By Blair Fannin
Texas A&M AgriLife
From the Ground Up: Connecting Agriculture and Health, a special program set for Jan. 5 at the Waco Convention Center, will address key issues facing Texas agriculture and food production abroad, according to organizers.
“The program will introduce professionals and consumers to the vital role agriculture has on health,” said Dana Tarter, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service regional program leader, Vernon. “Experts will be sharing information on the current status of food insecurity to define why agriculture is so important to Texas and beyond. Speakers will reinforce the safety of the American food supply through a variety of topics.”
AgriLife Extension is sponsoring the program. Topics include guidelines on antibiotic usage in animals, positive effects of genetically modified organisms or GMOs in food production and myths versus facts of non-organic foods versus organic foods.
There will also be a culinary segment that will include U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and important factors of nutrition as a health benefit.
Scheduled topics and speakers include:
• Food Insecurity in Texas, Jeremy Everett, director of the Texas Hunger Initiative, Waco.
• Usage of Antibiotics in Animals, Dr. Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, College Station.
• Safety and GMOs, Elsie Wetzel, Texas Corn Producers.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Guideline Update, Dr. Shalene McNeill, executive director, human nutrition research, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, San Antonio.
• Dinner Tonight Culinary Demo, Dinner Tonight Team, AgriLife Extension.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the program beginning at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 4 p.m. Cost is $40 and includes lunch. To register, visit http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2604.
An application has been submitted for six hours of Clinical Professional Education Activity to the Commission on Dietetic Registration. All other professionals will be given a certificate of attendance.