Oral

The United States industrial food system provides plentiful and inexpensive food, however much of it is unhealthy and the system used to produce the food is not sustainable. Sustainable food systems provide healthy food while maintaining healthy ecosystems that can provide food for generations to come with minimal negative impact to the environment. They also encourage local production and distribution and ensure nutritious food is available, accessible, and affordable. Industrial agriculture creates conditions that could adversely impact human health and the environment. The use of antibiotics and heavy metals in animal farming and the reliance on petroleum-based fertilizers are just a few of the issues within the current system. There are movements afoot in the United States focused on growing and production methods that protect the environment and promote health and well-being. Public health professionals have an important role to play in supporting policy and environmental change solutions that protect both health and the environment. This session will explore some of these issues and look at tools that can help communities build more sustainable food systems.

Session Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) Describe several case examples of how industrial farm animal production impacts human public health; 2)Comment on the potential impacts of peak oil on food and agriculture; 3)Identify two tools that can help communities seeking to build more sustainable food systems