San Francisco is perhaps second to New York City (or perhaps third to Boston) as a city of intellectuals. It has a fantastic public library system and many a lecture series. One of the more interesting venues is the Commonwealth Club of California.  I keep an eye on them, not the least reason is that they broadcast their lectures on KQED radio. It’s all very San Francisco, and it “goes national” via the radio and the Internet.

Commonwealth Club Lectures, San FranciscoAnother big San Francisco trend is food.  Food, food, food. Ok, in this regard, we are probably NOT second to New York but perhaps FIRST in the country for locally grown, food-for-foodies. San Francisco has everything from farmers markets to organic restaurants to street stands.  It is a city of food.

So coming up at the Commonwealth Club: food meets lecture.  On September 3, they’ll be presenting the following:

Journalism: The Agricultural Beat Resurgence

The agriculture beat was once an important area of coverage for all major media outlets, delivering news about rural areas as well as policy decisions in Washington, D.C. But, like most mainstream media, the agriculture beat has taken a significant hit due to cutbacks in editorial and reporting staff. At the same time, more consumers are hungry for news about where their food is coming from and new outlets are seeking to feed their interest. This panel will explore the intersection between the changing state of journalism and its impact on the future of food and agriculture reporting. Post-program, enjoy local and organic bites provided by Bi-Rite Catering.

Tickets are $20 for non-members, $8 for members, and $7 for students. You can learn more here.