Yesterday was the final day of Terra Madre.  I feel like I owe anyone reading these posts a lot more details and stories, but it's been so difficult to find internet to be able to share the experience.  I have been able to post the past several times from computers at the conference which was great; however, you are limited to 15 minutes of internet. So I would spend the half an hour it took to wait in line writing on paper what I hoped to say and then 15 minutes scrambling to type and load a video.  It's been a fun challenge.  And actually, the time spent in the 'internet line' at Terra Madre has been just as interesting, if not more so, than sitting in one of the formal sessions.  You have time to talk to people.  Yesterday I spent time talking to a young woman from the Phillipines who works for a non-profit to help rice farmers get techonolgy and tools as well as encourage them to switch to organic production.  The organization also works with farmers to try to get them to save some of their harvest for themselves and their families.  Many times, they sell as much rice as they can because of the need for revenue.  By encouraging them to switch to organic and keep more of their harvest, they are helping farmers get healthier food to their families as well.  With 7,000 folks present at Terra Madre, I'd say there were 6,999 stories similar to this--and the folks that were able to attend are only a fraction of the total number doing similar work to help farmers, reconnect people and food, and build stronger food systems throughout the world.  
 
I've been trying to think of all the top take aways.  It's going to take a while and I don't know if they can easily be summed up on a list.  I'll share a couple that come to mind as I continue to attempt to beat the clock for remaining internet time....
 
The world is a lot smaller than I remember at times.  We need to remember our impact on each other--good and bad.  we can also make good changes and actively participate in fixing global problems at a local level, especially from the United States.  It's hard to explain this idea that's rattlin' around in my mind... but it's like this... Globalization, for all it's faults, can be used to encourage good practices which build/preserve healthier and more just food systems.  For me, Terra Madre really makes me feel united and tied in to the rest of the world... in work, message, and I'm inspired to go home work harder to help connect farmers, food, and folks.  (Sorry, that's kind of a hard thought to explain and a man is tapping his foot waiting for me to relinquish this coveted machine ;)
 
One other thought I'll leave my brave readers with--as our intent of this blog is to help people find local products and connect with local farms--being an eater is just as important as being a farmer when it comes to making good change.  Eaters have so much power to choose.  Going local whenever possible makes a difference.  (Sigh, so I leave you there for the time being as my internet runs away and we slip out for a couple days of rest before returning home). 

Hi, this is Sarah from the Pierce Conservation District.  I am the program coordinator for agricultural assistance at the PCD and often the voice behind these posts about this or that ;)  I am honored to be writing you today from Terra Madre (www.terramadre.org) in Turin, Italy.  I am one of around 15 folks from WA State, one of hundreds from the USA, and one of thousands from around the world here at Terra Madre. Terra Madre is a biannual international meeting, largely in part with Slow Food, gathering together over 5,000 farmers, fisherman, chefs, activists, educators, press, and more to talk about preservation of food and farming traditions, knowledge, and culture. 

Yesterday (and I am sorry for not getting my thoughts to you then, technical difficulties!) was the opening ceremony, marked with a parade of representatives of 152 participating countries.  The messages of Terra Madre are many, but my main take aways are to join together generations, voices, people and food to continually make positive changes.  This message was personified through the stories of five selected representatives from different continents.  One was a head chief and farmer from Ethiopia who vigorously addressed the crowd in his indigenous language.  A short clip of him reminding us of that, "food is life" is attached (attempting anyway ;)

(download)

Click here to download:

VID00110.MP4 (33.94 MB)

What were my key take aways from opening day?

One was from Carlo Petrini, founder and president of Slow Food.  He said that the next generation has an unprecedented opportunity to mix science with traditional knowledge.  Another was that this meeting affirms on a global scale what we are doing at home--in the US, in WA, in Pierce County, in Tacoma, in Key Center, etc.--our small-scale local level response to issues of food are happening around the globe.  They are powerful and this work is some of the utmost important we can do to affect positive change in our bodies, our families, our culture, our economies, environment, etc, etc.

(I am running out of internet time!!!)  More to come tomorrow.  

Best thoughts,

SArah

For Immediate Release:
June 22, 2010
Contacts:
Ellen Gray, Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network,
360.336-9694, egray@wsffn.org

Good Food Coalition applauds Governor's Executive Order as good step
forward

SEATTLE, Wash -  A coalition of farmers, children's health advocates,
environmentalists, and anti-hunger advocates applauded the Executive
Order issued today by Governor Gregoire at the Food Systems Strategies
Summit. Executive Order 10-02 brings together agencies and community
partners to coordinate their work and increase collaboration to
strengthen our state's food system.

"Each year, we lose 70,000 acres of farmland here in Washington. And
the average age of our farmers is 57. Our food system is struggling
and we can - and need -  to do better," said Ellen Gray, executive
director of Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network. "I applaud
the Governor for taking this important first step and look forward to
the recommendations this group will bring forward."

The Executive Order tasks the Departments of Health, Agriculture,
Social and Health Services along with the Conservation Commission and
the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to deliver a report
to the Legislature outlining the remaining gaps and opportunities in
Washington state food policy and should help agencies, legislators,
and stakeholders develop solutions that fit our state's needs.

“We need to keep our farmers working, and ensure all kids have access
to farm fresh food,” said Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (Sequim).  "This
Executive Order is a building block towards a better way of doing
things, and I’m hopeful that it will result in strong policy
recommendations to the  Legislature on how we can promote healthy
farms and healthy food.”

"A greater coordinated focus within state agencies will give me, and
other farmers, the assurance that we are on a path of improving our
food systems," said Jim Baird of Baird Orchards and Cloudview Eco
Farms in Royal City, Washington. "Growing food, growing awareness
about healthier food systems, and creating locally-based economies
will be good for the future of our state."
"Establishing an Executive Order to take a focused look at improving
our food systems is a terrific opportunity to improve the access to
and the quality of healthy foods for all of Washington’s citizens,"
said Victor Colman with the Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition.
"Countering our state’s childhood obesity trends is challenging work,
but we know that the solutions require policy changes across multiple
systems that reach beyond individuals and families – especially
medical, land use, transportation, education, workplace as well as our
food system."

"This is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to preserving
farmland and connecting farmers with people across Washington," said
Kerri Cechovic, outreach director at Washington Environmental Council.
"We're looking forward to working with the Governor, the Legislature,
and our Good Food Coalition partners to continue building a healthy
food system for our state."

This Executive Order builds on the success of the Local Farms Healthy
Kids Act passed in 2008 that broke down long-standing institutional
barriers to start connecting Washington's schools with local farmers.
Thanks to the programs created by this law, in 2009 alone, 10,000 kids
ate fresh, locally-grown snacks in schools from Armin Jahr Elementary
in Bremerton to Moxee Elementary in Yakima. Additionally, Farm-to-
School Program staff have worked to connect thousands of people across
Washington including farmers, educators, public health experts, food
distributors and processors, parents and community advocates to help
develop farm-to-school projects.

###

The Good Food Coalition advocates for policies that build a
sustainable and socially just food system that supports viable local
farms, protects our air, land and water, and ensures affordable access
to healthy food for all people in Washington State.

Click here to download:

20100623075312.pdf (99 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

20100623075312.pdf (99 KB)