Slow Food Movement Slow Food, an international non-profit organization

Summary Introduction 1. The international movement Begining Aims Means 2. Comparison USA/France Different problems Different food traditions Conclusion

Introduction "A hundred years ago, people ate between one hundred and a hundred and twenty different species of food. Now our diet is made up of at most ten or twelve species." Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food

1. The international movement The origine : In response to the opening of a Mc Donald in Rome's famous Piazza di Spagna in Great success during the last decade because of : The panic over mad cow disease The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease The debate over genetically modified food The psychosis of the avian flu

1. The international movement The growth of the movement : 1980 : first idea of an association which takes care of food quality 1989 : International Slow Food movement founded in Paris 1990 : First international Slow Food congress in Venice : Creation of Slow Food Italy, Deutschland and Switzerland 2000 : Creation of Slow Food USA 2003 : Creation of Slow Food France

Few figures about the movement : 20,000 members in 1995 Today more than 80,000 members in over 100 countries (35,000 in Italy) Membership : anyone can become a member of SF for around 50$ / year 1. The international movement

The Aims First aims : Oppose to fast-food Culture and promote good, clean and fair food. The food we eat should : Taste good Be produced in a clean, environmental way Receive a fair pay

The Aims Secondary aims : Protect traditional local food and biodiversity Examples of loss : 75 % of European food product diversity lost since % of American food product diversity lost in the same time period 33 % of livestock varieties disappeared or near disappearing 30,000 vegetable varieties extincted in the last century, and one more every six hours

The Means The Convivium : S.F. Movement’s basic organisational structure in an area with cultural and culinary history Local actions and activities : Food and wine events “Taste workshop” Promotion of local “lost” food

The Means The Ark of Taste : catalogue of forgotten and disappearing flavors and food The sentinels : local projects to save and promote foods of the Ark of Taste by financing artisans and farmers who produce such products

The Means International Events : Salone Del Gusto : the biggest market exhibition of ecogatronomy next edition october in Turin Terra Madre : world meeting of food communities Slow food on Film

2. Comparison USA/France Slow Food is an international movement including many countries But each country has is own reason for joining

Different problems France (and EU) : loss of quality and variety  Subsidies for quantity Encourage intensive agribusiness No reward for quality  Don’t care of the integrity of the product to the area Loss of traditional food

Different problems Old and deep fast-food implantation  Nearly traditional USA : 2 « opposites » movements :  American Gastronomical comunity : No political consciousness  American environmental movement : Only food allowed = tofu ( or soja )

Different food traditions

Different food tradition

The Ark of Taste France ( 15 products ) Bigorre Gascony Black Pig Maine-Anjou Cow Breed Pardailhan Black Turnip USA ( 15 products ) American Buff Goose Delaware Chicken Crane Melon

Conclusion Slow Food, an international non-profit organization : Its aim : protect the pleasures of the table from convenience food and agribusiness Its philosophy : promoting gastronomic culture developing taste education conserving agricultural biodiversity protecting traditional foods at risk of extinction

Conclusion Such a movement attract critics : Slow food = Culinary wing of anti- globalization movement Slow food accused of being elitist for product selection but also supporters : Slow life movement

Baby in action

Sources Web sites News article

Debate USA created their own movement 3 years before France, what about that ? Food : an important source of identity ? Slow Food Movement or José Bové, which kind of action is the more efficient ?

Thank you for your attention And don’t forget this famous phrase of the philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach's : "We are what we eat."