The “Food Sovereignty: Food, Agriculture & Democracy” conference (March 13-15, 2009) sponsored by the Family Farm Defenders, Valley Stewardship Network and Crawford Stewardship Project was well-attended by over 100 participants. Most of the attendees were local while others traveled from all over the country as well as Canada to hear speakers and workshop presenters talk about rural grassroots organizing, reclaiming basic democratic rights against industrial agriculture and building sustainable, local food economies.
Highlights of the event included keynote speaker John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri – Columbia (sponsored by Driftless Speakers). John has authored a number of books including “Sustainable Capitalism” and “Small Farms are Real Farms: Sustaining People Through Agriculture”. John encouraged rural communities like ours to restore grassroots democracy by supporting sustainable agriculture, purchasing locally produced food and standing up against industrial farming. In response to factory farms and the importance of rural ethics, John stated, “CAFOs violate a basic rural ethic when someone benefits at the expense of neighbors and the health of neighbors and community.”
Chris Bedford, President of the Center for Economic Security and a documentary filmmaker, showed two of his films including: Sioux City Sue: An Organic Opportunity and COMING HOME: E.F. Schumacher & the Reinvention of the Local Economy, which were very well received by conference participants.
Author and Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy John Stauber and representatives from the Land Stewardship Project, Clean Wisconsin, Clean Water Action, Iowa Farmers Union, Dane County Food Council and the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters provided workshops ranging in topic from community organizing to public policy and legislation.
Robert Wolf, Iowa poet, playwright, author of “The Triumph of Technique: The Industrialization of Agriculture” and “The Destruction of Rural America”, editor of “Eating in Place: Telling the Story of Local Foods” and Director of Free River Press led a Saturday afternoon workshop on radio commentaries. David Rhodes, proclaimed Wisconsin author of four novels including Driftless joined Wolf in a reading of their works on Friday evening.
The event was held at the Living Waters Bible Camp in Westby, Wisconsin. Living Waters was a wonderful venue for this event providing several workshop rooms and a large formal meeting room as well as sleeping accommodations and a kitchen and dining hall.
Many thanks to those who attended and to all who worked so hard to make this event a success.
Food Sovereignty Conference
The “Food Sovereignty: Food, Agriculture & Democracy” conference (March 13-15, 2009) sponsored by the Family Farm Defenders, Valley Stewardship Network and Crawford Stewardship Project was well-attended by over 100 participants. Most of the attendees were local while others traveled from all over the country as well as Canada to hear speakers and workshop presenters talk about rural grassroots organizing, reclaiming basic democratic rights against industrial agriculture and building sustainable, local food economies.
Highlights of the event included keynote speaker John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri – Columbia (sponsored by Driftless Speakers). John has authored a number of books including “Sustainable Capitalism” and “Small Farms are Real Farms: Sustaining People Through Agriculture”. John encouraged rural communities like ours to restore grassroots democracy by supporting sustainable agriculture, purchasing locally produced food and standing up against industrial farming. In response to factory farms and the importance of rural ethics, John stated, “CAFOs violate a basic rural ethic when someone benefits at the expense of neighbors and the health of neighbors and community.”
Chris Bedford, President of the Center for Economic Security and a documentary filmmaker, showed two of his films including: Sioux City Sue: An Organic Opportunity and COMING HOME: E.F. Schumacher & the Reinvention of the Local Economy, which were very well received by conference participants.
Author and Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy John Stauber and representatives from the Land Stewardship Project, Clean Wisconsin, Clean Water Action, Iowa Farmers Union, Dane County Food Council and the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters provided workshops ranging in topic from community organizing to public policy and legislation.
Robert Wolf, Iowa poet, playwright, author of “The Triumph of Technique: The Industrialization of Agriculture” and “The Destruction of Rural America”, editor of “Eating in Place: Telling the Story of Local Foods” and Director of Free River Press led a Saturday afternoon workshop on radio commentaries. David Rhodes, proclaimed Wisconsin author of four novels including Driftless joined Wolf in a reading of their works on Friday evening.
The event was held at the Living Waters Bible Camp in Westby, Wisconsin. Living Waters was a wonderful venue for this event providing several workshop rooms and a large formal meeting room as well as sleeping accommodations and a kitchen and dining hall.
Many thanks to those who attended and to all who worked so hard to make this event a success.