Celebrating Food in October

October is a time when many begin thinking of pumpkins, apples, and other fruits of a bountiful harvest. Food advocates in the US promote educational resources on our national food issues, but how can students learn more about sustainable agriculture around the world? Catholic Relief Services provides resources to farmers internationally, and they’re sharing their stories with interested supporters in the US. CRS’s approach to agriculture encourages farmers and communities to work together so everyone can prosper. Read the full story on their website.

October is also National “Farm to School” month! There are a lot of ways you can involve your university in learning about food sustainability and environmental justice. Food Day is on October 24 – it’s a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable and sustainable food. Catholic Rural Life recommends visiting the dedicated Food Day website to see a variety of resources to download. These include tips on planning an event, free tools to publicize your event, helpful fact sheets, or simply tips on how you can eat good, healthy foods. It even includes resources for college campuses and faith organizers! National Catholic Rural Life is mentioned in those resources with specific reference to their helpful Food and Justice study guide.

For more university-specific resources, check out ACCU’s Food Security page.

Food Security and the Fall Harvest

As harvest time rolls around, a lot of colleges and universities are turning their attention toward food security. In the U.S., this generally means shopping at farmers’ markets and promoting farmers’ rights as students attempt to learn the complex inner workings of our country’s food system. Internationally, food issues are even more interwoven and complicated.

Globalize your understanding on food security and what it would take to end world hunger by attending the Global Solidarity Network’s online leaning session, as advertised here. This session builds upon CRS’s 2014 Caritas Internationalis campaign of One Human Family, Food for All (see video below).

Did you know that there is an entire organization dedicated to the betterment of Catholic rural America? Catholic Rural Life (CRL) has a Food & Justice study guide as well as additional resources available on their website.