A22-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 15, 2003 A Search For ‘True Security’ (Continued from Page A2l) genetically modified com. To learn more about Ritchie’s work, see www.newdream.org or www.iatp.org. Ult’s dear today, if you destroy your small farmers and your food security inside a great nation, you will weaken yourself to the point that you will invite and be vulnerable to out side attack. 5 5 The conference included a wide selection of workshops, such as The Health Benefits of Grass fed Livestock; Marketing Value- Added Products; Local Food Sys tems and World Trade; Women in Agriculture; Community Food Security Who’s In Charge of the Food Supply?; The Soil-Plant- Ruminant Health Connection; Sustainable Dairy Farms in the 21st Century; and How To Start a Community-Supported Agri culture Farm. Brian Syder, PASA’s executive director said that more than half of the 1,200 people at the confer ence were farmers. “We have some power because we (PASA members) are farmers and because we are farming well,” Snyder said. Honoring A PASA Pioneer PASA presented its Sustainable Ag Lead ership this year to Tim Bowser, the first exec utive director of the organization when it was launched in the early 19905. He served in the position for 10 years. Bowser grew up an Erie County fruit farm and graduated from Penn State with a master’s degree in rural sociology. He worked for Penn State extension for about 10 years, employed in its small-scale ag center and with integrated pest management. While working as an extension agent, Bowser said he was made aware of the need for an organiza tion to educate people about sustainable farming and food distribution practices. “For years, I’d heard from hundreds of people that we need something,” he said. Bowser said PASA has grown Mark Ritchie Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy both in numbers and influence over the years. “Tve seen tremendous pro gress,” Bowser said of the group that within the last two years has broadened its scope to also in clude political action. “There’s hope here, and it’s all about connecting people,” he said. Bowser now serves as execu tive director of Foodßoutes, a central Pennsylvania-based or ganization that works at connect ing farmers and consumers. ‘Successful Farming 9 Editor Speaks At PAS A Conference DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) Cheryl Tevis, ag issues ed itor at Successful Farming, the nationwide ag magazine based in Cheryl Tevis lowa, delivered a closing keynote address at the 12th annual con ference of the Pennsylvania Asso ciation for Sustainable Agricul ture (PASA) at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center last weekend. Tevis affirmed PASA’s work toward creating a more sustain able farm and food paradigm in the state. “The time is ripe to question the status quo,” Tevis told the group. “Although the role agri culture has played in making this country is clear, the path ahead is unclear. Conventional agriculture is not nurturing farmers or com munities.” Tevis said that more can be done to convince family farmers that they may be missing oppor tunities to thrive through more sustainable practices. “Agriculture must develop new market channels,” she said. “Op portunities abound in the diversi ty of American consumers’ food choices. In the future . . . choices will increasingly influenced by food ethics.” While these opportunities exist, getting the products to con sumers can be a “daunting task” that requires broad support and cooperation. “Fanners who are making the transition to different marketing and production methods are going to need community sup port,” Tevis said, noting that many conventional farmers have been “browbeaten by industry ar guments that it can’t happen.” Tevis reminded the group that the U.S. was founded by people who took action against the pre vailing attitudes of the day. “The United States of America was founded by activists,” she said. “Our agriculture, as well as our nation, is better off with more, not fewer, activists. “Farmers must claim a stake in the United States. We must apply the tools of democracy.” Tevis urged land grant educa tional institutions to support sus tainable ag practices. “Our challenge for land grants is to foster programs that cause the public to once again view ag as a public good,” she said. 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers