World on Your Plate  - a History

In 2004, Visions for a Better Tomorrow – a committee of the Western New York Peace Center - wanted to create a community event centered around food, from a peace & justice vantage.  Most of the committee members were already part of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, so the Forum naturally adopted an organic mandate.  The committee also included representation from Food for All and Indigenous Women’s Initiatives.  In 2007, the committee grew to include The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP), the Northeast Organic Farmers Association of New York and Riverside Salem United Church of Christ. The committee now represents a coalition of partners with the goal of presenting a variety of approaches to the numerous and shifting issues revolving around food.  The coalition's mission is to promote sustainable lifestyles for farmers, farm workers, and consumers and to advance education on issues of food safety, security, and sovereignty, restoring the earth, and creating a table where all are welcome.

The first "World on Your Plate" food forum took place in 2004 at a church on the west side of Buffalo.  Three presentations included:  1) migrant farm worker issues, 2) CSA's and 3) introducing fair trade coffee into churches and homes.  Our local CSA's (Porter Farms, Thorpe Farm & Native Offerings) made produce donations.  Committee members made soup, bread and organic cake.  MAP prepared salad and soup.  A few local fair-trade vendors participated, and there were some informational tables.  It was a very enjoyable lunch and afternoon.  About 50 people attended; there was no charge for the event.

In 2005, the Forum took place at a church on the east side of Buffalo with invited keynote speaker John Mohawk and three workshops – genetically engineered food, school lunches & fair trade.  All participants attended at least one of the workshops.  There were vendors and tables as in the previous year.  Lunch was prepared by committee members and our organic farming partners were again very generous.  Approximately 70 people attended, and again we did not charge for the event, although we did collect donations.

In 2006, Frances Moore Lappé presented the Forum’s keynote address. The venue was moved to the First Presbyterian Church in Symphony Circle, Buffalo, NY, a classic and beautiful building.  Workshop topics expanded to include more than 20 presentations, including four from organic farmers (Bess Porter-Johnson, Gayle & Mike Thorpe, Stu Ritchie and Elizabeth Henderson).  Louise Johnson, from Cobleskill, NY, gave a workshop on genetic engineering.  Workshops also included food preparation, spiritual issues, fair trade, alternative energy, composting, and many others.  Jackie Swift prepared an organic lunch, and committee members provided breakfast and snack foods as well as drinks.  Approximately 200 people registered, and it was estimated that dozens walked in without registering (we charged a registration fee this year and created a Program Book, including ads).  There were more vendors as well.  Talking Leaves held a successful book-signing session.  The atmosphere was exciting!  The feedback was excellent despite the fact that an untold number of mishaps occurred just the week before (e.g., our October storm, the church basement flooded, the pastor's husband died that week, there was no heat until just the day before, we were unable to get into the church to set up until registration started, and so forth...).  People loved Lappé, the workshops, the food, networking, and the great atmosphere.

The Fourth Annual World on Your Plate Food forum in 2007 took place again in the First Presbyterian Church. It was a peaceful day in the city of trees --no terrific storms were in the making of October 13, 2007.  The WOYP coalition was represented by the Western New York Peace Center, Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP), Indigenous Women’s Initiatives (IWI), the Northeast Farmers Association New York (NOFA-NY), Food for All, and concerned citizens.  Major sponsors for the 2007 event included the Lexington Cooperative Market, Porter Farms, St Paul’s Cathedral Outreach Committee, and NOFA-NY.

The evening prior to the event, Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, and author, John DeGraaf (Take Back Your Time) showed his film “Affluenza,” followed by lively discussion.  The day itself included organic, fair-trade and/or environmentally conscious vendors and information tables.  In addition to the organizations mentioned above, tables were represented by:  Beaver Meadow Nature Preserve, Ten Thousand Villages, Good Stuff by Mom & Me, Bob Swiatek books, Seth Wochensky garlic, fair-trade chocolate, Nan & Walter Simpson's alternative energy, Ilene Roach’s environmentally safe household items, genetic engineering, and local organic farmers, including the Porter family and Mike and Gayle Thorpe.  The aromas of fair-trade, organic coffee & tea, local cider, and a variety of homemade organic muffins and breads wafted through the rooms and vendors offered samples.  Four sessions of workshops were offered, covering many aspects of food--from food as medicine, to growing food, to genetic engineering, to food systems, transport, energy use, local foods, the spirituality of food, to name a few.  Gentle and joyous music was provided by Nan Hoffman to bring even the most reluctant participant into the spirit of “good food."

Erin Sharkey, the Growing Green Outreach Coordinator for MAP, brought her youth group to share what the participants of the concurrent conference were learning about food, good choices, where it comes from, and the politics involved. John DeGraaf, who spoke on “What’s the Economy For, Anyway?” provided a thought-provoking presentation on how people can “simplify their lives, re-prioritize and smell the roses,” followed by a book signing hosted by Talking Leaves that was well attended.  A delicious organic lunch was prepared by Chef Melissa Fratello, whose love of cooking permeated the meal.  Vegetables and other foods were generously donated by Lexington Cooperative Market, Porter Organic Farm, Thorpe Organic Farm, Native Offerings and MAP.

The 2008 forum continued to attract dynamic presenters, committee members, and participants.  To accommodate growing numbers of participants, the event moved to Daemen College, in Amherst, NY. The Friday evening event included the screening of documentary film “King Corn” followed by discussion.  On Saturday, October 11^th, participants spent the day attending four workshop sessions (from a choice of 30 offered) and enjoyed a wonderful organic lunch. Keynote speaker was Walter Simpson, an energy and environmental professional who trained directly under Al Gore, and is a co-founder of the WNY Sustainable Energy Association, WNY Climate Action Coalition and Animal Right Advocates of WNY as well as a former staff member of the WNY Peace Center.

2009 drew a continued increase in awareness and demand for resources and education around food and sustainability with more than 300 attending Daemen College's Wick Campus Center. The event began Friday, October 10, with a vegan supper, and film and discussion session with Howard Lyman, the self-proclaimed Mad Cowboy, who was featured on Oprah several years ago. The following day,

18 workshops and panel discussions were offered from which participants chose to attend four sessions, including a keynote address from Lyman. In addition to lectures, discussions, and roundtables led by local experts the event included its signature delicious organic lunch, snacks, and a local vendor’s market.

Massachusetts Avenue Project also facilitated a youth program, concurrent with the day’s activities.

World On Your Plate 2010 promises to deliver even more important information and resources to our ever-growing audience. This year’s Food Forum takes place October 8 & 9, 2010, at Daemen College, Wick Student Center in Amherst, New York.

The event features two keynote speakers, including: Ecologist, author, and cancer survivor, Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. an internationally recognized expert on the environmental links to cancer and reproductive health AND Anna Lappé a national bestselling author and sought-after public speaker, respected for her work on sustainability, food politics, globalization, and social change. Anna is a founding principal, with her mother Frances Moore Lappé, of the Cambridge-based Small Planet Institute, an international network for research and popular education about the root causes of hunger and poverty. The Lappés are also co-founders of the Small Planet Fund, which has raised more than $500,000 for democratic social movements worldwide, two of which have won the Nobel Peace Prize since the Fund’s founding in 2002.

Participants will once again be offered a choice of workshops to attend during the day, as well as time to enjoy an organic lunch, visit vendors and information tables and network with other like-minded persons.

The time is ripe for food issues to have a louder voice in Buffalo and our surrounding neighborhoods! As people become more aware of our local and world food concerns and states, they and are looking for information and places to connect.  World On Your Plate is an excellent venue to make this happen.