Peer review

The Importance of Farm to Table Eating

Prepared for: University of

Denver Proposal Review Committ

ee

Prop

osed by: Cas

sidy Link

September 25, 2019

As the daughter

of a chef, I have grown up in a culture of food, surrounded by people

who res

pect

and value where our food is sourced.

Many restaurants have connections to local

far

mers who supply

most,

or all

,

of

the ingredients used to produce food in the

se restaurants

in

orde

r to pr

ovide the best quality. The topic I will be discussing for my research project is the

farm to table

concept, which means serving locally p

roduced

food at r

esta

urants and school

cafeterias

through direct

acquisition

from the p

roducer.

The purest form of farm

-

to

-

table is when

chefs prepare and serve food directly on the farm where the ingredients were produced. This is

usually done as part of a fundraiser or educational event. The most common use of

farm

-

to

-

table

emphasizes a direct relationship between a farm and a restaurant, instead of a restaurant

p

urchasing from

a

large distributor o

r food service provi

der.

Rest

aurants are driven toward the

concept with t

he motive of ser

ving

food made from high quality ingredients as well as the desire

to support their local

farmers. I

t is a mutually beneficial concept that helps stimulate the

local

economy while provid

ing citizens with natural

, healthy foods.

Because this concept relates to

the

American

health cris

is and ob

esity e

pidemic, the government has supported it

.

In 2008, the Food,

Conservation

,

and Energy A

ct provided concrete definitions on

“

local

”

produce in order to

ensure honesty from restaurants when c

laiming to s

upport local farmers. The recent increase in

demand for locally grown produce has resulted in a 370% increase in the

number of farm

er

’

s

markets across the country, which in turn create

s more p

rofit and jobs in the farming

industry.

What I would like to research regard

ing this topic is how important

local produce and healthy

The Importance of Farm to Table Eating

Prepared for: University of Denver Proposal Review Committee

Proposed by: Cassidy Link

September 25, 2019

As the daughter of a chef, I have grown up in a culture of food, surrounded by people

who respect and value where our food is sourced. Many restaurants have connections to local

farmers who supply most, or all, of the ingredients used to produce food in these restaurants in

order to provide the best quality. The topic I will be discussing for my research project is the

farm to table concept, which means serving locally produced food at restaurants and school

cafeterias through direct acquisition from the producer. The purest form of farm-to-table is when

chefs prepare and serve food directly on the farm where the ingredients were produced. This is

usually done as part of a fundraiser or educational event. The most common use of farm-to-table

emphasizes a direct relationship between a farm and a restaurant, instead of a restaurant

purchasing from a large distributor or food service provider. Restaurants are driven toward the

concept with the motive of serving food made from high quality ingredients as well as the desire

to support their local farmers. It is a mutually beneficial concept that helps stimulate the local

economy while providing citizens with natural, healthy foods. Because this concept relates to the

American health crisis and obesity epidemic, the government has supported it. In 2008, the Food,

Conservation, and Energy Act provided concrete definitions on “local” produce in order to

ensure honesty from restaurants when claiming to support local farmers. The recent increase in

demand for locally grown produce has resulted in a 370% increase in the number of farmer’s

markets across the country, which in turn creates more profit and jobs in the farming industry.

What I would like to research regarding this topic is how important local produce and healthy