By News and Internal Communications

By Tawny Turner

EDINBURG, TEXAS – APRIL 18, 2023 – This year’s UTRGV Earth Fest will host the first ever Food Summit, in commemoration of Earth Day.

The Food Summit, which runs from April 19-21, is designed to bring together farmers, consumers, businesses, artists, educators and activists to network with policymakers and government agencies. The goal is to exchange ideas and information and ultimately, to create new ways to develop a more impartial food system for the community, region, state and beyond.

The Institute for Ecology Scholarship and Health, an institute dedicated to promoting environmental and personal health sustaining practices, is partnering with UTRGV and the UTRGV Agroecology to present the three-day event. The Institute for Ecology Scholarship and Health and UTRGV are working together to make structural changes in regional institutions, systems, and policies for a positive global impact.

Hernan Colmenero, founder and CEO of the Institute for Ecology, Scholarship and Health, said those who attend the summit will gain knowledge on how to improve food systems and the environment.

“Attendees can expect to learn what actions they can take to make an impact and improve our regional food system to one that works for all,” said Colmenero, a McAllen native. “This is important because food production, transportation, consumption and waste all impact environmental sustainability. Food systems can either hinder or promote our shared environmental sustainability goals."

 The Food Summit schedule includes:

• Day 1: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, Museum of South Texas History, located at 200 N. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg.
• Day 2: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday, April 20, UTRGV Education Complex- Borderlands Room (Edinburg).
• Day 3: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, April 21, UTRGV Education Complex-Borderlands Room (Edinburg).

The summit will feature numerous events including movie showings, lunches and fireside chats, and a lecture and a historical cooking demonstration with world-renowned food author and chef Adan Medrano who specializes in foods of Texas and the Americas and wrote “Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage In Recipes.”

In addition, several panels will feature UTRGV students and other well-known members of the community discussing various topics – equity for farmworkers, roles the local government can take in supporting agroecological farming, the journey of food from the farm to the plate, community action for food equity, and the roles food play in our health and students experience in working in the farm to school programs.

Registration is required to attend the event, which will take place in person and online.

For more information or to register, visit https://ecohealthinstitute.com/foodsummit/.