MSU Alumna’s Award-Winning Book Exposes, Combats ‘Food Bullies’

<p>“Food has become a battleground where spurious marketing labels and misinformation are used to cajole, manipulate, even shame consumers about their eating choices.”</p><p>So writes <a href="https://causematters.com/about/">Michele Payn</a> (’93 B.S., Animal Science; ’93 B.S., Agriculture and Natural Resources Communication) in her third book, <a href="https://causematters.com/books/">Food Bullying:  How to Avoid Buying B.S.</a>, (Morgan James, 2019), recipient of the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) Gold Medal in Health, Medicine and Nutrition.</p><p>Armed with science, compelling personal stories, and a lifetime on the farm, Payn challenges the way we think about food.  </p><p>“I believe deeply in choice, especially when it comes to food.  I wrote Food Bullying to help people first become aware of the subtle, sophisticated, often devious ways they are manipulated and then to develop strategies for making guilt-free food choices based on their own ethical, environmental and health standards.”  </p><p>Payn, also a nationally acclaimed public speaker and consultant, began her business, Cause Matters, at age 30.   “When I was at Michigan State, I knew I wanted to work in the agricultural industry and I would someday launch a business.  But I never imagined I would do that at age 30.”  </p><p>One of the salient themes running through all Payn’s  work is the importance of dialogue among agricultural producers, consumers, doctors, nutritionists and other key influentials in the food industry.  “Communication among knowledgeable professionals ensures that science-based information becomes the key component of food purchasing decisions—rather than marketing claims or testimonials from organizations with special agendas.”  </p><p>Payn grew up on a dairy farm outside Jonesville, MI and attended Litchfield High School.  “Because of frequent visits to the beautiful MSU campus for 4-H and FFA events, there was never any doubt where I would go to college.”  Her passion for dairy cows continues as a Register