Here's thought for food

Local Food Northland conference organisers Jeff Griggs (left), Peter Bruce-Iri and Clive McKegg furthering plans at the Central Library.

Shifting from industrial to sustainable food systems is the focus of conference in Whangarei next month.

The event at NorthTec's Raumanga Campus on February 13-14 is described as a national first by organisers.

The Local Food Northland conference will provide opportunities for people from diverse niches in the food system to share ideas and strengthen cohesion essential to creating a more resilient food system, said one of the organisers Jeff Griggs.

He has previously been associated with local community groups such as Transition Town Whangarei and the Re-localising Our Food movement.

A theme of the conference is the shift from industrial food systems to sustainable systems, he said.

For Northland, this would mean growing more produce locally, rather than importing it and it would promote a shift from eating processed "industrial" food to fresh local produce.

Keynote speakers are Anne Palmer, programme director, food communities and public health at Johns Hopkins University who will share an overview of how local food initiatives are transforming food access in the US, and Professor Barbara Burlingame of Massey University, who will talk on her vision for public health in the 21st century which involves embracing the agenda of sustainable development.

There will also be workshops to develop a regional plan which would include enhancing local production, value-added products, food security, health benefits of local food and connecting local cafes and restaurants to local growers.

- Visit localfoodnorthland.org for information.