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Restaurants offer a viable market channel for farmers, one that <br />offers potential for growth. Increased communications between <br />farmers and chefs — as well as education for both groups — is <br />needed to facilitate this growth. A strong business relation- <br />ship between chef and farmer is also critical to success in this <br />market. These relationships take time to nurture, but the trust <br />built by them allows farmers to work directly with restaurants <br />without the need for third party certification. Plus restaurants <br />have the opportunity to educate consumers about the value of <br />local food, which could help increase demand for local food. <br />1. Build relationships between chefs and farmers through <br />farm -to -table dinners, educational events and restaurant <br />associations. <br />2. Promote restaurants that support local farmers, as well as the <br />economic benefits of this support, through the communication <br />initiative recommended in Produce Production Recommenda- <br />tions. Promote the CEFS 10% Campaign as part of this effort. <br />3. Support micro - aggregators and distribution models that <br />allow farmers to deliver to restaurants without necessarily using <br />broad line distribution companies. <br />4. Educate chefs about ways to use whole animals in menu plan- <br />ning, which will enable them to serve local meat economically. <br />Cabarrus County is in a good position to expand direct market <br />sales of local food. Increasing these direct market sales offers <br />excellent opportunities to build the County's local food system. <br />30 CENTER for ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING SYSTEMS <br />Attachment number 1 <br />Page 644 <br />is <br />photo: Becky Kirkland <br />