Farmers wanting to explore collaborative opportunities to expand into new markets are invited to attend a Food Hub event scheduled for March 27, 2012 at the Champaign County Farm Bureau, 800 N. Country Fair Drive, Champaign, IL from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This event follows a Meet the Buyers event scheduled for earlier that day at the same location.

Food hubs are defined by the USDA as “a business or organization that is actively coordinating the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified locally or regionally grown food products from primarily small to mid-sized producers.” Food hubs can be owned and operated privately or cooperatively, and they can help farmers expand into new markets.

Please RSVP directly to the Champaign County Farm Bureau, (217)352-5235 by March 22.