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May 14, 2015 | Robert Puro

Curious about how Riverside Unified School District’s (RUSD) Nutrition Services team is leading the way in the farm-to-school movement to provide healthy and fresh local to 43,000 students spread across 31 schools located in the district while simultaneously helping local farmers to grow their businesses and the local economy?

Then you won’t want to miss RUSD Nutrition Services Director Rodney Taylor’s keynote address at the upcoming 2nd Annual GrowRIVERSIDE Conference: The Future of Local Food on June 11 – 13 at The Riverside Convention Center with Community Day on June 13.

Currently RUSD students enjoy access to locally-sourced salad bars and experiential learning opportunities in agriculture and nutrition and much of the farm-to-school program’s success in Riverside has been spearheaded by Rodney and his team.

In 1997, Rodney led a similar effort in the Malibu and Santa Monica school districts. But while those areas are known for their affluence, Riverside has more economic challenges. So when he wanted to increase healthy food options for public school students in Riverside, there was no shortage of doubters.

Rodney did not see why healthy eating in public schools should be difficult anywhere. His goal is and always has been a simple one: “To get kids to consume their fruits and vegetables.” Through achieving this goal (and then some), he has proved his doubters wrong.

Rodney Taylor is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. In 2013 he received the Center for Ecoliteracy’s “ Leadership Award”, The California Endowment’s “Health Heroes” Award, Loma Linda University Award for “The Promotion Of Healthy Lifestyles—For Outstanding Commitment To The Public’s Health,” The Riverside Human Relations Commission “Heroes Award” and the N.A.A.C.P. “Education Award,” just to name a few.

GrowRIVERSIDE is only 29 days away, so click on the following link to reserve your spot to hear Rodney Taylor discuss the future of local on RUSD students across the region:

 http://growriverside.eventbrite.com

Additional Confirmed Speakers

Kathleen Reed – Sustainable Food Program Manager for Kaiser Permanente
Justin Scott-Coe – Public Affairs Director for Monte Vista Water District
Mark Winne – Co-founder of the Connecticut Food Policy Council
Fortino Morales III – UC Riverside Community Garden Coordinator
Tracy Kahn – Curator of the UCR Citrus Variety Collection
Celeste Cantu – General Manager at Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)
Ramiro Lobo – UCCE Small Farms & Agricultural Economics Advisor
Gene Giacomelli – Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC) at University of Arizona
Robert Egger – Founder and President of L.A. Kitchen
Dwight Detter – Local Forager for Whole Foods Market
Viviana Franco – Executive Director of From Lot To Spot
Robert Tse – State Broadband Coordinator for USDA CA Rural Development
Erika Block – Local Orbit
Bob Knight – Founder of Inland Orange Conservancy and Old Grove Orange, Inc.
Pierre Sleiman – Founder of Go Green Agriculture
… And more!

Register here: http://growriverside.eventbrite.com

More information on the conference: http://growriverside.com