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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2005

Santa Cruz County Eaters Prepare for First-Ever Food Forum

Santa Cruz County--‘Do you eat food?’ asks a poster announcing the first ever Santa Cruz County Food Forum. It may sound like an unusual question, but people across Santa Cruz County are taking a closer look at how we grow, process, distribute and consume food in our region, and they are inviting interested county residents to get involved.

The Food Forum, scheduled for Saturday, February 26, is part of a grassroots effort to include greater numbers of people in discussing and creating a healthy local food system.

All Santa Cruz County residents are invited to participate and share in action-oriented discussions about making fresh food available in our communities, improving food in school cafeterias, supporting local farmers, and much more.

The all-day event is sponsored by the Santa Cruz Food Policy Working Group, a growing network of county residents who share concerns about the future of farming, selling, and eating nutritious, locally produced food.

“The Food Forum is for community members to have an opportunity to voice their ideas and interests in the food system, and create plans to do something about them,” said Food Policy Working Group organizer Laura Tanaka.

Half a dozen local non-profit organizations are co-sponsors of the Food Forum, including Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), California Farm Link, and the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS).

“We hope to create positive action plans that represent the voices of people across the county,” said Phil Howard, a researcher at CASFS.

Howard recently authored a report on Central Coast consumers’ food interests, finding that nearly 60 percent of those surveyed said they didn’t know enough about their food.

“This is a forum for people who do not like to go to meetings, or who do not have time during the work week to attend meetings, but are interested in the future of our regional food system,” said Tanaka. “Everyone who eats is invited.”

The Food Forum will take place on Saturday, February 26 at from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM at Cabrillo College in Aptos. The event is free and open to the public and it includes lunch. Space is limited. For more information, to volunteer at this event, or to RSVP, email foodpolicy@baymoon.com or call (831) 459-2741.

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