A local conference on food yesterday explored the politics of eating, drawing farmers, chefs, authors and academic experts to the University of Louisville.
"Eating is very personal, and it's also very political," said Aloma Dew, a Sierra Club representative and an organizer of the event, now in its ninth year.
For example, she said, decisions such as how to protect farmland habitat and give consumers information about what they are eating are all political.
"We want people to be very aware of what they are eating, and where it comes from, so they can begin to make more informed choices," Dew said.
She said Kentuckians have made progress since she organized the first "Healthy Food, Local Farms" conference in 1999.
There are more farmers markets across the state, she said, and farmers increasingly are selling their produce and meat directly to restaurants - all to the benefit of Kentucky's economy.
The annual conference, at UofL's Belknap campus, drew about 250 people yesterday to sessions titled "Local Living Economics: Green, Fair and Fun" and "Farmers and Chefs: Making New Connections."
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