UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will host a series of activities in conjunction with this year's United Nations' World Food Day. "World Hunger Week" at Penn State will begin Oct. 16, when World Food Day is held, and continue through Oct. 19.

"These events aim to draw attention to the broader issues of world hunger," says Deanna Behring, director of international programs for the college. "We want to explore why, in an age with so much technology and so much wealth, people around the world are still suffering from malnutrition."

Events will kick off at noon on Oct. 16 with a teleconference entitled "World Food System: Serving All or Serving Some?" Claudia Probart, associate professor of nutrition in the College of Health and Human Development, will facilitate this satellite downlink featuring a conversation with Dr. Wenche Barth Eide, a leading food and nutrition expert from the University of Oslo in Norway.

At 1 p.m. in 504 ASI Building, William Lamont, professor of vegetable crops, Tim Elkner, cooperative extension agent in Lancaster County, and Ramaswamy Anantheswaran, professor of food science, will discuss their experiences working in India after that country's devastating earthquake.

Audrey Maretzki, professor of food science and nutrition, will present the video "Our Food, Our Future" at noon on Oct. 17 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The video highlights four community projects designed to promote a sustainable local food and agricultural system.

A College of Agricultural Sciences panel discussion will take place at noon on Oct. 19 in 118 ASI Building. The panelists will include David Abler, professor of agricultural economics, Koushik Seetharaman, assistant professor of food science, and Michael Jacobsen, assistant professor of forest resources, who will discuss issues including world hunger, biotechnology and pressures on natural resources.

As part of World Hunger Week, Penn State undergraduate members of the Pre-Vet Club will work with other student leaders in the College of Agricultural Sciences to conduct a food drive, with drop-off boxes in several college buildings. The donated food will be presented to local food banks on Oct. 19.

For a complete agenda and more information about World Hunger Week events at Penn State, visit the Web at http://www.cas.psu.edu/international.

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EDITORS: Deanna Behring can be reached at 814-863-0249. Student food drive participants will be helping food bank volunteers to load donated food onto trucks at the rear of Agricultural Administration Building from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 19, should you wish to send a photographer.

Contact:

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-865-1068 fax