Make Real Change: Nutrition Educators as Advocates

Recorded Sunday, July 31, 2016.
Moderator: Claire Uno, MLIS Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, Program in Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia University
Speaker: Jennifer Folliard, MPH, RDN, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Tracy Fox, MPH, RD, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC; Melissa Maulding, MS, RD, Purdue University Extension; Alison Hard, Tisch Scholar, Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education and Policy, Program in Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia University
Nutrition education professionals are perfectly positioned to advocate for increased federal support for programs and research in the field. While advocacy can seem daunting and time-consuming, having a strong coalition can provide a framework for action and a stronger unified voice. This session will give participants familiarity with some of the major issues and legislation, highlight potential levers for change, and discuss how we could move forward together to promote nutrition education at the federal level.
Learning Objectives:

• Participants will gain an understanding about policy issues relevant to nutrition education and opportunities to strengthen the field through advocacy (e.g. CNR, DGA, funding for nutrition education research through USDA/NIH/CDC)Participants will learn the different ways to be an advocate, including through elected officials and executive branch agencies;Participants will learn about and feel more confident to engage in different types of policy approaches, including drafting legislative language, policy papers, testimony, rulemaking comment letters, grassroots advocacy materials and visits with elected officials.