There is a growing focus on healthy eating and improving sustainable local food systems, and the Linn County Food Systems Council invites the public to learn more about the effort locally by stopping at the Food Systems Council information booth at the second annual Hilltop Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 3 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on the Cornell College campus in Mt. Vernon (West Science lawn).
At the festival you will be able to meet the farmers who grow your food, decorate pumpkins, bob for apples, take part in a pumpkin dessert contest, and enjoy live music and games.
The Food Systems Council will have information available about their work to bring together agriculture, food industry, educators, economic development, conservation and hunger representatives to make Linn County’s food system economically, environmentally and socially resilient. Efforts have included updated zoning regulations to be more permissive of urban agriculture and GIS mapping to identify food deserts.
The Linn County Food Systems Council was established by the Linn County Board of Supervisors in 2012. The Food Systems Council identified the following five goals to guide their operations and help them achieve their mission:
• Achieve a sufficient and balanced local food production and market;
• Eliminate food insecurity and ensure access to healthy foods;
• Promote education and literacy regarding food choices;
• Ensure the safety and security of our food supply; and
• Protect important environmental resources that contribute to food production and healthful lifestyles.
For more information about the Linn County Food Systems Council, visit www.linncounty.org/FoodSystemsCouncil.
Contact information for the Hilltop Harvest Festival is available online at http://webapps.cornellcollege.edu/events/2015/10/03/12576/.