Marian Miner Cook
Athenaeum

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The Politics of Food and Climate Change: A Reporter's Notebook

Mon, September 16, 2024
Dinner Program
Helena Bottemiller Evich '09

Helena Bottemiller Evich '09, founder and editor-in-chief of Food Fix and former longtime senior reporter at POLITICO, will address the politics of food, agriculture and climate change in the U.S., including a look at why it's so difficult to adopt climate-friendly policies, how food is playing in the presidential election, and what's next in Washington. Attitudes about climate change have shifted among farmers and consumers alike, but the politics of regulating food and agriculture remain fraught. Many countries are now factoring in environmental sustainability when making nutrition recommendations -- will the U.S. ever follow? Can consumers trust food that's labeled as climate-friendly? Evich will unpack all of this while weaving in stories from covering food as a journalist in D.C. since she graduated from CMC in 2009. 

Helena Bottemiller Evich '09 is the founder and editor-in-chief of Food Fix, a publication about food policy in Washington and beyond. She previously led food and agriculture coverage at POLITICO for nearly a decade, winning numerous awards, including two James Beard Awards and a George Polk Award, one of the most prestigious honors in journalism. Her 2022 investigation on the FDA's dysfunctional food program and groundbreaking reporting on the infant formula crisis helped fuel one of the biggest reorganizations in FDA’s history.


Before launching POLITICO’s food coverage, Helena was a Washington correspondent for Food Safety News, covering deadly outbreaks and the run-up to Congress passing the biggest update to food safety law in nearly a century.

Evich is a sought-after speaker and commentator on food issues, appearing on CNN, PBS, CBS, BBC and NPR, among others. Her work is widely cited in the media and has also been published in the Columbia Journalism Review and on NBC News.

Ms. Evich’s talk is part of the Roberts Environmental Center’s Sustainable Food Initiative 2024-2025.

Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum

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