The Standard American Diet plays a major role i the current epidemics of obesity, cardiovascular disease , diabetes and cancer. Just as the nation’s health crisis reaches disastrous proportions, it is quickly becoming clear that the harmful consequences of our food choices extend for beyond chronic disease. The methods of food production in use today have profound implications on the health of the planet. The rise of unsound agricultural practices such as factory farming and genetic engineering of our crops are pushing us to the brink of environmental calamity.