Farmers throughout Missouri and Illinois are invited to attend a
Meet the Buyers event to meet local and regional food buyers. The event will
take place March 3, 2015, at the St. Louis University campus in the Il
Monastero Building, 3050 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo., from 10:00 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
The event is a unique opportunity for farmers to meet with
buyers one-on-one and learn what it takes to do business with the grocery and
food service industries in the area.
Extension representatives will present introductory information
about two programs, MarketReady and Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs). Market
Ready is a program designed to teach best commercial business practices between
growers and various retail markets. GAPs are a set of recommendations that can
help improve the quality and safety of the produce grown.
Representatives from a foodservice distributor, grocery retailer
and school foodservice management company also will be on hand to share
information on how those specific industries work and how farmers can tap into
them. Rusty Lee, owner, Lee Farms, LLC, will demonstrate to farmers how to
sort, grade and pack a produce box and how to distribute on a small scale.
Registration for the event is $15 and includes all event
materials, a buffet lunch featuring several local and regional foods, and
breaks. Due to limited seating registration is first come, first served.
Registration must be completed by Feb. 25, 2015. To register online,
visit http://www.ilfb.org/ifb-news-and-events/conferences-events/meet-the-farmers,-meet-the-buyers.aspx.
If registrants encounter problems paying online, they’re instructed to contact
Charlene Blary at CBlary@ilfb.org to
make special arrangements.
A limited number of AgriMissouri scholarships are available for
AgriMissouri members to attend this event. Contact Catherine Bohnert at (573)
522-9213 or catherine.bohnert@mda.mo.gov for
details. Registrations must be confirmed by February 25th to be eligible.
The following organizations are partnering to support the
one-day event: Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Department of Agriculture,
University of Missouri Extension, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Specialty
Growers Association, Illinois Department of Agriculture and University of
Illinois Extension.
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