Emory University, GA Sustainable Food Initiative
Type: Policy
Status: Adopted
Source File: http://www.emory.edu/sustainability.cfm
Text:
Emory University Sustainable Food Initiative
Background: The Sustainability Vision for Emory endorsed by the President’s Cabinet in February 2006 articulates several specific goals for a sustainable food system: “Our university culture will value connection to place, will encourage time in the out of doors, and will teach about stewardship of our ecosystem, beginning with students’ and employees’ first moments on campus.” Other goals include the development of a regional sustainable food system to support healthy, local food in campus dining, education about our industrial food system and emerging alternatives to foster ethical engagement with the consequences of our food purchases. The Report specifically calls for building “a series of demonstration gardens with educational and leisure purposes” and developing “a visible college-led community garden for undergraduates and staff.”
Our food dollar is a vote for a particular system of food production and distribution. Emory University is working to find ways to support an expansion of fruit and vegetable production in Georgia and an eight state southern region to encourage sustainable and organic production methods. Food Alliance certification of "sustainable farm production" includes attention to the health of soils, streams, wildlife, working conditions, and biodiversity among crops. Grassfed meats also offer important health benefits, and we are pursuing ways to increase their presence in campus venues. The Sustainable Food Initiative partners with Emory Dining and Emory Hospital to implement our goal "to procure 75% of ingredients from local or sustainably grown sources by 2015."
Current Efforts include the development of:
- Purchasing gudelines for "local" and sustainable"
- Five small educational food gardens on campus
- An Oxford College Sustainable Food Initiative
- Improved nutritional labeling in all dining rooms
- Feasibility plan for a farmers market
- Student Summit on Food to guide menus and purchasing
- Educational efforts in and out of the classroom to foster knowledgeable and ethical engagement with the consequences of our food purchases