Watch Andrea Reusing's TED Talk on the Illusion of Abundance and the Invisibility of Farm Workers

Here's a thought-provoking TEDx Talk from Lantern's Andrea Reusing in which the Chapel Hill, NC chef urges the food world to "make a place for farm workers at the table." Reusing points out that we live in a world run amuck with "foodies," saying, "We have tote bags for our tote bags. Our compost piles have their own Tumblrs." But yet somehow still the food community often ignores "something that's much more fundamental to the way we live: the lives of the people who harvest the food that we eat."

Reusing goes on to describe living conditions for North Carolina's 150,000 farm workers who make a mere $50 for harvesting and hauling two tons of sweet potatoes, live in subpar housing and go to sleep hungry. "They're so invisible that we often don't even think about the fact that many of them are children," she adds. Reusing also describes the abundance at the supermarket as an "illusion" considering that "all of these things are only possible because of the near-slavery conditions on farms." She has some ideas on how to make things better, too, so do go watch.

Video: Resetting the Table: Andrea Reusing at TEDxUNC

· Resetting the Table: Andrea Reusing at TEDxUNC [YouTube]
· All Andrea Reusing Coverage on Eater [-E-]