Howard Lyman

Howard Lyman

www.madcowboy.com

"Destroying the Earth a Bite at a Time"

Howard Lyman was a 4th generation family farmer and cattle rancher for almost 40 years. Fresh out of Montana State with a degree in Agriculture, he followed the modern advice and turned his family farm into a large corporate chemical farm - until a spinal cord tumor temporarily paralyzed him. This was the impetus that led him to closely re-examine his life and his farm, and determine that the new methods were destroying the soil and the wildlife around him, as well as his health. Thus began his journey from corporate cattle-rancher to vegan activist. Howard's two books, Mad Cowboy and No More Bull, document the potentially deadly practices of the dairy industry and give a raucous dissection of the folly of a high-protein diet. Now 130 pounds lighter and with a 150 point lower cholesterol level than before going vegan, Howard is an inspiration in showing what one man can do.

Brenda Davis, R.D.

Brenda Davis, R.D.

www.brendadavisrd.com

"Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition"

Vegetarian and vegan diets can provide numerous health advantages, but they are not fool-proof. Nutrients that may be of concern to vegetarians or vegans include protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, essential fatty acids and iodine. This presentation provides detailed information on each, including practical guidelines to ensure that all nutrient needs are met. Brenda Davis, registered dietitian and nutritionist, is a leader in her field and an internationally acclaimed speaker, as well as co-author of 5 books including Becoming Vegetarian and Becoming Vegan.

http://www.transfairusa.org/content/certification/producer.php?floid=838

"Fair Trade: A Peruvian Farmer's Perspective"

Juan Castillo Hererra is an accomplished organic farmer and a leader in the cooperative movement in northern Peru. He and his wife Silvia Meza Santos farm 3 acres of organic coffee in the Sapse region of Huancabamba, Piura. Juan serves as President of the Sub-Regional Committee of Producer Associations of Los Ranchos (known locally as the Zonal). As President of the Board he leads the directors in developing programs for the 232 farming families organized into six village-level cooperatives.

The six producer associations cooperating through the Zonal are six of the 73 primary level farmer organizations that make up CEPICAFE. CEPICAFE is an association of 35 small-scale coffee co-ops formed in 1995, in the Piura region of northwestern Peru. Before becoming Fair Trade certified by Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) in 1996, the local farmers sold their coffee to local intermediaries at extremely low prices, causing many farm workers to leave the region in search of work. The cooperative aims to improve the quality of life of coffee-growing families and is an important contribution to the sustainable development of the region.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Compassionate Cooks

www.compassionatecooks.com

"Getting to the Meat of the Matter: Debunking the Myths of a Vegetarian Diet."

A long-time vegan and animal activist, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau founded Compassionate Cooks to empower people to make informed food choices and to debunk the myths about veganism and animal rights. She does this through vegan cooking classes, articles and essays, lectures and workshops, her popular "Food for Thought" podcast and blog, a first-of-its-kind cooking DVD, and her new cookbook The Joy of Vegan Baking: Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats & Sinful Sweets. Colleen has appeared on the Food Network, she is a columnist for VegNews Magazine and a contributor to KQED radio. She is very grateful to have the opportunity to witness transformations taking place in people as they gain the tools and resources they need to become and stay vegan.

Mia Macdonald

Mia MacDonald,Executive Director, Brighter Green

www.brightergreen.org

"Your Burger or Your Car?"

Which is more destructive to the environment—what you eat or what you drive? The answer may surprise you. International public policy expert Mia MacDonald, executive director of New York-based “action tank” Brighter Green, provides fascinating and compelling evidence on how animal agriculture is at the root of a host of environmental problems, including deforestation in the Amazon, desertification, and climate change. At the same time, meat consumption is soaring as McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King and huge “protein producers” like Tyson and Cargill expand into markets in Asia and Latin America. It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Just as we can develop alternatives to fossil fuels, we can also change our agricultural practices and eating habits. It all comes down to recognizing the true costs of our lifestyles and adjusting policies and practices accordingly.

Paul Shapiro

Paul Shapiro, Humane Society of the United States

www.hsus.org/farm/

"Advances for Farm Animals: How and Why We're Winning"

For decades, the plight of farm animals in the United States has steadily grown worse. Yet the first few years of the 21st century have seen historic strides against factory farming that few would have imagined possible just a decade ago. Long-time farm animal campaigner Paul Shapiro will discuss some of the most important victories for farm animals and how to make even more progress. Paul Shapiro is the senior director of the Factory Farming Campaign for HSUS. Shapiro is also the founder and former campaigns director for Compassion Over Killing, where he helped lead campaigns such as the successful effort to end the use of the misleading "Animal Care Certified" logo on battery cage egg cartons nationwide. At Compassion Over Killing, he worked also as a farm animal cruelty investigator, primarily documenting conditions on egg and broiler factory farms, livestock auctions and slaughter plants.