Food Tank, in partnership with the George Washington University, is hosting the 1st Annual Food Tank Summit in Washington D.C. on January 21-22, 2015.
This two-day event will feature more than 75 different speakers from the food and agriculture field. Researchers, farmers, chefs, policy makers, government officials, and students will come together for panels on topics including food waste, urban agriculture, family farmers, farm workers, and more.
Food Tank recently had the opportunity to speak with Patty Lovera, Assistant Director of Food & Water Watch, who will be speaking at the summit.
Food Tank (FT): What will your message be at the Food Tank Summit?
Patty Lovera (PL): I will be on a panel with folks who are thinking about the impact our food system has on workers, so I hope we can discuss how policies that impact workers (like workplace safety standards) connect to food safety and other issues.
(FT): How are you contributing to building a better food system?
(PL): At Food & Water Watch, we are working to get the public involved in holding our elected officials accountable for making policy that lets everyone access safe, healthy food. We want people to have good information so they can make good choices, but also to realize that we can’t shop our way to a better food system and we have to get organized to change the rules.
(FT): What are the biggest obstacles or challenges you face in achieving your organization’s goals?
(PL): We are really concerned that the big players who dominate our food system are going to get bigger, with more mergers and more consolidation. This not only gives them more economic power, but also more political power, and hurts farmers, workers, and everyone else in the food system.
(FT): Who is your food hero and why?
(PL): I have a lot of food heroes, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about John Kinsman, a dairy farmer and activist extraordinaire from Wisconsin. He passed away just about a year ago and I feel really lucky to have known him. He spent his life working for justice and he had a really unique ability to find common ground with farmers from all around the world.
The event is SOLD OUT, but interested participants can sign up for the live-stream HERE. Or JOIN US for dinner and a reception to celebrate Food Tank’s two-year anniversary on January 21st at 5:30pm EST. This event will also sell out fast, REGISTER NOW.
