Cross-Campus Initiatives

Introduction

List of Initiatives

Related Programs

Advisory Group Members

Cross-Campus Initiative Courses

Contact Information

Cross-campus Initiative:

Food Security

Except for air and water, nothing is more central to life than food. One of our nation’s basic obligations is to ensure a healthy, adequate, and affordable supply.

In the aftermath of 9/11, we must secure our food systems and ensure the economic prosperity of those who supply food to our people. This is a complex and daunting undertaking.

The Initiative on Food Security proposes to ensure the safety and integrity of the nation’s food systems by addressing every aspect of food security, from the farm to the fork. We have joined in a partnership with Deere and Company, which suggested a support level of $150-200,000 in the first semester of 2003-2004, which would grow to $500,000 through the fall semester of 2004.

Three working groups will bring together faculty from many units:

Business Valuation Group, will collect information to build a business model of safety and security in the soy food industry supply chain.

Identity Retention Group, which will identify models for quality control and tracking agricultural products through the supply chain.

Sensing Technology Group which will test a remote sensing system currently marketed to dairy producers.

For a detailed summary and names of faculty involved, please read this Sept 5., 2003 status report.

Read a white paper on this Initiative

Steering committee:

Ilesami Adesida, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Hans Blaschek, Food Science and Human Nutrition
Roy Campbell, Computer Sciences
Noshir Contractor, Speech Communication
Bryan Heidorn, Library and Information Sciences
Richard Holm, Engineering
Richard Jaehne, Illinois Fire Service Institute
Joost Pennings, Agricultural and Consumer Economics
Abigail Salyers, Basic Sciences – Microbiology
Mark Shannon, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Steve Sonka, Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station
William Qualls, Business Administration
Mark Spong, General Engineering / Coordinated Science Lab
Jonathan Sweedler, Chemistry / Biotechnology Center
Fred Troutt, Veterinary Clinical Medicine
Richard Vogen, ACES
Brian Wansink, Business Administration
Randall Westgren, Agricultural and Consumer Economics

Campus Units:

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
College of Commerce and Business Administration
College of Engineering
College of Law
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine
Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station
Illinois Fire Service Institute
University of Illinois Extension