Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Kulongoski advisor to attend Froms Crops to Classroom discussion at Rock Creek

Photos and story by James Hill

Erinn Kelley-Siel, Governor Kulongoski’s Health and Human Services Policy Advisor, will join other distinguished community members in discussing how higher education can be involved with the national movement toward community food systems. The panel, part of the two-day From Crops to Classroom event at the Rock CReek Campus, includes Lisa Sedlar, President of New Seasons Markets; Anthony Boutard, Owner of Ayers Creek Farms; Leslie McBride, Associate Professor of Community Health at PSU; Bridget Cooke, Executive Director of Adelante Mujeres; and Moderator: Debra Sohm-Lawson, Director of Food and Farms Market Connection, Ecotrust.The panel discussion is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9 at the Events Center and is free and open to the public. Rock Creek Campus President Katherine Persson will give an opening address.Why should we be talking about community food systems? The Los Angeles Times proclaimed last year that "It’s in the food-savvy city of Portland that the new food economy has taken root and where the future may be taking shape."Oregon is leading the movement toward local food systems: the number of full-time farmers has increased in Oregon 55 percent since 1974. Nationwide, 300,000 farms have disappeared since 1980. The average dinner travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Local food systems create local jobs. Agriculture is a $3.8 billion a year industry in OregonFrom Crops to Classrooms will continue on Friday, February 10 with hands-on workshops. The session will go from 1 to 2:45 p.m. and cover Sustainable Campus Food Services and Food Systems in the Curriculum. From 3 to 4:30 p.m. there will be a session covering student initiatives related to food issues and learning gardens.