LOCAL FOOD CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 4

On Thursday, September 4, the Gulf Coast Institute, Urban Harvest, Houston-Galveston Area Council, and Texas A&M Sea Grant will host a conference called “Food and Sustainable Prosperity for the Houston Region.” It will cover farming, land use, community food security, and local food. Additional issues include the contribution of food-based energy to rising food prices, safety concerns like the recent tomato scare, and food insecurity. Sponsors include the Gulf Coast Economic Development District and the Gulf Coast Small Business Finance Corporation. John Ikerd, of the University of Missouri, will provide a keynote address on the crises and opportunities for the new American agriculture in an era of fossil fuel scarcity. John Park, of Texas A&M University, will provide a view of constraints and opportunities for food production and supply in the Houston area. U.S. Representative Nick Lampson will be the luncheon speaker.Following the keynote, there will be two panel discussions, “Where are we now?” and “Where should we be going?” There will also be break out sessions about New Ruralism, creating a Food Policy Council for Houston, as well as state and federal food and farm policy. For a full list of speakers and topics, please see the website.