The Lumberjack

Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Campus

Media Credit: Elizabeth Hilbig

It is Galen Armstrong's last semester at Humboldt State University. But that doesn't keep him from trying to cause change.

Armstrong was one of 29 Humboldt State students that attended "This Way to Sustainability III" hosted by Chico State University. The conference inspired him to do more. He is now leading a coalition of campus clubs to bring organic and local food options to Humboldt State.

Members from Students for Community Food, Always Working for Animal Right Equality (AWARE), The Good Foods Club and Natural Resources Club attended the first meeting of the Food Collective on Nov. 8. They brought complaints that few organic, local, vegan and kosher food options are sold on campus. They also brought solutions to the table. Dining Services says it is willing to change.

Anika Baker-Lawrence is concerned about public health. "As adults we should know what we are putting in our bodies," she said. "[It appears that] the Depot lets a bunch of 12-year-olds design the menu; your options are pizza or French fries," Baker-Lawrence said.

Simone Steynberg wants to see real, good food on campus. "People buy junk food because it is cheap. We need quality food that people can afford." The group discussed decreasing the cost of healthy food by creating a junk food tax to subsidize healthy food.

Ron Rudebock, director of Dining Services, said, "It is a balancing act. Students want to pay less, but they want more." Dining Services does use some organic and local products. They purchase 40 heads of tatsoi (Chinese flat-leaf cabbage) weekly with the help of the Community Alliance for Family Farms.

The Alliance helps family farms expand beyond farmers' markets. The Arcata Educational Farm grows and sells the tatsoi to Dining Services. Overall, organic and local products are a small percentage of what is offered.

Megan Westersund is a senior at Humboldt State and former employee of The "J". "When I worked in The "J", (local and organic) food didn't seem plausible. Now there seem to be more options." The biggest issue, she said, is prepping produce. Dining Service's main food contract is with Sysco.

Sysco provides washed and cut produce. Unless the same prep work could be provided, local produce would be more work for the kitchen staff.

Paul Huttenhower of Students for Community Food said part of the solution is creating connections between the university and local farms. "I can't stress enough the importance in planning for farmers. They need to know ahead of time what they can sell," he said.

Huttenhower wants the group to work on a phase-out plan for conventional foods. There are lots of little things that can be changed now, he said.

Rudebock would like to be able to do more in each of their venues. Dinning Services owns The "J", the J Grill, Giant's Cupboard, the Depot, Windows Cafe, South Campus Marketplace and the BSS Marketplace. They also provide catering services. Their Web site advertises that "each vendor at the Depot offers both vegetarian and organic items."

Locally produced pre-packaged foods are sold by Dining Services, Rudebock said. You can buy Casa Lindra's salsa and burritos, Rita's Burritos and products from the Tofu Shop on campus, he said.

Vegan and kosher foods provide a challenge for Dining Services. Kosher foods are a huge expense to prepare. However, more retail pre-packaged kosher entrees could be provided, Rudebock said. It is a lot of work for staff to provide vegan options for a handful of students out of the 1,500 that live in on-campus housing, he said.

President of AWARE, Jason Ruman said although there are some vegan options on campus they are inconsistent. "There are vegan burgers, but no vegan buns. Tofu egg-less salads but no vegan bread," he said.

Rudebock finds it difficult to stay current with what is and isn't considered vegan. "They have a very restrictive diet. There are a lot of things that you would think are vegan but aren't," he said. "We keep working at it."

This week the Food Collective will gather signatures from students that pledge to purchase local and organic foods on campus. Until the Food Collective transforms every on-campus eatery, they will sell alternatives to what is offered by Dining Services.

Students for Community Food sold pumpkin pie on Nov. 14 with filling made from pumpkins grown at the Arcata Educational Farm. They also sell soups featuring produce grown from the Arcata Educational Farm on the University quad on Wednesdays.

Mary Cannon volunteers with the Good Food Club to sell homemade organic and vegan baked goods on the quad. "We want to make local and organic food ordinary and available," she said.


Jocelyn Orr can be reached at jmo32@humboldt.edu

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