Rockfall’s Symposium to Explore CT’s Future Food Security

The Rockfall Foundation presents its 25^th Annual Symposium on October 13, 2011, 8:30 am to 12:15 pm at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook. The symposium is being co-sponsored this year by Middlesex Hospital and Essex Savings Bank.

The theme this year is, “Our Future Food Security: National Issues, Local Response.” Through presentations, panel discussion and audience conversation, participants will explore such questions as: in an era of global peaks in availability of oil, water and healthy soils, how can Middlesex County plan and reclaim its agricultural legacy to create a healthful, sustainable food system and maximize community self-reliance?

Keynote speaker will be Mark Winne, who has worked for 40 years in Connecticut and New Mexico as a community food activist, writer, and trainer. He will speak on: "America's Food System: A Cause for Concern, A Time for Action."

Susan Campbell, award-winning columnist with the Hartford Courant, will moderate a follow-up panel discussion and audience conversation focusing on local food production and consumption options, and the development of community food policy plans and councils.

Panel members include: David Zemelsky, Co-owner of Star Light Gardens, Durham; Nicole Berube, Executive Director at City Seed, New Haven &Board Member of New Haven Food Policy Council; John Guszkowski, AICP, LEED-AP, Partner, Director of Planning, CME Associates & Board President & CEO at Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation &Development Area, Inc.; and Izzi Greenberg, Executive Director, North End Action Team (N.E.A.T.) and manager of North End Farmer’s Market in Middletown.

The symposium will be followed by an optional sandwich buffet lunch at Grace Episcopal Church and a tour of Common Good Gardens led by Claudia Van Nes.

This will be The Rockfall Foundation’s 25th annual symposium. Rockfall is a private foundation that supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in Middlesex County Established in 1935, it is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations whose mission is to be a catalyst-- bringing people together and supporting organizations to conserve and enhance the county’s natural environment. The foundation awards grants each year to grassroots organizations, elementary schools, college interns and municipalities, and continues to hold and manage open space property in the county.

Program details, brochure and registration information are available on The Rockfall Foundation’s websitewww.rockfallfoundation.org.