One of my favorite classes at Michigan State was Food Systems Management. The content left an imprint on me; we studied charts representing all the different parts of the food system. I found it mind boggling to see the many entities that milk went through to get from my cow to a person’s glass; the farmer is the first step in caring for an animal and producing the milk in a safe environment. However, there’s also a milk truck drive who picks up the milk and follows strict procedure, a milk inspector ensuring state regulations are followed and the people who test the milk when it gets to the plant. Then there are hands involved in the pastuerizing, processing, chemical analysis, quality control, distributing and retailing of that milk – all of which play an important role.

Some will say that food shouldn’t be that complicated; it should go from garden to plate with no one in between. The reality of feeding people 12 months out of the year intervenes, as does the economics of getting a variety of foods to the majority of the population.  I’m giving thanks for the MANY hands behind the food on our plates this season; and would invite you to do the same.  Some food jobs for you to remember:

• Animal Geneticist
• Animal Nutritionist; yes, cows have diets – theirs is more scientifically formulated than yours
• Baker
• Barista; have to love my non-fat chai tea latte
• Bee Keeper
• Biotechnology researcher; consider the ability to provide vitamins to the malnourished
• Blogger
• Boutique Crop Farmer
• Butcher; it may not be pretty, but is important unless you like eating cowhide or turkey feathers
• Chef
• Cheese Maker; how smelly do you like yours?
• Chief Financial Officer
• Consumer Sciences/Home-Economics Teacher
• Culinary School Teacher
• Dairy Nutrition Specialist
• Dietitian; this is the place you should go for unbiased and scientific info.
• Enologist; have to love those grapes
• Entrepreneur
• Extension Educator
• FDA employees
• Fish Farmer; my love of seafood makes me very thankful
• Flavor Chemist
• Food Broker
• Food Chemist; yes, there is chemistry in food – even the simplest food.
• Food Inspector
• Food Microbiologist
• Food Plant Employees
• Food & Restaurant Critic
• Food Radio Host
• Food Retailer; grocery shopping is not my favorite
• Food Photographer
• Food Scientist
• Food Writer
• Garbage Anthropologist
• Grocery Store Manager
• Herb Farmer
• Historian
• Honey Producer
• Ice Cream Taster/Namer
• Marketer
• Mushroom Grower
• Nut Grower; please pass the almonds, pecans, peanuts…
• Nutritionist
• Obesity Researcher
• Packaging Specialists; remember that noise Sun Chips bag?
• Product Demonstrator
• Quality  Control Inspector
• Recipe Developer; this is kind of a hobby – it must cool to do it full time.
• Restauranteur
• Seed Scientist
• Specialty Crop Farmer; mmm, love those lentils
• Tasters
• Tea Growers & Shop Owners; you keep me sane in the morning
• Tree & Vine Fruit Grower
• Truck Driver
• Viticulturist
• Waitstaff; bad service and good service usually mark your memories of an evening out
• Wild Game Farmer
• Wineries; thankful for the vino!

Won’t you join me and thousands of others giving #Foodthanks on November 23? Blog, tweet, Facebook about it. After all, don’t all of the hands behind your food plate deserve gratitude?