Healthy Farms, Healthy People Statewide Meeting
It is possible to have more locally grown, healthy food available for clients in health-care institutions.
On October 12, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will host “Healthy Farms, Healthy People,” a meeting that will feature success stories from agriculture and health-care professionals who have done just that, both in Montana and other states. The workshop is funded by a grant from the National Network of Public Health Institutes.
In 1950, about 70 percent of the food consumed in Montana was grown here. By 2000, that number had fallen to just 10 percent.
Much has been done around the country in recent years to reconnect schools and children with healthy local foods. The goal of the meeting will be to take the first steps toward developing similar links with such institutions as hospitals, assisted-living facilities, and nursing homes.
The meeting will be of special interest to Montana farmers, agricultural distributors, institutional dieticians, and other health-care professionals. It will give them the opportunity to discuss policy surrounding agriculture, health, and the environment.
Registration is $15, which includes breakfast and lunch. Space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as you can. If you have dietary restrictions, email a descritpion of them to camilleg@ncat.org
An informal panel discussion and speakers in the morning will take a look at the issues and opportunities that using more locally grown food presents for institutions. A similar program in the afternoon will explore the farming side of the connection.
The meeting won’t be simply a matter of speakers talking and an audience listening. There will be plenty of time for discussion and questions between the speakers, panelists, and those attending the meeting. The aim will be to develop ideas for finding ways to get more locally grown, sustainable food into Montana health-care facilities.
On the day following the meeting, Saturday, October 13, NCAT will host a day-long tour that will include sustainable agriculture operations in southwest Montana. The number of seats for the tour is very limited; please email camilleg@ncat.org if you want to attend.
Agenda
Friday, October 12, 2012
8:30 - 9 a.m.: Breakfast/Check-in
9 - 9:30a.m.: Introductions
9:30 - 10 a.m.: Keynote speech by Mark Branovan of St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota
10 - 10:15 a.m.: Break
10:15 - 11:45 a.m.: Growing Healthy Institutions
- Jessica Williams. Livingston HealthCare
- Seth Bostic. Kalispell Regional Medical Center
- Mike Callaghan. Food Services of America
11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch/SIFT tours
1:30 - 2 p.m.: Keynote speech by Dave Prather of Western Montana Growers Co-op
2 - 3:30 p.m.: Healthy Markets for Farmers
- Dean Williamson. Three Hearts Farm, Bozeman
- Jill Brackenbury. B Bar Ranch, Emigrant
- Lindsay Howard. Mission Montana Food Enterprise Center, Ronan
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Next steps/closing
Saturday, October 13, 2012
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Optional tours
