Kansas Agriculture & Health Summit 

Exploring Kansas perspectives on the connections between farms, our food system, and the health of our population.

Registration for the summit is open to those interested in learning more about the intersection of the Kansas health, agriculture and food environments, including dietitians, nurses, doctors, worksite wellness coordinators, agency officials, public health practitioners, community development officers, farmers, ranchers, grocers, restaurateurs.

Friday November 16, 2012 from 9:00 am—5:00 pm

Washburn University's Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center

Topeka, KS

Cost to attend is $35 which includes beverages, snacks, and a locally sourced lunch. 

The daylong event will explore Kansas perspectives on the connections between farms, food systems, and health, with a goal of learning more about the challenges and opportunities on these topics that are specific to Kansas communities.

Morning sessions and presentations will explore healthy eating behaviors and influences, farming and food systems in Kansas, the role of food and farm policy, and the challenges in producing healthy food. Speakers will include Barb LaClair, M.H.A., of the Kansas Health Institute; Anthony Randles MPH, Ph.D, of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Rhonda Janke, Ph.D, of Kansas State University; Paul Johnson, public policy contributor to the Kansas Rural Center, and Donn Teske, president of the Kansas Farmers Union. 

Afternoon roundtables will provide participants with an interactive opportunity to generate potential solutions of interest to their own communities and work. Roundtable topics may include beginning farmer programs, farm to school, farm-raised food distribution infrastructure problems, access to healthy food, incentive programs such as SNAP, and workplace wellness. The organizers seek to bring together stakeholders from health and agriculture to create the dialogue that is needed to create an understanding of challenges, opportunities, and actions for change around identified food, farming and health issues in Kansas.