On Sunday, March 3, from 1 to 3:30pm, Slow Food of Northern New Jersey (NNJ) invites the public to attend its annual meeting, at the DeHart Community Center, 120 Burnett Ave., Maplewood. The afternoon will feature a talk on foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and a local food tasting of GMO-free items including artisanal cheese, breads, eggs, vegetable salads, baked goods and more. The discussion on GMOs is a timely one; it’s estimated that 70 percent of the food we buy in the supermarket contain GMOs.

Slow Food NNJ is dedicated to spreading awareness and nurturing appreciation of slowing down to enjoy healthful, locally grown food by connecting New Jersey residents with earth-friendly farmers, chefs, and food makers. Its goal is developing school gardens in every town in northern New Jersey: It has established 14 school-garden partnerships since 2008. Tickets are $8 for Slow Food NNJ members and $10 for nonmembers.

The meeting’s agenda is as follows: local foods tasting and social hour, from 1 to 1:30; opening remarks and 2013 School Garden grants announcement by Margaret Noon, Slow Food NNJ chapter leader and owner of School Lunch Farm, from 1:15 to 1:30;  sharing by School Garden partners in which teachers and parents share school vegetable garden success stories, from 1:30 to 1:45; keynote address by Michael Hansen, a scientist with Consumers Union, on “GMOs: Impact on Our Lives,” from 1:45 to 2:45; a representative from Food & Water Watch discussing the push toward legislation in NJ to label GMO foods, from 2:45 to 3; and a Q&A from 3 to 3:15.

For more information, visit SlowFoodNNJ.org or contact Margaret Noon, Slow Food NNJ, at 908-451-0051 or email [email protected]. To purchase tickets, go to BrownPaperTickets.com/event/332678.