A group of students, sustainable agriculture experts and Dining Services representatives convened yesterday to discuss bringing locally grown produce from Pennsylvania or New Jersey to Penn's dining halls.
The panelists focused on the importance of local agriculture and the environmental consequences associated with mass production of food.
"We are losing farms to the tune of more than 30,000 a year," said panelist Anna Lappe, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute, a group that comments on politics, globalization and the media. "We are at this turning point where if we don't change ... we won't have the food security that comes" from patronizing small farms and local producers.
The drive to use local produce at Penn, initially the idea of College senior Catherine Reddick, was taken over this year by College sophomores Emma Kirwan and Daily Pennsylvanian Photo Editor Rachel Meyer, who are leading the program as part of their "Politics of Food" class, taught by Political Science lecturer Mary Summers.
During the discussion, the panelists touched on both the challenges and rewards that students will face in trying to make the program a reality.
For example, Penn's dining contractor, Aramark, requires its suppliers to have large insurance policies -- in case food is tainted -- which frequently discourages local farmers.
"In the end we want farmers to be making a profit," in addition to keeping healthy food on the table, said panelist Bridget Croke of the Fair Food Project, based out of the White Dog Cafe on 34th and Sansom streets.
The panelists and audience members also brainstormed different ways to spread the message to students.
"Start with small goals" such as replacing the apples in the dining hall with locally grown apples, said panelist Heather House, director of Educational Outreach for the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture.
Meyer and Kirwan, who spend anywhere from five to 10 hours a week on the project, have been working with people who are also interested in environmental issues.
"I've always been very much geared towards the environment and health, [and] I've always felt passionate about making the public more aware" of the benefits of using locally raised food, Kirwan said.
Aramark spokeswoman Kate Moran said that the company is in the process of discussing different options and is working with other Ivy League schools that incorporate fresh produce into their menus. Yale University and Kenyon College, among others, have had success with similar plans.
"We're recognizing that it's increasingly becoming more important to students" to have fresh produce with their meals, she said.
The event, held in Stiteler Hall, had an audience of approximately 60 people that included a mix of faculty members and students interested in bringing the program to Penn's campus.
"I think it's just a really good idea," said College sophomore Josh Burgess, who added that while he is not currently on a meal plan, the possibility of having locally grown food available to him might make him inclined to purchase one.
Other students noted the unique role Penn could play in bringing about a positive change, not only on campus but for the community as a whole.
