Bittman’s farmer beef
THERE’S farmer drama for renowned food writer Mark Bittman. The author — who has written for the New York Times and New York magazine — somehow managed to plow himself into such a deep ditch at a farming conference “covering issues like crop rotation and federal subsidies for hoop houses” that it was “rocked by conflict” and he issued an apology the next day. According to the New Food Economy Web site, Bittman delivered an “ambitious and rousing” keynote address on Wednesday at the Young Farmers Conference upstate that “proposed nothing less than remedying America’s racist farm system.” But Bittman put the fox among the chickens during the Q&A. After a farmer asked, “How do you hold yourself accountable to communities of color and vulnerable communities? To the things you say that you aspire to change?” Bittman reportedly responded by saying only, “Fair enough.” Wrote the New Food Economy — which has a surprising flair for tense reportage — “That sucked the air out of the room.” Parried Bittman’s rural inquisitor, “I just want to let black people know that your dismissal was hurtful. It was enraging.” On Thursday, Bittman posted on Twitter: “It’s clear that I offended people at last night’s gathering; I apologize for that. I realize my inability to effectively address the question of how I hold myself accountable to people of color . . . made people angry and upset, and I regret how I (mis)handled that moment; my inadequacies were on full display.” He added, “I’m committed to listening and learning, and I’ll continue to try to deepen my understanding of the issues raised last night.”t.