Madras City Council Approves Farm-to-Table Market

Contact:          Lysa Vattimo, Communications 541-325-0302

Madras City Council Approves Farm-to-Table Market to Help Boost Agriculture Community and Provide Convenient Healthy Choices for Community

At their meeting last night, Madras City Council approved a proposal for a direct Farm-to-Table market to be located at City Hall Plaza Fridays from 2- 6 pm between May 28 and September 3^rd. “Our goal is to help Jefferson County farmers and ranchers market their products, providing them with an economic boost while also providing our community with easy convenience to farm fresh produce, meat, dairy and other products,” stated Lysa Vattimo, the City Communications person who developed the idea for the market. All products at the market will be consumables grown in Jefferson County and/or products made with the majority of their ingredients grown in Jefferson County.

The proposal includes an internship with the Future Farmers of America (FFA) through the 509J school district. The FFA will provide students to assist farmers and ranchers at the market and learn the marketing side of selling farm-to-table products. The City will fund the internship and the students will receive school credit.

The City will provide marketing for the event and assist farmers and ranchers in marketing their products to help reach a wide audience. Date, time and location of the market are key to the success also. City Hall Plaza is located adjacent Highway 97 and Friday afternoons during the summer are heavy traffic days. “We hope to capture the attention of people who typically just pass through Madras on their way to other Central Oregon locations. Perhaps they’d like to purchase farm fresh products, ranch to table meat, dairy, etc., to enjoy at their destination,” stated Ms. Vattimo.

Farmers and ranchers have shown enthusiasm about the market. Cheri Bowen, owner of Green Drive Mercantile in Culver states, “We’re excited to have the opportunity to bring our products to this market. The City has a well thought out plan for our success and any start is a good start. This farm-to-table market is a win-win for the agricultural community and the citizens of our neighboring towns.”

Farmers were notified by North Unit Irrigation District last week that their water allocations will be cut back drastically, but they still pay the full amount for their water to maintain infrastructure. Having a high-visibility, well-marketed location to bring their products to sell will be a much needed boost to their economy while also providing easy access to healthy food for the community. This is just one way our cities can help struggling agricultural communities.

If you are a farmer/rancher in Jefferson County interested in selling at the Market, contact Lysa Vattimo at the City of Madras 541-325-0302.