National Authors To Give Local Talks Next Week

BERLIN — The Assateague Coastkeeper and the Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper will be hosting an evening of lively discussion about agriculture and agri-business on the Eastern Shore, featuring a screening of the Oscar Nominated (and Emmy winning) documentary FOOD, INC followed by a discussion forum featuring David Kirby (Animal Factory) and Mark Winne (Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin’ Mamas: Fighting Back in an Age of Industrial Agriculture and Closing the Food Gap.) 

Additional panelists include Carole Morison, former Perdue grower featured in Food Inc. and farming advocate, and Ted Wycall, outspoken independent small farm businessman with a vision for Delmarva.

The evening will be moderated by Marc Steiner of NPR and “On Delmarva.”

"The current trend of public demand for ‘free range’, ‘organic’, and ‘local’ foods has contributed to increased pressure for healthier, local, small farm food supplies, which makes this Eastern Shore screening of FOOD, INC all the more timely," said Kathy Phillips, Assateague Coastkeeper.

David Burden, Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper, added, "With increased pressure by the poultry Industry to expand factory growing facilities in Accomack and Northampton Counties, the time is right to begin an open and frank discussion about the environmental impacts this industry and its waste stream could have on our very healthy and lucrative aquaculture industry here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore."

The first event is Nov. 8 in Cape Charles, Va. at the Palace Theater, and the second screening will be on Nov. 9 at Salisbury University in Henson Hall Room 103. 

Both events are free and open to the public.

Visit the Assateague Coastal Trust website, www.actforbays.org, to find out times and locations for each event.