Food Systems: Navigating Uncertain Futures
Food systems are increasingly dependent on global trade, rendering them more vulnerable to global events, as seen in recent fuel and fertilizer price spikes following the US /Israeli attack on Iran. A changing federal landscape has upended aspects of agriculture as well: immigration policies impact agricultural labor pools and changes to food aid programs such as SNAP are sending more consumers to food banks. More locally, Whatcom and Skagit counties offer rich agricultural land and a strong history of food production, but farmers face increasing economic challenges, including rising land prices. At all scales, food producers face changing growing conditions due to climate change, soil degradation, and other environmental challenges. What all these changes mean for the future of food and agriculture is unclear. Today’s panelists will offer some insights to help us better understand some of these challenges.
About the Speaker
Peter is a PhD candidate in Ecology at UC, Davis, researching the effects of agroecological practices on soil ecosystems and yields in California Central Valley processing tomato rotations. He has been active in farming for over a decade, most recently as a co-manager of Seeds of Solidarity, a mutual aid urban farm in West Sacramento, and now as the coordinator for the Ferndale Food Bank garden.
Piper MacIntyre is a student at Fairhaven College concentrating on Botany and Holistic Food Systems. Piper's main areas of study are biology, sustainable agriculture practices, and agricultural policy. Piper is especially interested in small scale food systems and adapting food systems to the warming climate.
Dr. Zoë Plakias is a Western alumna ('10) and Associate Professor of Economics at Western Washington University. She has a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis, and teaches classes and conducts research on a variety of issues related to food, agriculture, and the environment. Learn more about her work at: https://www.zoeplakias.com/
Environmental Speaker Series
The Environmental Speaker Series is hosted by the College of the Environment at Western Washington University.
The Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30 pm in Academic Instructional Center West room 204 - AW-204. Parking is available in lot C.