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Larry Cohen, MSW, Leslie Mikkelsen, MPH, RD, and Sherin Larijani, BS. Prevention Institute, 265 29th Street, Oakland, CA 94611, 510-444-7738, larry@preventioninstitute.org
The Building Bridges project was developed to create opportunities for strengthening the momentum for a just, sustainable, health-promoting food system by joining the forces of public health and the sustainable agriculture movement. Elements of the public health community have been involved in promoting environmental causes related to food production. With rising concerns about obesity, a symptom of poor eating and activity habits, there is a chance to engage a broader group of health professionals. Similarly, the growth of interest in sustainable agriculture issues can make a stronger public health case for the importance of healthy food.
Some potentially overlapping goals of the sustainable agriculture movement and public health include reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in food and its production, increasing production and access to affordable, fresh, high quality farm products, and altering the elements of the food system which favor the production and distribution of highly-processed, high-fat and high-sugar food products. Achieving these goals requires a multi-faceted strategy that includes public education, media advocacy, and changes in organizational practices and policies related to food production, distribution, and marketing.
This session will look at the current areas of overlap and potential issue areas for common action, potential opportunities and challenges to collaboration, describe contributions of each sector to an overall movement, and describing tools for effective strategy development between sustainable agriculture and public health advocates. The findings are based on the Building Bridges Project, which was funded by the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation and the Columbia Foundation.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.