Virginia Cooperative Extension is inviting farmers, food entrepreneurs, local government and economic officials, institutional food buyers, and other interested community members to learn and engage in discussion about integrating Virginia's agriculture, local economies, and health communities at the Community, Farm, and New Food Systems Conference.

The conference will be held Thursday, March 27, 2008, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Plecker Workforce Center, Blue Ridge Community College, in Weyers Cave.

"There is an emerging movement for fresh, locally produced foods and farm products," said Eric Bendfeldt, community viability specialist for Virginia Cooperative Extension . "This conference will address key issues related to community food systems, including how to integrate farming, food, and health in the 21st century; create better direct connections between growers and consumers; and [will address] how community food systems fit into a social and economic development strategy."

Speakers will present information on various aspects of local community food systems, including food system integration, distribution infrastructure, social and economic strategies, and food and farm initiatives:

  • Fred Kirschenmann, a distinguished fellow at Iowa State University's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will provide a keynote presentation on "Integrating Farming, Food, and Health in the 21st century."
  • David Ward, co-chair of the Association of Family Farms in Washington, D.C., will discuss "Values-based Value Chains: Changing the Way We Feed America."
  • Kamyar Enshayan, local food coordinator for the University of Northern Iowa's Local Food Project and Cedar Falls City Council Member, will talk about "Community Food Systems as a Social and Economic Development Strategy."

There will also be two panel discussions about distribution infrastructure, local procurement, and university food and farm initiatives. Panel participants include:

  • Sarah Roussos, co-owner of Green Alchemy Herb and Mercantile, Loudoun Country.
  • Philip Ackemerman-Leist, the director of Food and Farm Project at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt.
  • Steve Yetzer, owner of Cavalier Produce in Charlottesville.
  • Charles Martin, farmer and a board member of the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Dayton.
  • Noel Levan, the vice president Founding Team for the Friendly City Food Co-op in Harrisonburg.
  • Carl Miller, the vice president of merchandising for SYSCO in Virginia.
  • Christopher Carpenter, special projects coordinator for Dining Services at Washington and Lee University.
  • Wayne Teel, associate professor of integrated science and technology at James Madison University.

Lunch will feature local foods from area farms prepared by Chef Ian Boden of the Staunton Grocery.

In addition, singer-songwriter, Adrienne Young, a musician who has long been passionate and committed to using the medium of music and performance to nurture awareness about local food systems will be sharing her music at the conference. Her album, "Plow to the End of the Row," has been Grammy-nominated. Young is an advocate for Buy Fresh Buy Local and the American Community Gardening Association.

The early registration fee for the conference is $20. For more information or to register, contact Virginia Cooperative Extension at (540) 432-6029 by Monday, March 24. The registration fee the day of the conference is $25.

Sponsoring organizations include the Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture Innovation and Rural Sustainability, Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Environmental Defense, Farm Credit Country Mortgages, Harrisonburg-Rockingham Healthy Community Council, Rockbridge Grown, and the Valley Conservation Council.

Directions to Plecker Workforce Center: From I-81, take Exit 235. Turn to go west at the top of the exit ramp (Rte. 256). In a very short distance, Rte. 256 ends at US 11. Turn left at the stoplight onto US 11 South. Blue Ridge Community College is about a half-mile on the left. Parking for the Plecker Workforce Center may be accessed by using the south entrance, beside the Criminal Justice Training Academy.

Virginia Cooperative Extension brings the resources of Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

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