CME is hosting the Political Economy of Food - Panel Discussion in the OMAFRA Conference Centre at 1 Stone Road West on January 25th, 2012 from 11am - 2pm. The panel discussion features Dr. Jim Brandle, CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Bob Seguin, Executive Director of the George Morris Centre, Dr. Art Hill, Chair, Department of Food Science, and Dr. Paulette Padanyi, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies from the University of Guelph. Dr. Padanyi will be sharing preliminary results from her OMAFRA-U of G Partnership funded research project on local food in hospitals and long-term care facilities as part of the discussion. The rise and design of our current food system has led to the emergence of sometimes contradictory and conflictual relations within it. That’s the political economy of food. Key questions include - how do we foster converging interests within the food industry? How can we grow agribusinesses in the province? What should be the role of government? What should be the role of universities? How do we continue to support the growth of the food business in the province while making space for voices expressing the concerns of consumers, environmentalists, and others, which in some cases have shifted the focus from farm incomes to other interests: innovation, intensive food distribution channels (local foods), new consumer trends, and so on...please join us for the discussion which will be moderated by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, on January 25th, 2012 in the Conference Centre at 1 Stone Road West from 11am-2pm. A light lunch to follow the discussion. Please RSVP to Nina ( neryavec@uoguelph.ca ) by January 18th if you plan on attending the post panel lunch.