Cabarrus Appoints Food Policy Council & Hires Local Food Coordinator

May 28, 2010 – Aaron Newton, a new farmer and advocate of improving the local food economy, will now lead Cabarrus County’s effort to further develop the local food system. Newton began work this week as the Local Food System Project Coordinator for Cabarrus County. In this role, he will coordinate efforts of the Cabarrus County Food Policy Council, which was just established by the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. He also will provide educational programs that support a productive, economical, environmentally sound and secure local food system that enhances the community.

Newton is knowledgeable of the American food system, having co-authored the book “A Nation of Farmers.” He holds a bachelors degree in landscape architecture from NC State University and worked in the land use planning field prior to operating a community-supported agriculture program out of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm.

“I am excited to be here at the heart of Cabarrus County’s effort to be a leader in the local food movement by making healthy, great tasting, local food available to our citizens,” Newton said. “By decentralizing food production and distribution, a thriving local food system makes our community safer. When we encourage citizens to buy local food it also helps our economy by supporting local farmers.“

The Local Food System Project Coordinator position is funded through a grant from the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund and from deferred taxes paid on land that leaves the present-use value program, which is placed in a reserve account.

The production and consumption of fresh, healthy food is at the heart of a sustainable community and the Board of Commissioners wishes to encourage the local production, processing, distribution and consumption of food in Cabarrus County for a number of reasons:

• There is a significant incidence of diet-related disease and poor health (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity) in Cabarrus County. The consumption of fresh, nutritious food can prevent and mitigate those diet-related conditions, thereby improving quality of life and reducing health care costs.
  
  
• Cabarrus County has experienced a great deal of sprawling development which has displaced farms and open space and consumed significant natural and fiscal resources. Policies that promote sustainable agriculture, the preservation of existing farms and the creation of new farms to meet local food needs will keep land in production, preserve our local rural and agricultural heritage, consume minimal public resources and provide an important counterbalance to development.
  
  
• Cabarrus County’s traditional manufacturing base has diminished significantly with the closing of Pillowtex and Philip Morris. The Great Recession brought historically high unemployment rates. Building a robust, sustainable local food economy serves as a foundation for a resilient local economy that is resistant to downward global trends.
  
  
• The air quality in Cabarrus County and the Charlotte region does not meet EPA standards. Global carbon emissions are contributing to climate change and peak oil is approaching. One method of addressing these issues is though distributed production, especially of energy and food.
  
  
• The number of incidents of unsafe and contaminated food being distributed across the nation (and the world) has increased over the last several years. Local production, processing and consumption will improve food safety and security for county residents.

This week, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners appointed community members to the Cabarrus County Food Policy Council. Commissioners established this Council to identify and strengthen the connections between food, health, natural resource protection, economic development and the agricultural community. The Council is charged with performing research, educating the community, developing strategies and making policy recommendations that will encourage the development of a robust, sustainable local food economy and a healthier population.

Appointees to this council are:

• Brent Barbee, a farmer
  
  
• David Bettendorf, a chef
  
  
• Trish Cramer, a Concord resident
  
  
• Audy Dover, a grocer and vintner
  
  
• Tina Farmer, a child nutrition director
  
  
• Dr. Linda Goodwin, a physician
  
  
• Gina Guthrie, a caterer and food preparation educator
  
  
• Ed Hosack, a nonprofit director and food bank administrator
  
  
• Chris Jones, a food distributor
  
  
• David Kataja, a Concord resident
  
  
• Philip McAuley, Farm Credit finance professional
  
  
• Colleen McDaniel, a landscape contractor and farmer
  
  
• Penelope Perkins-Veazie, a NC State University professor at the NC Research Campus
  
  
• Dr. David Rhodes, a physician
  
  
• Dana Ritchie, a banker
  
  
• Bonnie Grace Silvers, a mental health professional and farmer
  
  
• David Soliday, a marketing and nutrition professional
  
  
• Kacy Suther Taylor, a Concord resident
  
  
• Chad VonCannon, a farmer
  
  
• Lisa Wacheldorf with the Piedmont Farmers Market
  
  
• Christy M. Wright, a dietitian and diabetes educator
  
  
• Alternates are: Randy Fisher and Jane Henderson