CSB celebrates Food Day
October 9, 2012
The College of Saint Benedict is celebrating Food Day Oct. 24 along with 500 other colleges and universities, businesses, cities and towns across the country.
The day will include a featured speaker, the showing of a food documentary and booths comparing local and non-local foods.
Parker Wheatley, associate professor of economics at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, will present "The Great Compromise: How American Agricultural Policy Affects Our Food, Environment and Daily Life," from 7-8 p.m. in room 204C, Gorecki Dining and Conference Center. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Wheatley began teaching at CSB and SJU in 2005. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota, his master's degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and his bachelor of arts degree from Sewanee - the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.
His research interests have focused heavily on household decision and consumption among low-income communities, the study of the structure, pricing and location of financial institutions that service low-income communities and a variety of topics in U.S. agriculture.
Before Wheatley's presentation, the CSB/SJU Nutrition Club will host a booth from 3-7 p.m. in the Gorecki Fireside Lounge featuring local farmers and comparing local food and non-local food.
A food documentary, "Nourish: Food + Community," will be shown each hour beginning at 3 p.m. with the final showing at 6 p.m. in Gorecki 204C. Discussion will follow each session.
"The purpose of this day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation's food policies," said Hanna Newman, a CSB senior nutrition major and coordinator of the day's activities. "We want people to be more conscious of where their food is coming from and help them understand what sustainable food is. We look forward to both the public and the school community attending this event to start conversation on local foods and our environment."
Created in 2011 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Day is a nationwide celebration which addresses issues including health and nutrition, hunger, agricultural policy, animal welfare and farm worker justice.