FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 21, 2022
For More Information, Contact:
FEC: Food Equity Council Director Sydney Daigle, 240-253-1036, sdaigle@institutephi.org
IPHI: Communications Director Taya Jarman, APR, 202-747-3541, tjarman@institutephi.org
A CANDIDATE CONVERSATION: BUILDING A MORE SECURE AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM
County Council Candidates Share Plans for Local Farming and Food Security
(Largo, MD) — The Prince George’s Food Equity Council (FEC) will host an open forum for 17 Prince George’s County, Maryland County Council candidates. The forum will allow candidates to share their position and plans for local farming and food security. The event will be held virtually on Thursday, June 23, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Forum access will start at 6:30 p.m. with a “Meet the Candidates” video. The following candidates have confirmed participation in the forum:
- Rudy Anthony, At-Large
- Stanford Fraser, At-Large
- Wanika Fisher, District 2
- Raymond Nevo, District 2
- Victor Ramirez, District 2
- Eric Olson, District 3
- Eve Shuman, District 3
- Patrice Murray, District 4
- Michael Esteve, District 4
- Wala Blegay, District 6
- Belinda Queen, District 6
- Nakia R. Wright, District 6
- Krystal Oriadha, District 7
- Dania Lofton, District 8
- Jerry Mathis, District 8
- Vernon Wade, District 8
- Lisa Burnam, District 9
Attendees must register at: https://bit.ly/pgcfoodforum.
The forum will provide candidates with an unfiltered platform to discuss the importance of building a more secure and resilient food system. “Eating fresh foods is key to a healthy lifestyle. Yet, nutritious foods are generally more expensive and, in some areas, hard to access,” said FEC Director Sydney Daigle. “Given the recent 2022 Hunger Report by Capital Area Food Bank indicated that 48 percent of county residents experienced food insecurity over the last year, we need to ensure our food system is at the forefront of our elected officials’ policy agendas.”
Candidates will present their plans for improving the county’s food, health, and agriculture. Daigle added, “This is a chance for residents to ask questions and present their concerns to their future county council members.” Candidates will discuss the importance of farms and food for residents’ health and how they plan to ensure that residents have access to healthy, affordable, sustainably produced, and culturally appropriate food.
Editor’s Note: All candidates were invited to participate. If a candidate is not listed to participate, residents are encouraged to contact candidates and encourage them to participate.
About Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC): FEC is a local food policy council that works to help Prince George’s County residents grow, sell, and choose healthy foods. Since 2013, FEC has been a voice for county residents at the policymaking table. We work with county leaders to find permanent solutions to improve our food system. We focus on systematic and sustainable changes to Prince George’s public health challenges (i.e., hunger, obesity, and food deserts that lack healthy food options) by advocating for policy that creates a more equitable local food system. The FEC is housed within the Institute for Public Health Innovation. For more information on FEC, visit www.pgcfec.org and follow FEC on social media @pgcfec.
About Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI): IPHI develops multi-sector partnerships and innovative solutions to improve the public’s health and well-being across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. IPHI’s work strengthens health systems and policy, enhances conditions that promote health, and builds community capacity to ensure equitable health opportunities. Nationally, IPHI is one of over 40 public health institutes and a member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. For more information about IPHI, visit: www.institutephi.org, and follow IPHI on Facebook and Twitter @InstitutePHI.
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