UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network (PA NEN) will sponsor the second "Food Systems Tour," Sept. 17 and 18 in Pittsburgh and surrounding regions. The tour will focus on the many organizations and people responsible for providing food in southwestern Pennsylvania, according to PA NEN coordinator Richard Poorbaugh.

"It's a complicated process to feed 2.2 million people of diverse means and backgrounds in a region characterized by many economic sectors, from rural to suburbs to inner city," Poorbaugh says. "We want tour participants to learn more about the food system and the people behind the scenes. We'll look at the 'players' in the food system's mainstream, as well as niche and emergency food providers."

Wednesday's tour stops include the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank facility in Duquesne, followed by a stop at the Braddock Farm Stand in Braddock and a visit to Janoski's Farm & Greenhouse and Farm Restaurant in Clinton. Other sites include the Wal Mart Super Store near Robinson Town Center and a tour of the "Food Farm," a private nonprofit produce farm near Bulger that serves the Pittsburgh food assistance system.

Thursday features a tour of cider-making facilities at Trax Farm in Finleyville, followed by a tour of Pittsburgh's Strip District. Participants also will visit the Addison Terrace Farm Stand in Pittsburgh's Hill District, with a food demonstration and presentation about the Farm Stand project. That will be followed by a tour of the Mildred's Daughters farm in Pittsburgh's Stanton Heights section and the offices of Penn State Cooperative Extension in Allegheny County.

Participation in the tour is limited to space available, and the tour registration fee is $145 per person. For additional information or to register, call toll-free (800) 863-0020 or visit the PA NEN Web site at http://www.panen.org.

First convened in 1996, the PA NEN is a consortium of private and public agencies that serve Pennsylvania's food stamp-eligible residents, sharing information about current nutrition education efforts and planning and implementing innovative strategies.

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EDITORS: Contact Richard Poorbaugh at 814-863-0020 or by e-mail at mud1@psu.edu.

Contact:

Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu 814-863-2708 814-863-9877 fax #243