CIAS resources for Go Big Read

Food consists not just in piles of chemicals; it also comprises a set of social and ecological relationships, reaching back to the land and outward to other people.

—Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food

For twenty years, the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) has facilitated cutting-edge research and outreach on on the social, ecological and economic relationships that shape our food system. Our staff members and faculty associates can help inform your discussion of In Defense of Food. We work closely with farmers and food entrepreneurs who can provide insight into putting Pollan’s ideas into practice. We also work with nonprofit groups and farm associations that can provide you with valuable resources and perspectives.

The links at the top of this page—Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants—connect you with people who are happy to talk with you about ideas and issues in In Defense of Food. These people can also link you to research and resources on topics ranging from grass-fed animal products to the food served in our public schools.  Many are available to speak informally with groups or give formal presentations.

CIAS is part of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, where you will find more people and research to help you incorporate In Defense of Food into your classroom or discussion group. We are also closely affiliated with UW-Extension.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has selected In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan for its first common book program, Go Big Read. In this book, Pollan examines the modern American food landscape where the deceptively simple question of what to eat has been muddled by the numerous and often conflicting claims of food producers, marketers and nutrition experts.

Initiated by Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, Go Big Read will engage members of the campus community and beyond in a shared, academically focused reading experience. Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to participate by reading the book, and taking part in classroom discussions and campus events.

For the past twenty years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: food, agriculture, gardens, drugs and architecture. He will visit campus September 24-26.

More information on Go Big Read:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Flickr

The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) is a research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. We were created in 1989 to build UW sustainable agriculture research programs that respond to farmer and citizen needs…and involve them in setting research agendas. Our programs are unique, in part, because of our commitment to involve citizens and academics, representing many disciplines and professions, as equal partners on our research teams.

The goal of our work at CIAS is to learn how particular farming systems that integrate diverse crops and livestock can contribute to environmental, economic, social, and intergenerational sustainability. Our research has shown that farmers can cut costs, increase profits, and improve their quality of life while enhancing the environment. Our outreach and education programs are helping farmers, educators, crop consultants, businesses and eaters put these research findings to work.

We aim to help farmers capture a larger share of the consumer food dollar while implementing sustainable systems. Part of our work is to develop and assess visions of alternative food systems and look at the socioeconomics of the existing food system. While most of our work focuses on small- and medium-size farms, many of our research projects can help any farm or food-related business that seeks to increase its overall sustainability, regardless of scale.

To learn more about what we do, visit the CIAS website: www.cias.wisc.edu