Regional Food Systems Topic of Seminar Presentation

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Gail Feenstra, food systems coordinator for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at the University of California, Davis, will discuss "Community Based Regional Food Systems" at a seminar at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, in room 009 of the Plant Sciences Building. Students, faculty, staff and the general public are invited.

Feenstra's appearance is sponsored by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability and the horticulture department in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Feenstra will also deliver a keynote address earlier that day at the Food Justice Summit at the U of A Global Campus.

Feenstra coordinates the UC Davis program's Community Development and Public Policy Program, which encourages sustainable community development and local food systems that link farmers, consumers and communities. Feenstra's research and education efforts include direct marketing, farm-to-school and farm-to-institution evaluation, regional food system distribution models, food systems indicators, urban agriculture, food security, food policy, food system assessments and most recently, carbon footprint analysis in the food system. Her professional background is in nutrition. She is a registered dietitian and has worked in low-income communities in Boston and New York as a WIC/community nutritionist. Feenstra has a doctorate in nutrition education from Teachers College, Columbia University with an emphasis in public health.