Course: WVA 101 Local Food and Cuisine

Reading and Audio Visual

Reading and Audio Visual Assignment

Reading Assignment

The purpose of the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Task Force was to gather the views of stakeholders representing the voices of farmers, food processors, transporters, food businesses/retailers, and consumers regarding how we as citizens of Illinois could enhance the opportunities to build the local food environment in Illinois and retain the dollars spent by Illinois food consumers. The task force was to present their findings in a report to the Illinois General Assembly in the fall of 2009.  The report contains the findings and recommendations of the task force members as presented to the Illinois General Assembly.

Read this task force report and think about general ideas in relation to society and current ideas.

Click here to download and read Task Force Report in the Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy.

Videos:

Mark Bittman Video Assignment:

In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

Click here to download and view the Mark Bittman video on the TED website.

Birke Baehr Video Assignment:

Eleven year old Birke Baehr presents his take on a major source of our food -- far-away and less-than-picturesque industrial farms. Keeping farms out of sight promotes a rosy, unreal picture of big-box agriculture, he argues, as he outlines the case to green and localize food production.

Click here to download and view the Birke Baehr video on the TED website.