I've tracked down a website with a lot of links about seafood - it would be nice if we not only thought about providing more local food but also about food that is being ethically harvested, as in the case of seafood. Does dining services know what kind of fish goes into a fish patty or fish and chips? Is it fish we feel good about buying?

Here's a link about seafood watch:

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_resources.asp

We believe that the Food Systems is the section to put in information about discounts for refillable mugs and SLU FYP nalgenes.

We need to update the opportunities section for Food Systems. The list seems to tell of local foods, but leaves out Organic.

1. pest/herbs - could we mention non-target effects on wildlife as well as humans?

2. % local food - can we state an apprx number to bring the point home after saying "ironically"?

3. could some SLU dishes be labeled as "fresh from the garden"?

4. love the idea of a SLU demo garden with curricular connections...these could even include non-food uses by humans (we could consult with Dr. Pai in Bio on this). Also, with the international talents on campus, could we include some of these foods?

5. certainly agree with the suggestion on fishery products. Vast majority are non-sustainably harvested from natural stocks far from SLU. Doubtful that any local fishery can substitute. Aquaculture also has "baggage" as many operations cause ecological damage. There may be some that are certified as "low impact" so perhaps this is possible?

There have been some excellent articles on the demise of the world's fisheries and fish farming including one in the April 2007 issue of National Geographic. Although our distance from the sea and expense likely precludes the use of much seafood on campus it would be nice to make certain that what is offered is indeed from sustainable, well-managed fisheries. Its nice to see some local items in the dining halls and I hope to see more as time goes on.

Thanks,

Jeff C.

Food Service and individual community members can keep in mind that local growers also shape what they grow by demand, so, if many people or one large local institution, request items that the local farmers are not growing much of, they may find that local growers respond to this, shaping their farms around local demands, especially in the form of less-risky buying agreements. This form of local buying agreement may also displace those made with buyers who have local foods shipped many miles to them, reducing fossil fuel dependence on that end as well.

I have found composting programs to be relatively common at many schools. There are a lot of examples online of different composting systems found at different schools, many of which are done at different scales from campus to campus. For example http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/recycle/topics/compost.htm -->Middlebury's passively aerated windrow system.
http://digital.net/~gandalf/woodcb.ht --> A small scale example at Bucknell
http://www.colby.edu/eag/practicesandaccomplishments/composting.html---> Composting pile at Colby that is transported to an organic processing plant in ME
http://merlin2.allegheny.edu/employee/e/epallant/coursehome/composting/C... --> Allegheny's $100,000 composter, which was aquired through grants.
Here are a few links to some examples of different kinds of composting. In this light maybe composting could use its own seperate page, off of the food systems page.

As an opportunity may I suggest looking at the possiblity of growing some produce right on the campus property. Perhaps a demonstration plot similar to what Cornell Cooperative Extension has further down State Highway 68 could be developed. The university could contract with some local growers to actually do the growing, harvesting, etc. Such an effort would reduce transportation costs of moving the food to zero. Linking the endeavour with the biology or other natural science department as a case study or class project could be examined as well.

I think there should be more detail as to how students will be able to recognize local foods at the different eating locations. Otherwise, it will be hard for students to make food choices if local options aren't recognizable. For example, at the pub will there we labels for all local food or a section where they will be located?

Also, are we emphasizing local food over organic food, or both? I'm not sure if that really matters, but I thought I'd bring it up.

It is important that we indicate a cost analysis for each goal.

GardenShare - the local food security group - has a good website that lists local farmers, CSAs, etc.

I think it might be appropriate to add a statement - and possibly a goal - on GMO foods. Labeling and/or working with food vendors would be one possible goa.

Is there a need to distinguish between pesticide and herbicides that are recognized as acceptable for organic certification?