Warrenton, Virginia, April 06, 2007

CONFERENCE AT AIRLIE TO EXPLORE THE GROWING LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT

Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture will Discuss New Trends

WARRENTON, Virginia, April 6 – A conference at the Airlie Center this month will explore the growing presence of local food in the private and public sectors, with presentations by some of the nation’s leaders in sustainable agriculture.

As organic products fill supermarkets and farmer’s markets brim with business, never has the American appetite for healthy food been greater. Now, local foods are finding their way into a new space: cafeterias.

“Cafeterias – from those in public elementary schools to the dining halls of corporate America -- are the next frontier for the local food movement,” said Pablo Elliott, director of the Local Food Project at Airlie, which is hosting the conference. “By going local, institutions can provide fresher, higher-quality foods while supporting farmers in their communities. It’s a win-win.”

The April 20 conference, “Classrooms, Cubicles & Cucurbits: Bridging the Gap Between Local Food and Institutions,” will feature presentations by John Dickman of Google, Kelsey Siegel of The Edible Schoolyard and Fred Kirschenmann of The Leopold Center, among other leaders of local food initiatives. Speakers will address how local food can benefit education, the workplace, and communities as a whole.

The conference expects to draw food producers, educators, and food service providers from schools, hospitals, companies and government facilities. The event is part of a series of Earth Week activities at the Airlie Center, a leading green conference center in the United States.

This year, Fortune Magazine named Google the best company to work for in America. Among the company’s well-known perks is its food. John Dickman, Google’s food service director, will discuss the mechanics of transforming a workplace with local foods. Dickman oversees Google’s Café 150, which only serves produce grown within 150 miles of the company’s offices in Mountainview, Calif.

Kelsey Siegel will discuss his experience managing The Edible Schoolyard, a high- profile education garden project started in conjunction with chef Alice Waters in Berkeley, Calif. The Edible Schoolyard has been featured on PBS and in publications around the country, and is a leading model of how to integrate organic food production into a public school setting.

Keynote speaker Fred Kirschenmann, a Distinguished Fellow at Iowa State University's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will examine the importance of local food systems in an energy-insecure future. Kit Perkins, executive director of the Intervale Center in Vermont, will explore ways to support new farmers and creative uses of preserved land.

Local presenters include Harvey Ussery of Hume, Virg., who will address holistic garden production and his approach to raising the cucurbit family of plants, which includes squash and melons. Trista Scheuerlein will talk about her Farm-to-Table school garden program with the Rappahannock County Education Department.

The Airlie Foundation and its conference center operate in tandem to develop and sponsor educational, environmental and cultural programs, hosting over 600 non-profit, government and private sector groups a year. Airlie seeks to promote sustainable agriculture through its Local Food Project, which hosts the national conference annually. Last year, the conference examined new design plans for ecological farms and gardens.

The fee for the one-day conference, which includes a gourmet lunch of locally grown foods, is $60.00 plus tax. The registration deadline is April 13. For details on the conference schedule and how to register, visit www.airlie.org/activities/foodproject.htm

Media contact: Pablo Elliott, director of the Local Food Project at Airlie, can be reached at (540) 347-1300 ext. 3163, or by email: pelliott@airlie.org.