FARM TO TABLE: AS FRESH AS IT GETS

The Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA) is excited to announce the first Farm to Table event of 2017, on April 20^th from 8:30 – 9:30 am in the Vault at the CLEDA offices in downtown Alexandria. Farm to Table events are geared towards restaurants, institutions, and businesses that buy/sell food on a regular basis, and want to engage with local farmers and ranchers to bring local food and high quality ingredients to their customers. “Our Farm to Table initiative allows us to build economic opportunities while boosting quality of life at the same time,” said CLEDA President/CEO Jim Clinton. “Thriving local farms and fresher, tastier, healthier food on our tables–those are great outcomes.”

Central Louisiana farmers and ranchers grow and raise a stunning array of foods; and since demand often exceeds availability, it can be time consuming to try and connect with local food resources; Farm to Table mixers make local foods from Central Louisiana easier to get.

The Farm to Table event on April 20^th can help local businesses:

• Find farmers and ranchers to supply local foods
• Source local food for special events or every day menu ingredients
• Have a local item custom grown/raised just for them
• Learn more about the farms/ranches in the region
• Build relationships with local farmers and ranchers
• Invest in local economic development with delicious food

The Farm to Table events build on the momentum of CLEDA’s work over the past four years to bring resources, tools, and events to the region that support vibrant rural economic growth through revitalized rural food systems. CLEDA convenes annual conferences, monthly meetings, and a wide assortment of events throughout the year to engage people in all aspects of our local food system.

“We have amazing local food producers (farmers & ranchers) in Central Louisiana, we want to continue to highlight their products and encourage access to and consumption of fresh, healthy local foods” said Bahia Nightengale, Director of CLEDA’s Local Foods Initiatives. “We want everyone in Central Louisiana to have access to local food, we know it is a crucial part of vibrant rural communities and strong economic growth for our region.”

For more information, contact Bahia Nightengale, CLEDA’s Director of Local Foods Initiatives, at 318-441-3408. If you can’t attend the Farm to Table event feel free to request assistance to see what CLEDA can do to connect you to resources that increase your ability to offer fresh local foods to your customers. Check the www.freshcentral.org website for more information. Farm to Table events are funded in part by a Healthy Behaviors Program Grant from The Rapides Foundation and with support from Keller Enterprises.

The Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA) is an organization which consists of the economic development entities from the parishes (counties) of Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon and Winn. The mission of the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance is to help people prosper in vibrant, thriving communities.

Media Contact:
Bahia Nightengale, Director of Local Foods Initiatives ● Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance
Phone: 318-441-3408