National Geographic Launches Robust Online Portal Exploring Future of Food, NatGeoFood.com

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, National Geographic launches a Web portal, NatGeoFood.com, dedicated to exploring issues surrounding how we eat today and how we can provide food for all as the world's population grows and climate change impacts growing seasons and planting zones. NatGeoFood.com will aggregate content from a major series in National Geographic magazine kicking off in May and will include many digital-only features, such as animated motion graphics, videos, food facts of the day and news stories. Editors have invited five bloggers with different perspectives — José Andrés, a chef; Mary Beth Albright, a food policy analyst; Maryn McKenna, a science blogger; Jasmine Wiggins, a casual foodie; and Rebecca Rupp, a food historian — to contribute weekly to a food-related blog called The Plate. In mid-May, National Geographic will host a Google Hangout with leading experts to explore how eating seafood can be a sustainable choice — the first of several Hangouts planned across the year.

NatGeoFood.com allows for a deeper, real-time dive into issues that will be laid out during 2014 in feature articles in National Geographic magazine. The series begins with the May cover story by Jonathan Foley, "EAT: The New Food Revolution," in which Foley explains five ways we can meet the food needs of 9 billion people in 2050. Photographer George Steinmetz provides powerful images of industrial farming, and photographer Jim Richardson offers a series of portraits of farmers from around the globe. Other topics to be tackled include aquaculture, food waste, meat and our powerful cultural connections to food.

"We believe the future of food is a vital subject to explore with our audiences," said Dennis Dimick, executive editor for the environment at National Geographic. "The new UN climate report shows that crop yields already are being adversely affected by a changing climate, and how we respond globally in creating a more resilient food system is very important now. But we also recognize that food is central to our culture and is a source of great pleasure and comfort to people. We want to ensure we tackle all aspects of food — from the celebratory and fun to serious policy questions."

National Geographic will round out the magazine and Web coverage that starts this spring with other consumer touchpoints in the fall, including "Eat: The Story of Food," a mini-series on the National Geographic Channel; the books "National Geographic Foods for Health" and "National Geographic Kids Cookbook," both by chef and National Geographic Fellow Barton Seaver; and "Food: Our Global Kitchen," an exhibition opening at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 18, 2014.

Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the member-supported Society offers a community for members to get closer to explorers, connect with other members and help make a difference. The Society reaches more than 500 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

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SOURCE National Geographic