Dreams of the Local Commissariat
Walmart, Food Deserts, and Genuine Sovereignty
by Devon G. Peña
Let us begin with a “defining moment,” courtesy of the Oxford World Dictionary:
Commissariat (kÉ’mɪˈsÉ›Ërɪət)
Definition: chiefly Military department for the supply of food and equipment.
Origin: late 16th century (as a Scots legal term denoting the jurisdiction of a commissary, often spelled commissariot): from French commissariat, reinforced by medieval Latin commissariatus, both from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge’, from Latin committere ‘entrust’
How does this relate to the news cycle? Well, on January 20, Walmart announced plans to reformulate the ingredients of their in-house or private brand processed foods. An estimated 60 percent of the company’s annual grocery revenues are currently tied to the sale of processed food items. It is therefore expected that this formula change will place pressure on other private suppliers to follow suit. (more…)
