Letter: The best of humanity

Re: El Nopal Bakery provides tortillas to Food Bank, Free Lance March 27

El Nopal Bakery and the Pinnacles condor do have something in common. That could be the subject of food and whether or not food is healthy or poisoned. 

The condors, the largest bird in North America, almost went extinct because their food was poisoned. Condors feasted on dead squirrels and dead coyotes purposely poisoned by farmers or ranchers protecting farms and ranches from squirrel damage and coyote livestock killing.

Proper food was the condor’s problem while interruption of production was the bakery’s problem. 

Yet we live in San Benito County, where our agricultural economy is number one. If we were able to look down from the Pinnacle heights where the condors live we would see the green of agriculture like a patterned quilt blanketing the flats and hillsides. We must protect our agriculture from the poisons of polluted air and water.

Growing houses pollute. The November election saved the county from more pollution. Three new city council members were elected to slow rapid growth. But the outgoing three old council members loyal to developers had one last stand in December before the new members were sworn in in January. 

The defeated council members threatened to pass the measure permitting 3,000 more houses on Fairview, Buena Vista, Union and Wright roads. Because dedicated volunteers obtained 3,000 signatures in 30 days to stop the push for more houses, the defeated lost again. Dedicated people saved San Benito County from replacing agriculture with housing. 

Farms can produce too much food for the market. When the market collapses, the extra food can be given to the food bank. That happens frequently but not exactly this time with the tortillas and El Nopal. 

The bakery sells the tortillas to the food bank. Income for the bakery helps the bakery survive. This relationship integrates our economy. 

We thus possess an economy where surplus goes to the hungry and not to the rich. This arrangement displays the best of humanity. 

Mary Zanger

Hollister