Interested in forming valuable trade relationships with local farmers, restaurants, retailers or institutions? This is a great place to meet folks who have the local agricultural products that you’re looking for or to find buyers for what you produce. It’s also a chance to explore the opportunities and challenges of forming direct connections that will bear fruit for years to come. Opportunities are growing!

What: The largest local food trade meeting in Northwest Washington

When: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 1-4pm at the Bellingham YWCA, 1026 N. Forest St. in Bellingham (across from the Majestic)

Why: Now is the time to plan your crops and your menus for the coming season. Fresh, local food is very important to the public and local partnerships offer benefits to both producers and buyers—put a face on the food you grow and serve!

Who: Farmers, Fishers, Food Producers, Chefs, Restaurateurs, Retail Buyers, Institutions

Producers

• List Of Products Still Available

• Your Production Plans For Next Season

• One Thing That Would Make Working With Local Buyers a Dream Come True

Buyers

• Your "Wish List" Of Local Items You Want

• List of Food Quantities You Used In 2006

• One Thing That Would Make Working With Local Farms a Dream Come True

This post-season trade meeting will include time for networking, reviewing buyers’ "wish lists" and producers’ 2007 production plans, a tour of the Food & Farming Program resources available to you, information about services offered by other organizations, and a facilitated session to find solutions to the challenges of establishing and maintaining great local trade relationships.

Snacks and beverages will be provided.

"When you work as hard as all of us do, it's important to have a group like yours assembling the players, increasing awareness to everyone's abilities and constraints, all with an eye towards making everyone more effective!"

Rich and Yasmine McCudden, Flats Tapas Bar