Recent Updates

Columbia Localvore Challenge wins award
AgriMissouri and the Missouri Farmers Market Association recently awarded this project "Best Marketing Idea" for 2007. More information will be available when they make press releases available.

Jefferson Institute working to develop coalition of local food and agriculture groups
Come attend a meeting on Thursday, February 5th, 2008, to learn morn about this initiative.

Columbia Localvore Challenge highlights local food supplies (September 22-29, 2007)
SF&C, the Columbia Farmers Market, and Slow Food Katy Trail organized a week-long celebration of mid-Missouri's local food supplies. During this week, over 100 households pledged over 2100 locally-sourced meals, including those prepared by restaurants using local ingredients. This event was intended to raise awareness of the economic, social, and health benefits of local food supplies in our area. Visit the Challenge Website to learn more, and read the news coverage below.

City Council approves Memo of Understanding (May 22, 2007)- On May 21, the Columbia City Council approved a Memo of Understanding with SF&C, clearing the way for fundraising and design work to begin for the Farmers Market Community Center, a permanent pavilion intended to house the Columbia Farmer's Market and other community events such as weddings, reunions, and festivals.

Similar project succeeds in Eau Claire, WI (May 2007) - Growing For Market magazine, a publication for market farmers, has published a very relevant article in the May 2007 issue. The piece discusses the success of the Eau Claire (WI) Downtown Farmers Market in working with local government and community members to erect a permanent structure to house the market. The project was completed in July 2006 and has been a smashing success, with business at the market nearly doubling once the structure came into use. This is especially relevant to SF&C's efforts in Columbia, as the Eau Claire market is similar in size to the Columbia Farmers Market and its completed structure is similar in scope and cost to the Farmers Market Community Center currently being discussed for Columbia.

Read The Article! (1.3MB PDF file) Growing For Market has graciously agreed to allow SF&C to post a copy of the article on our web site for the public to read. Please enjoy the article while respecting their copyright.

USDA Grant applied for (May 2007) - The City of Columbia, in conjunction with SF&C and the Columbia Farmers Market, has applied for a USDA grant under the Farmers Market Promotion Program. These grants are "targeted to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities." (from the FMPP web site). If this grant application succeeds, the funds will likely be used for planning and design of the Farmers Market Community Center.

Recent News Stories

2007 | 2006

2007

Delicious meals can be made with the finest local ingredients (Columbia Missourian, October 4, 2007)
KOPN's Farm & Fiddle discusses Localvore Challenge (follow link and click the 9/05 and 9/21 podcasts)
Localvore Challenge encourages consumers to shop locally (Columbia Missourian, September 17, 2007)
Folk Group and Fundraiser Rally Sustainable Farmers (Columbia Missourian, August 24, 2007)
Local author gets sustainable (Columbia Tribune, June 13, 2007)
New garden brings sense of community to neighborhood (Columbia Missourian, June 1, 2007)
City to help farmers market (Columbia Missourian, May 30, 2007)
Market plan, sports group win support (Columbia Tribune, May 22, 2007)
Farmers market greens up (Columbia Tribune, March 25, 2007)
New school of thought (Columbia Tribune, January 11, 2007)

2006

Natural Selection (Columbia Tribune, November 11, 2006)
Web site harvests cash for local farmers (in NH) (Columbia Tribune, August 2, 2006)
Parks and Rec favors CYBA plan for land (Columbia Tribune, July 16, 2006)
Bee business brings in sweet rewards (Columbia Tribune, July 8, 2006)
Rinks, growers, add bids for Arc land (Columbia Tribune, June 28, 2006)
Outdoor stalls offer harvests with fresh air (Columbia Tribune, June 25, 2006)
Site links chefs, farmers (Columbia Tribune, June 21, 2006)
Suitors are lining up for city’s ARC land (Columbia Tribune, May 17, 2006)
Farmers worried about basketball plan (Columbia Tribune, May 11, 2006)
Volunteer lifts Farmers Market (Columbia Tribune, April 23, 2006)
Pace brisk as vendors start season (Columbia Tribune, March 19, 2006)

News Archives

Past volunteers had compiled news stories about SF&C, the Columbia Farmers Market, local farming and gardening, community supported agriculture and related topics from 2001-2004.  Keep in mind that some older articles may contain information or news that is no longer current or accurate, particularly as relates to the building project.

Follow this link to visit the SF&C news archives.