Engaging Students in Discussion and Action around the Food, Land Use, and the Farm Bill

We will host nationally renowned author and farmer Dan Imhoff speak about the 2012 Farm Bill.

The environmental problem we want to solve is lack of student awareness and involvement in the Farm Bill and in overall issues of land use and food. By engaging students in action around the Farm Bill, they will also be more knowledgeable and capable of action about food on the UW campus.

ABOUT THE FARM BILL: The Farm Bill is perhaps the single most significant land use legislation enacted in the United States, yet many citizens remain unaware of its power and scope. With subsidies ballooning toward $25 billion dollars per year, the Farm Bill largely dictates who grows what crops, on what acreage, and under what conditions--all with major impacts on the country's rural economies, health and nutrition, national security, and biodiversity. As debate and wrangling over the 2012 Farm Bill intensifies, Dan Imhoff will offer a highly informative and engaging overview of the legislation that literally shapes our food system, our bodies, and our future.

We will host speaker Dan Imhoff on March 1st for a campus-wide speaking event. In addition to the main event, there will be opportunities for students (those coordinating the event and also those active in food issues on campus) to have more intimate conversations with him at a dinner party. Professors may also be able to host him in class. Dan will be linking Farm Bill discussion to talk about how students can engage on their campus in food issues.

Here is how the NW Farm Action Bill describes the event:
The Northwest Farm Bill Action Group invites you to come to learn about local efforts to organize for a more just Food Bill! The NW Farm Bill Action Group is undertaking innovative research and outreach efforts to help those wanting to shape the next Food and Farm Bill.