The seat of Georgia Agriculture Commissioner is open for the first time in 40 years.

On September 2nd, Emory held a “first-ever” Sustainable Agriculture Debate among the top-three candidates, Republican Gary Black, Democrat J.B. Powell and Libertarian Kevin Cherry.  That debate is now online thanks to Emory and Georgia Organics.

Sustainable Ag Debate Pt. 1 from Michael wALL on Vimeo.

Questions don’t actually begin until about the 12th minute of the video, so skip ahead if you want to move past all the introductions.

Wicked.  From the Gainesville Times…

Sustainable agriculture groups have seized on the opportunity of the first open agriculture commissioner seat in more than 40 years.

Georgia Organics and Emory University on Thursday will hold what they are calling Georgia’s first sustainable agriculture debate.

They say the three men seeking to be Georgia’s second agriculture commissioner in more than 40 years have agreed to participate in front of a packed house at Emory University School of Law’s Tull Auditorium.

…Some 600 people responded to an invitation from the Atlanta-based organization to come to Thursday’s debate, [Georgia Organics Communications Director Michael] Wall said.

The response has been such that Cinnat Howett, Emory’s director of sustainability initiatives, had to hire security guards and extra custodians.

A bit more info on the event HERE.

In April, the school board officially approved a Farm to School initiative for the CSD school system.  The program strives to put fresh and local foods – from city and school gardens and local farms – on the lunch plates of CSD students.

A new Farm to School committee has been created to coordiante efforts and their challenges are many, including distribution, and lack of convenience, time and resources.  No small hurdles to overcome.

In light of this, I thought it would be fitting to point out that there’s a big “Farm to School” event just up the street on Friday.

Senators Saxby Chambliss and Tom Harkin will be holding a Senate Committee on Agriculture “Farm to School” hearing at the CDC from 1p-3p this Friday May 15.  Georgia Organics sent out an email urging locavores of all stripes to attend.

We need you there to show Sen. Chambliss and Sen. Harkin that we want thriving Farm to School programs in Georgia. This hearing will be submitted to the official record for all Senate Agriculture Committee members to review. Sen. Chambliss (R-GA) and Sen. Harkin (D-IA) will both be in attendance.

This a rare opportunity for the sustainable food and farms movement to show its support for getting local, fresh, and sustainably produced foods into school cafeterias across the state.

The meeting will be held on the Roybal Campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Harkin Global Communication Center, Auditorium A (1600 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30329).  It is suggested you bring ID and come early to allow time for parking.

In case you couldn’t attend the Georgia Organics Conference keynote at Agnes Scott last month, here’s local food popularizer Michael Pollan’s speech in full.

h/t: Fresh Loaf

Clare writes in…

Chicks in the City Tour – A Tour of Decatur’s Urban Chicken Coops
Saturday April, 25th 230pm – 530pm
Purchase tickets online and find more info at www.oakhurstgarden.org

Take an afternoon self-guided tour of chicken coops in Decatur on the second annual “Chicks in the City” Tour. Learn what it takes to have your own urban flock! A variety of coops will be on display, from elaborate to simple. Owners will answer your questions and resources and ordinances will be discussed. The tour is co-sponsored by Georgia Organics, the Oakhurst Community Garden Project and Oh Baby! Fitness.

Tickets will also be available for purchase on the day of the tour at the Oakhurst Community Garden Project located at 435 Oakview Road, Decatur, GA, 30030. None of the other homes on the tour will have on-site ticket sales.

Cost is $20 for non-members, $15 for Georgia Organics and Oakhurst Garden members, $5 for kids 8 years and up and kids under 8 are free.

The coop tour is bike-friendly, an easy route of 8 homes in Decatur.

For more information, please call 678.642.4977.

During the keynote address at the Georgia Organics Conference this past weekend, the city of Decatur, Agnes Scott, the DBA, the Oakhurst Community Garden, and Georgia Organics officially announced the city’s “agricultural initiative.”

I followed up with city manager Peggy Merriss and she sent along this note/release.  From the sound of it, “urban farming” is just the tip of the iceberg.

On Saturday March 21st, at the Georgia Organics 12th Annual Conference & Trade Show, Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss, along with Agnes Scott College’s Director of Sustainability Susan Kidd and Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls announced the creation of the Decatur Agricultural Initiative (DAI) designed to bring together community partners around the issue of growing food locally. The Initiative currently involves Agnes Scott College, the City of Decatur, City Schools of Decatur, Decatur Business Association, Georgia Organics and the Oakhurst Community Garden.

Among the first tasks that the group will undertake will be the creation of a Master Plan that will identify existing community-based efforts into one unified plan.

The partners intend to take a comprehensive approach resulting in providing a variety of agricultural products, including food, which would be available through local producers and markets.

Examples of some possible outcomes might include: stronger community support for farmers markets, co-operative purchase of environmentally sensitive products, education programs designed for children and youth to be able to plant and support their own gardens, and more.

The possibilities are exciting and all of the partners are looking forward to working together on this brand new DAI in Decatur. “