Thursday Plenary: The Voices of Youth
Thursday, 3:00 pm
Across the country, a new youth movement is emerging. Students and young people are joining the farm to institution fray; working from the grassroots to advocate for healthy, just and sustainable food in their schools and communities. From superintendents to college presidents, these young people have challenged the adults around them to reconsider the power and importance of young voices. Listen as students from the Rethinkers (New Orleans, Louisiana), Harwood Union High School Agriculture Internship Program (Moretown, Vermont), Food Works (Portland, Oregon), and the Real Food Challenge (Carleton College, Minnesota) share their experiences and vision for a better food system.
Friday Plenary: Leading Sustainable Social Change—Working Across Differences
Friday, 8:30 am
Each year the National Farm to School Network conference convenes an increasing number and diversity of individuals and groups working on institutional food and food systems change. This year brings together both a wider range of activists—new and old—and new levels of collaboration with the Real Food Challenge and School Food FOCUS.
This plenary reflects the conference organizers’ commitment to acknowledge and understand the many kinds of cultural differences among us, to create a conference environment that welcomes all who attend and that helps individuals and groups build relationships during the conference that will be sustained in the future.
The session will introduce a set of guidelines for effective dialogue across cultural groups that we will be using throughout the conference. In addition, we will participate in a demonstration of a format for dialogue that ensures the voice of every individual in the group is fully heard. Thomas S. Griggs and Deborah J. Walker of VISIONS, Inc. will provide the opportunity for conference participants to co-create this plenary session.
Friday Lunch Keynote: Katie Wilson, President of the School Nutrition Association (SNA)
Reauthorization 2009: Progress, Prognosis, and Promoting the Farm to School Agenda
Friday, 12:45 pm
Katie Wilson is the School Nutrition Director at Onalaska School District, in Onalaska, Wisconsin. As the President of the School Nutrition Association, Dr. Wilson represents 55,000 food service employees serving 30 million children a day. The SNA is a leader in policy issues related to child nutrition and Dr. Wilson, who has testified at Congressional hearings, will discuss the Association’s priorities for the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
Saturday Plenary: Building the Foundations for Local Food
Saturday, 8:30 am
A plenary designed to help organizations and communities realize what it takes to solidify the basics for thriving local food environs and the impact on farm to institutional markets. Charlie Jackson (ASAP) will provide a case study describing a research study that quantified the demand and supply of local food and why this type of information is important. Jim Johnson (OR Dept. of Ag) will share working farmland preservation strategies that focus on strengthening local food economies. Audrey Arner of Moonstone farm will share expertise in effectively engaging new farmers and the importance of this work in creating strong local food systems.
Reception and Keynote with Joan Dye Gussow
Food: It’s Not Just Nutrients.
Saturday, 6:30 pm
Saturday night we open our doors to the public to celebrate good food and a growing movement with fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms prepared by Bon Appetit Chef James Green at the University of Portland. Join us for a pre-dinner cocktail hour featuring appetizers prepared by Portland’s most celebrated chefs. Then settle into dinner with friends and keynote speaker Joan Dye Gussow. Joan Gussow, “This Organic Life” author and national advocate of nutrition, education and organics will share her dynamic perspectives on sustainable agriculture through a nutrition lens.
Note: this reception is open to the general public. To attend the reception without participating in the conference, purchase a ticket online. Tickets will also be available at the door.
