NSAC students hope potluck event beginning of much to come

BIBLE HILL – The campus amphitheatre at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College was abuzz yesterday (TUESDAY) a few dozen students, faculty and locals participated in an outdoor event billed as a Food Revolution Potluck.
Those attending were encouraged to enjoy the homemade food on hand while discussing and learning about sustainable, organic and local food alternatives for the college.
Stephanie Gillis, one of event organizers, was encouraged by the turnout.
“I’m impressed with the number of people that have come in and out during the day,” said Gillis, a 23-year-old animal science major. “I think we’re raising awareness here and showing the campus that there are people that care and that it is time for a change.”
Gillis hopes students will carry on the cause next year.
“We’re hoping that what we’re starting here today will result in us being able to prepare land this spring and have it ready for students next year to grow their own fruits and vegetables,” she said.
Local farmer Robert MacNeil, who raises free-range hens fed on organic feed and grass-fed beef cows, was on hand to support the students.
“The college feeds a lot of people here everyday and it would make a big impact to the local farmers if we could supply them,” said MacNeil.
NSAC vice-president Keltie Jones is pleased to see the students excited about the schools food policy, but said if the college was to run its own food services independently costs would rise considerably.
“The food service business is a very complex business,” said Jones. “If we ran our own food service ourselves there would be a lot more that we would have to pay for. We would likely have to hire several more managers to cover things like nutritionists, dietitians and purchasers.
“These are people whose fulltime job is to do those things for several institutions. Whereas here, we would only need a tiny piece of that person yet we would have to hire the full-time person.”
But creating those jobs could be a good thing, countered second-year Masters of Agriculture student Labib El-Ali.
“We as an institution should be looking to create more jobs in the community,” said El-Ali. “It will cost more in the end, but I think if you provide this package to students that says ‘The food is sustainable and we’re creating local jobs’ overall students and parents are going to be much more than willing and happier getting their food from the institution.”