Tags：Medical and HealthFood and AgricultureKantoChubu

On September 13th, a lecture was held at MOA Ohito Farm featuring Steven Chen, an American doctor who was visiting Japan to investigate MOA Nature Farming, and Tom Willey, a pioneer of organic farming in California.

 

Dr. Chen, who serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the Recipe4Health (R4H) program at Alameda County Health Center in California, became connected with the MOA Hawaii Wellness Center through Mr. Willey, his long-time friend. This connection culminated in his visit to Japan to observe various aspects of food and health, including the practical application of MOA Nature Farming.

 

Dr. Chen lectured on the theme of “Food as Medicine” and introduced the R4H program he promotes. He specifically described how it integrates healthcare, the food system, and agriculture to treat, prevent, and reverse diseases, particularly for patients with chronic conditions.

 

 

He stated that in the US, 6 out of 10 adults suffer from a chronic disease, and since the root cause of chronic conditions is closely linked with poor dietary habits, he is striving to implement “Food as Medicine” towards the improvement and prevention of disease. Dr. Chen explained that R4H is a crucial approach that emphasizes the relationship between health and diet, working to also improve living environments and related industries to ensure the public has equitable access to nutrients dense, delicious, and healthy produce.

 

He shared that since 2022, the California Department of Health Care Services has approved the use of health care funding to develop Food as Medicine programs. The program supports clinic teams to prescribe healthy food in an equitable manner to low-income individuals struggling with chronic health conditions or food insecurity, while also collaborating with organic farmers and the community. Furthermore, through a comprehensive lens that acknowledges not only the medical but also the social aspects of health, R4H creates group opportunities for health coaching, nutrition education, social connection, and exercise. Dr. Chen stressed that he also hopes the expansion of sustainable agriculture, centered on organic farming, will contribute to environmental conservation. Nationally, 32 of the 50 states in the United States are engaged in developing Food as Medicine programs and utilizing health care to fund it.

 

Mr. Willey elaborated on the current status and challenges of “Organic in California,” taking into account the state’s geographical and climatic environmental conditions, the relationship with agriculture since human settlement began 13,000 years ago, and the history of organic farming in the region.

 

 

He discussed his reasons for embarking on a career in agriculture and how his dedication to grape cultivation sparked an interest in soil science, which he then used to explain the state’s geology. He recounted the catalyst for his shift from grape farming to vegetable cultivation and the efforts he undertook to cultivate barren land and achieve successful vegetable farming.

 

Within that narrative, he shared that his growing anxiety over the necessity of applying large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides every year led him to discover the organic farming promoted by J.I. Rodale, to which he became strongly devoted.

 

He detailed his journey of continuous research, connecting his studies in soil science with the practice of organic soil building. Furthermore, he provided a thorough explanation of his research on soil microorganisms, carbon (essential for plant growth), and its relationship with the global environment. He touched upon the role of environmentally friendly agriculture in preventing global warming and called for the necessity of further technological development.

 

The delegation visited Japan from September 7 to 20 and spent four days at Ohito Farm meticulously investigating the history and definition of Nature Farming, MOA’s guidelines and certification methods, various research efforts, and the practical aspects of dissemination and education through repeated interviews and Q&A sessions with the staff in charge.

 

 

They also observed the farms of MOA Nature Farming practitioners in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Kamisato Town, Saitama Prefecture. Additionally, at Oku-Atami Wellness Center (Izunokuni City) and Tokyo Wellness Center (Minato Ward, Tokyo), they conversed with doctors and medical professionals. At Oku-Atami Wellness Center, they experienced horticultural therapy, music therapy, and more. At Tokyo Wellness Center, they experienced a full slate of MOA programs, including the practice of Okada Purifying Therapy as part of the Okada Health and Wellness Programs, the Art and Culture Method (Ikebana and Tea Ceremony), and a wellness checkup by researchers from the neighboring MOA Health Science Center.

 

At the MOA Museum of Art, they met with Kohei Nakajima, President of MOA International, and Tokugo Uchida, Director of the MOA Museum of Art. Through art appreciation and experiencing the Tea Ceremony in a traditional tearoom, they deepened their understanding of Japanese culture.

 

Through this visit, Dr. Chen and Mr. Willey were moved by MOA Ohito Farm’s undertakings in collaboration with the government and wider public. They also personally experienced the deliciousness of Nature Farming produce through the meals they enjoyed at each location. They expressed their hope that many more people could enjoy this food before departing Japan.

 

Co-sponsored by: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Research Institute of Agriculture,
Environment, and Health, General Incorporated Association, MOA Nature Farming
Culture Service Organization

 

【Profile】
◯　Dr. Steven Chen, MD
He graduated from Stanford University with Honors and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and also completed his medical training at Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at UCSF–San Francisco General Hospital. Board-certified in Family Medicine, he went on to complete fellowship training at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, leadership training through the California Health Care Foundation Leadership Program, and Medical Acupuncture training through the UCLA–HMI Physician Medical Acupuncture Program. He also received advanced training in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). He currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Recipe4Health, the Food as Medicine program for Alameda County, California.

 

◯　Tom Willey
He, with his wife Denesse, operated T&D Willey Farms from 1981 through 2016, a seventy-five-acre Certified Organic farm in Madera, California, growing a wide array of Mediterranean vegetables the year round. T&D Willey Farms produce was appreciated in specialty markets and fine restaurants up and down the U.S. West Coast as well as on the tables of over 800 weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription members in their own community. Tom was, for nearly a decade, Slow Food USA’s governor for California’s Central Valley and he passionately advocates for local food prominence through his writing, speaking, radio, and event organizing activities. His monthly “Down on the Farm” conversational radio program features the work of progressive farmers and others prominent in San Joaquin Valley’s agriculture and food communities. Tom has served over the years on the boards of directors of the Ecological Farming Association (EFA) and California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and until recently a member of CCOF Certification Services’ five-person LLC Management Committee. He currently serves as a Policy Advisor to The Cornucopia Institute which monitors integrity of the U.S. organic industry. He has been collaborating with several California organic growers to develop no-till and reduced-till organic vegetable production systems over the last several years.