Northwest Small Farms Conference

Northwest Small Farms Conference set

On October 19, the Spokane Conservation District and the Washington State University Extension will host the third annual Inland Northwest Small Farms Conference. Farmers from across Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho will convene to explore the conference theme, “Country Living with Purpose and Profitability.”

The aim of the conference is to organize area farmers to take advantage of the burgeoning local food market.

The city of Spokane is getting serious about creating a vibrant food system as well. Along with the Health District, the city is bringing in food economist Ken Meter to do a study on the current local food system and what the potential impact of shifting more food dollars to locally produced food. “Our goal is to have 10% of all food dollars spent locally by 2020,” says City Council President Ben Stuckart, “That would be the equivalent of injecting nearly $250 million dollars into the local economy.”

When thinking of local food, farmers markets, co-ops and farm stands rightfully come to mind, but there is tremendous opportunity for local farmers and ranchers to collaborate with area restaurants and institutions like universities.

“There are a lot of barriers for us when it comes to buying local, but we are ready to sit down with farmers and figure out how to overcome these barriers. We want to invest in a local food system,” says Dan Harris, head of Sodexo’s Gonzaga Dining Services arm.

“Spokane is uniquely positioned to become a national leader when it comes to local food because of its large urban population and its rich agricultural heritage,” said local producer and food systems expert Beth Robinette, “Seattle can’t come close to touching the resources we have here.”

Pat Munts, Small Farms Coordinator at Spokane Conservation District and WSU Extension, believes the INW Small Farms Conference will help local food producers increase their productivity to meet the rising demand for local food. An important facet of the conference is the seminars that address how and when farmers can communicate with buyers to form profitable relationships, Munts said.

For more information and to register for the Small Farms Conference, visit www.sccd.org or call the Spokane Conservation District at (509) 535-7274.