Farmers who want to meet with regional buyers one-on-one are invited to attend a ‘Meet the Buyers’ event scheduled for Oct. 10, 2016. This one-day event will take place at the St. Louis University campus in the Il Monastero Building, 3050 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m.
“We’re excited to bring in buyers from the St. Louis metropolitan area to provide an overview of their organizations and their procurement needs,” said Cynthia Haskins, manager of business development and compliance, Illinois Farm Bureau. “For farmers, the conference will provide an excellent opportunity to listen to several speakers who will help them market their produce locally.”
Speakers will include:
* Laurie J George, extension educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms, University of Illinois Extension
* Diana Endicott, founder and director, Good Natured Family Farms
* Nicola Macpherson, owner, Ozark Forest
* Teresa Miller, RD, LD, and Dan Brewer, Saint Louis University
* Dan Bippen, president, Kuna Foodservice
In the afternoon, farmers will have an opportunity to meet with participating buyers. Farmers also will have a few minutes to introduce themselves, inform the buyer about their farm and their products, and share contact information.
Event organizers include the Illinois Farm Bureau, University of Illinois-Extension, Illinois Specialty Growers Association, Illinois Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Agriculture, University of Missouri-Extension, and Saint Louis University.
Registration fee is $20 and includes all event materials and lunch. On-site registration is $30.00 per person as space allows. For more information and to register for the event, visit the Illinois Farm Bureau website at www.ilfb.org and click on News & Events.
The Illinois Farm Bureau is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation, a national organization of farmers and ranchers. Founded in 1916, IFB is a non-profit, membership organization controlled by farmers who join through their county Farm Bureau. IFB has a total membership of more than 420,500 and a voting membership of 82,973. IFB represents two out of three Illinois farmers.
