BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council has received a $200,000 grant to help increase market opportunities for local food producers. COIC Program Director Katrina Van Dis tells KBND they’ll use the funds to educate consumers about local food options and to help local farmers get their products to market. “If farmers say they need to be able to talk to chefs or want help getting their product into a business we would help to make those connections with a restaurant.” Van Dis says COIC will also hold events with local chefs with growers to help them get to know each other’s needs. 

She adds, “And the end result is that consumers will hopefully, in two year’s time, notice a difference in maybe the way food is labeled at a restaurant or at a grocery store and feeling lie there is more accessibility to local food.” The Oregon Department of Agriculture and USDA grant money will also be used to help connect low-income and food bank programs with local food producers.