FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Goldie Caughlan, PCC nutrition expert, appointed to key positions by Washington State Dept. of Agriculture and Seattle Public Schools
Seattle, Wash., March 3, 2006 — Goldie Caughlan, Nutrition Education Manager for PCC Natural Markets has been named to the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Nutrition Advisory Committee (NAC). She has also been appointed for a 3-year term to the Washington Small Farm Advisory Board of the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA).
SPS Superintendent Raj Manhas appointed the 15-member NAC in February to advise and make recommendations on a range of issues related to school nutrition. SPS is a national leader in school nutrition, having adopted a comprehensive set of nutrition policies in 2004. The NAC will concentrate on areas such as the menus for school breakfasts and lunches, nutrition policy and education, and school facilities relating to food service.
According to WSDA Director Valoria H. Loveland, who appointed Caughlan, "The Washington Small Farm Advisory Board acts to advise and recommend the Washington State Department of Agriculture's Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program, and the Washington State University Small Farms Team.
"The mission of the WSDA Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program is to increase the economic viability of small farms, build community vitality, and improve the environmental quality of the region by facilitating direct marketing opportunities and addressing direct marketing barriers for small farms in Washington.
"WSU's Small Farms Team works with communities to foster profitable family farms, land and water stewardship, and access to healthy food."
A PCC employee since 1983 and a former member of its Board of Trustees, Caughlan recently completed a 5-year term on the National Organic Standards Board, working with the National Organic Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She continues to be responsible for PCC staff training on natural products and organic issues.
She founded the very successful PCC Cooks program, which provides 600 nutrition, cooking and health education classes annually to PCC members and the public. She writes a monthly column for the Sound Consumer, PCC's member newspaper mailed to 40,000 households each month, on topics ranging from food irradiation to regulations concerning food labeling.
About PCC Natural Markets:
Headquartered in Seattle, WA, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retailer, with annual sales of $93 million and an active membership of nearly 40,000. Founded in 1953 as a food-buying club and incorporated as Puget Consumers Co-op in 1961, the company has been doing business as PCC Natural Markets since 1998. PCC operates seven locations in the Fremont, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Seward Park, Kirkland, Issaquah, and soon-to-be Redmond neighborhoods. www.pccnaturalmarkets.com