conservation you can taste

I led a nationwide project about endangered agricultural biodiversity for more than three years, working under the direction of MacArthur Fellow and ethnobotanist, Gary Paul Nabhan, and alongside the Executive Directors of seven organizations. Called Renewing America's Food Traditions, or just “RAFT," the project was a cooperative and commercial venture that provided technical assistance to livestock managers and farmers, expanded supply chains for retail grocers, restaurants, corporate cafeterias, museums and universities. I also brought in the U.S. Patent and Trade Office to help protect geographically unique American food products. We successfully recovered 640 plant and livestock species and brought them to market so that they can be purchased and eaten. RAFT was covered by NPR, The New York Times, Saveur magazine and numerous local and regional press. We even wrote a book profiling our 100 most iconic, most delicious, and most endangered foods.