Hundreds of farmers, distributors, restaurant professionals and culinary students gathered at the Harold Washington Library Center and Robert Morris University in Chicago on Nov. 17 to discuss sustainable meat and why to buy it at State of the Plate 2010.

Sponsored by the Green Chicago Restaurant Co-Op, FamilyFarmed.org, Green City Market, Kendall College and multiple chefs and advocacy groups, the conference helped link together both sides of the sustainable meat supply chain.

(l to r) Chicago Dept. of Environment commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna gives the morning welcome address while Dan Rosenthal, co-founder of the Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op and president of The Rosenthal Group (Sopraffina Marketcaffé, Poag Mahone's and Trattoria No. 10) looks on.

Robert Kenner, writer/director of the documentary, "Food, Inc.," provided the opening keynote speech. The event featured a morning sustainable meat roundtable that highlighted the methods, challenges and opportunities surrounding the U.S. production of sustainable meat, the public health and environmental concerns, and emphasized ways to combat food safety issues at the production level. The afternoon session featured a panel of sustainable farmers to discuss products and methods and distribution strategies. The event culminated in a reception with sustainable food prepared by chefs and culinary students and a special viewing of "Food, Inc."

For more information, visit www.stateoftheplate2010.com.