Best Food Nation

From SourceWatch

Best Food Nation is a website launched in May 2006 by a coalition of United States food industry trade associations and lobby groups. The coalition states that the wesbite was launched as a counter to "critics of our food system" who are "promoting their agendas using information that is inaccurate, misleading and incomplete." [1]

The website is specifically targetted at Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation, which is being made into a movie, and the recently released Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food. Chew On This, which Eric Schlosser co-authored with Charles Wilson, is aimed at youngsters.

The "What Others Are Saying" section of the website features media releases and commentary columns by:

• Bob Stallman, the President of the American Farm Bureau Federation;
• Jay Lehr from the Heartland Institute; and
• Elizabeth Whelan the President of the American Council on Science and Health. [2]

On the website the food industry coalition suggests, amongst other ways that supporters can "take action", is to "write a Letter to the Editor when you believe a story contains errors or when you think the U.S. food industry has been unfairly maligned" and "write to your school board to communicate your feelings about the need for children to receive balanced information about American food and agriculture." [3]

The "Best Food Nation" domain was registered to Charlie Arnot of the Kansas City (Missouri)-based CMAKC Consulting on May 3, 2006. (While the domain registration states Arnot is from "CMAKC Consulting" his consultancy is actual CMA Consulting [4].) The phone number provided for the domain registration resolves to Bmi Group LLC, a Kansas City based company listed in the Yellow Pages as "Agricultural Consultants." [5]

Members

• American Farm Bureau Federation
• American Meat Institute
• Cattlemen's Beef Board
• Corn Refiners Association
• Food Products Association
• International Franchise Association
• National Cattlemen's Beef Association
• National Chicken Council
• National Council of Chain Restaurants
• National Milk Producers Federation
• National Pork Board
• National Pork Producers Council
• National Potato Council
• National Restaurant Association
• National Retail Federation
• National Turkey Federation
• Snack Food Association
• U.S. Potato Board
• United Egg Producers

Contact details

Web: http://bestfoodnation.com/index.asp

Other SourceWatch Resources

• Anderson, Kisner Fallon Public Relations
• Charlie Arnot
• Front groups
• Becky Johnson
• Third party technique
• The Food Industry Campaign to Undermine 'Chew On This'
• Chew On This

External links

• Cheryl V. Jackson, "Author talking turkey about fast food, kids", Chicago Sun-Times, May 10, 2006.
• Jay Lehr, "Don't Know Nothing About Fast Food", Media Release, Heartland Institute, May 5, 2006.
• Andrew Martin, "Fast-food foe feeds views to students: Middle schoolers in Glen Ellyn go `Ewwww'", Chicago Tribune, May 11, 2006.
• John Stauber, Food Flack Nation Attacks Journalist Eric Schlosser, PRWatch.org, May 11, 2006.
• Julie Just, "An Interview With Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson", New York Times, May 14, 2006.
• "Fast-food author gives kids something to chew on", St Paul Pioneer Press, May. 12, 2006.
• Abby McGanney Nolan, "Greasy Kids Stuff", Washington Post, May 14, 2006.
• "Who's After Schlosser", Advertising Age, May 15, 2006.
• Janet Adamy and Richard Gibson, Flak Over 'Fast Food Nation' U.S. Food Manufacturers Rally To Oppose a Film and a Book That Blame Them for Obesity, May 18, 2006.
• Edward Helmore, Fast-food giants feeling heat from the film of the book: As a critical movie about burger-makers is premiered, the industry is staging a fightback, The Observer, May 21, 2006.
• Joel McNally, Fast food giants target truth of 'Chew on This', Capital Times, May 19, 2006.