioneering work of the business leaders, parents, farmers and organizations working to restore the health of our country and for all of those who are bravely lending their hearts, their talents and minds to this pursuit.

Happy 4th. Here’s to the health of our country and our inspired and collective pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. It is an all hands on deck time.