"Eating is an agriculture act," Wendell Berry writes in his 2009 book "Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food." "While the land suffers, automobiles thrive, shining as they glide by the dying towns," Berry writes in another book released last year -- "Leavings," his 18th book of poems.

A conservationist, poet, essayist and cultural critic, Berry will present a lecture at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 in Elizabeth Hall on the campus of Stetson University, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Lisa Guenther in the Department of Religious Studies at 386-822-8930.

Berry's talk is sponsored by the university's Values Council. His talk, "Simple Solutions and Package Deals," is based on the council's theme for the year, "How Shall We Live?"

Berry is the author of more than 40 works of poetry, nonfiction and fiction. He has taught at numerous universities and has received fellowships from the Guggenheim and Rockefeller foundations and the National Endowment for the Arts. Known for his emphasis on sustainability, community, and the land and people's relationship to it, Berry lives and works on a farm in his native Kentucky.