Chris, thanks for the great essay. I haven't read your book, but I did hear a radio interview with you. (I particularly remember how you vividly described the vileness of slaughterhouses.)

When you write:But with ample pressure from urban and rural consumers, farmers, public health experts, antihunger activists, environmentalists, and others, cities can create model food bills that build a policy-driven grassroots alternative to our industrial food system. No better time than now to start showing Congress how it ought to be done.
I would also include the relocalization and peak oil activists.

It would be great to see a Farm Bill that helped small farmers while supporting local, organic crops without supporting greedy mega-corps, the livestock industry, the sugar industry, chemicals, etc.

Eco-Eating: Eating as if the Earth Matters at http://www.brook.com/veg