I have a few questions this week as I reflect on the visit from Michael Pollan to Michigan State University, funded in part by the MSU College of Ag and Natural Resources.

In case you weren’t aware, Michael Pollan is a journalism professor and the author of such books as The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food and, most recently, Food Rules, and perhaps the nation’s most influential critic of how we eat and how we grow our food. He is also responsible for the controversial documentary, “Food, Inc.”

In short, Pollan is against big farms and is for everyone eating locally grown foods. But there are a few other things that bother me about his speaking tour and the way he conducts himself when he arrives in town.

Let me tell you before I hop on my soapbox, I was in New York and not at his presentation; my information is from the news and from sources who were present at the evening with Michael Pollan.

With a loaf of bread in hand, he stood at the podium and said the bread had 38 ingredients in it, and that we should not eat anything with more than five. That not only translates into never eating bread – even if we make it ourselves with the most wholesome ingredients – but get your pen ready to cross off any green salad with more than five vegetables, any fruit salad with more than five fruits … and don’t even think about making a Western omelet for breakfast.

So I ask, why is this a credible command?

Another question I have is why this man is influential with food policy when he can’t even read a simple store sign. The bread he brought to the presentation was purchased from the grocery store chain Meijers. The proper pronunciation sounds like” Myers.”
Pollan stood up and said he bought the bread from the local store, Majors. The man is a journalism professor! Now, tell me why he has influence?

When Mr. Pollan spoke, he allowed the media to be present for the first five minutes of the presentation, then they were asked to leave. Anyone who is peddling books and is a speaker knows fully that the media is your friend, and exposure for your cause is a good thing.

So, why would he not want them in the room? What does he have to hide? What questions is he afraid to answer? Who does he think he is – the Pope?

Further, he only allowed college students in his presentation and only answered questions that were submitted ahead of time. As a mother, this is the scariest of all to me. What is this supposed food guru trying to feed our kids?

Is he afraid of logical-thinking, seasoned adults who can see through his smoke and mirrors? Who is he afraid of? Why can’t he think on his feet and answer spontaneous questions from the audience? Why is his presentation so calculated and scripted?
A person who is passionate about their cause and wants to gain support doesn’t lock people out, but invites doubters in. Normally, when people get on their soapbox they want to be heard by everyone, not just a select few.

And one more question: Why is the MSU College of Ag and Natural Resources – the college that has performed extensive research on farming efficiency and sent thousands of kids home to their parents’ farms with the idea that expansion is their friend – funding this one-cow-and-chicken-show journalism professor to come in and tell the students how to grow and eat food?

Yup – I guess I have a few questions to ask about the journalism professor who is making a living preaching about botany, nutrition, agricultural engineering, agricultural  economics and animal science.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.