UC president to announce new food initiative, hold news media availabilities

University of California president Janet Napolitano tomorrow (July 1) will announce a major initiative intended to marshal resources across the UC system to address global challenges related to food. She will first announce the initiative in Berkeley, then make a presentation to the State Board of Food and Agriculture in Sacramento.

Berkeley: The Berkeley announcement will take place at 9 a.m. PDT  July 1 at the Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, 1781 Rose St., Berkeley, CA 94703. Members of the media should arrive by 8:45 a.m.

The announcement will be followed by a news media availability, during which Napolitano will address questions about the food initiative. She will be joined by Alice Waters, founder of the Edible Schoolyard project and owner of Chez Panisse restaurant and café, and representatives of UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley.

Media parking will be available on school grounds: Enter the school gate at the end of Grant Street and follow signs for designated media parking area. Street parking is also available on Grant Street.

Sacramento: Later in the morning, Napolitano will present the food initiative at a State Board of Food and Agriculture meeting. The board meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PDT July 1 at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 N St. – Main Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814. Napolitano is scheduled to present to the board at 11:45 a.m.

A news media availability will follow during which Napolitano will address questions about the initiative along with Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Craig McNamara, president of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture; and Helene Dillard, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis.

The board meeting will be streamed online.

Media are asked to RSVP to (510) 987-9200.