Finding a solution
Des Moines to host 13th annual Community Food Security Coalition
By Matt Miller
Finding a solution to build strong, sustainable, nutritious food for all people at all times is an unalienable task. Will anyone ever find an answer? The future is unclear, but organizers hope to take another step in the right direction as the 13th Annual Community Food Security Coalition Conference – “From Commodity to Community: Food Policy and Projects in the Heartland” takes place Oct. 10-13 at the Polk County Convention Center, 501 Grand Ave.
“We want to create a food system that promotes health and economic viability for communities,” said Angie Tagtow of the Food and Society Policy Fellow with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. “Our current system is no longer sustainable, and, as a result, we have a huge, exciting challenge in front of us.”
The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North America coalition of diverse people and organizations working from the local to international levels to build community food security. More than 750 people are expected to be in attendance for the four-day event that will feature 50 workshops, a food film festival, six field trips and the first annual Food Sovereignty Prize Award presentation. Workshops will focus on farm to cafeteria, food access in rural and urban communities and food politics and projects in the Heartland.
“This event will provide the vision to give people healthy choices,” said Lynn Fallon, Iowa Outreach Committee Chair. “We don’t have that right now. We’re on a downhill slope that must be fixed before it’s too late.”
Previous conferences have been held in major metropolitan cities like Atlanta, Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Seattle, but CFSC officials say this year’s event is in the Heartland to look at security issues and opportunities in rural America. To date, approximately 600 people have registered.
“Our hope is that people realize that we’re not just a fly-over state,” Tagtow said. “There’s a perception about Iowa from people who don’t live here, but Iowa is a lot more than that.”
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie will give the opening statement to the conference, one that will also feature the reception with lecture and discussion featuring 1995 World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Hans R. Herren. Dr. Herren will speak on an agricultural agenda that establishes global food security, environmental stability and social justice.
“It’s a pleasure to have Dr. Herren speaking at this year’s conference,” Fallon said. “His participation in this year’s conference shows how important this issue is to all of us.”
Tagtow also hopes this year’s conference will shed light on the growing issue of childhood obesity across the nation, including right here in Iowa. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, one in seven children in Iowa live in poverty. This number has increased 17 percent since 2003 and one-third of children between 2 and 5 years of age participating in the Iowa WIC Program are at risk of being overweight or are currently overweight.
“The destiny of Iowa is greatly dependent on how we nourish ourselves,” Tagtow said. “Access to nutritious food leads to healthy children, which are critical components to Iowa future. Healthy children are ready to learn, and healthy children become healthy and productive adults.”
While all the questions may not be answered yet, officials believe they are on the right path for the future of food security.
“There are more eaters today that are asking critical questions about where does our food come from and what is healthy for us,” Fallon said. “There are plenty of answers out there; it’s just a matter of becoming informed.” CV
caption: More than 750 people are expected to attend the Community Food Security Coalition Conference from Oct. 10-13.
