The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance has been actively supporting local farmers and ranchers since 2012 by improving food access and supporting a sustainable food system. The HDFFA recently announced that in order to bolster its mission, it's launching a campaign geared toward helping locals recognize locally grown food.
Laurie Wayne, farm support program coordinator, explained the importance of the "Get a Taste of This Place," campaign, and the extensive research that went into developing it.
"We conducted surveys and held a focus group to find out how consumers felt about local food and what barriers they faced," Wayne said. "We found that across the board, people thought nothing really grew here. 'Yeah, you can get hamburgers and beer.' People want to buy local, they want to support the economy, get food that's fresher and connect with the farmer's story. So we developed a poster and a sticker with a logo. When people see the logo, they'll know that the food is from Central Oregon."
A major part of the campaign is increasing awareness and developing relationships. "We have a tough climate but we have amazing sunshine, volcanic soil and amazing food that grows here," Wayne added. "We want to make sure we're helping people connect with their farmers; helping people understand who their farmers are and what they're doing. They're some seriously hard-working people. They're professional, they're skilled and they're dedicated to Central Oregon."
"Get a Taste" posters and stickers are available wherever local food is sold, at local farmers markets or through HDFFA at 541-390-3572.
