Farms: Cultivating food democracy: Neva Hassanein and Mark Loparco at TEDxUMontana

An Environmental Studies professor and a university dining director talk about food democracy and lessons learned from the University of Montana Farm to College Program. Neva Hassanein is a professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Montana. An activist-scholar, Neva and her students have been involved in many efforts to strengthen Montana's food system through civic engagement and community-based action research. Neva co-founded the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition of Missoula County, and was a founding partner in Grow Montana, a statewide policy coalition. She is the author of "Changing the Way America Farms," as well as numerous articles on agricultural policy and on sustainable, democratic food systems. Mark LoParco is director of UM Dining at the University of Montana, and is the executive director of the UM Foodservice Management and Purchasing Consortium. An active member of the National Association of College and University Food Services since 1986, Mark is currently serving as president of the association. The UM Farm to College Program is the 2013 Gold Medal winner in the NACUFS Sustainability Awards Program -- Food Procurement Category. See more at http://tedxumontana In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)