Buy Local Eat Natural promotes BC’s finest local food producers
Nominate and vote for your favourite local food producers in Buy Local Eat Natural’s We Heart Local Awards. Photo: buylocaleatnatural.com
Buy Local Eat Natural is launching a province-wide awards program to recognize and promote British Columbia’s local food producers.
The We Heart Local Awards will be held from July 1 until August 5 and invites all residents to patronize and nominate their favourite local food producers.
Buy Local Eat Natural is working with the BC Agriculture Council, BC Ministry of Agriculture, BC Association of Farmers Markets, Vancouver Farmers Markets, LOCO BC, and The Georgia Straight to bring the awards program to life.
“No doubt, there’s a movement underway to support and celebrate eating and buying local. The We Heart Local Awards will leverage this momentum in British Columbia and get people even more invested in lifting up their local favourites and sharing information with one another in meaningful ways with meaningful outcomes,” explained Rhonda Driediger, chair of the BC Agriculture Council and founding partner of the We Heart Local Awards.
“The We Heart Local Awards celebrate the passion British Columbians have for local, great tasting foods and the number of agricultural entrepreneurs that have turned their dream into a business here. I encourage all British Columbians to eat local, shop local, and nominate and vote in the We Heart Local Awards,” added BC agriculture minister Pat Pimm.
“We’re excited to call ourselves partners in this awesome initiative. Now is the right time for a community-driven Awards that provides valuable recognition to the farmers, wineries, cheese makers, and all of the key players and supporters of local food producers in BC. We expect this to be a hugely popular Awards program across BC,” said Elizabeth Quinn, executive director at the BC Association of Farmers Markets.
Nomination period is from July 1 to 15, with voting to begin from July 16 to August 5.
Anyone may nominate and then vote for their favourite entries by clicking here.
Award categories are:
- Favourite Local Farmers Market
- Favourite Store to Buy Local
- Favourite Local Meat or Poultry Supplier
- Favourite Local Seafood Supplier
- Favourite Local Cheese Maker
- Favourite Local Sweet Treat
- Favourite Local Advocate
- Favourite Local Winery
- Favourite Local Brewery
- Favourite Local Food Truck
- Favourite Local U-Pick Farm
- Favourite Local Orchard/Fruit Supplier
- Favourite Local Restaurant or Cafe
- Favourite Local Chef
- Favourite Local Florist or Greenhouse
All nominators and voters will automatically be included in a prize draw and stand to win one of 20 $100 Farmers Market gift cards.
They will also have a change to win an Okanagan weekend wine getaway complete with a two night stay and dinner for two showcasing seasonal local food producers.
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