FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 2, 2009 CONTACT: Jessica Hyman, (802) 656-9897 or [log in to unmask] CRS, WNRCD launch Local Growers Guide www.vermontgrowersguide.com The UVM Center for Rural Studies (CRS) and the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD) have launched the Local Growers Guide, a searchable web site that links consumers with local food, farms, and sales outlets in the Champlain Valley and central Vermont. The Local Growers Guide, at www.vermontgrowersguide.com, is intended to raise awareness about local food sources, link customers to local products, and support Vermont farms. The guide includes farmer-submitted information about their farms, their products, and where they sell. Farmers can also access and update their listings. The web site is searchable by town, product (organically grown, certified organic, or conventional), farm name, or sales outlet. The Local Growers Guide currently contains listings from farms in Chittenden and Washington counties, with ongoing updates. CRS is working with the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN) and the Northwest Regional Planning Commission to expand the Local Growers Guide to Addison, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties this fall. This web site is intended to complement the comprehensive, searchable web sites that state-wide organizations like NOFA Vermont and Vermont Fresh Network already have for their members. Look for printed versions of the Chittenden and Washington counties Local Growers Guides in early spring 2010. The Local Growers Guide web site was designed by Gregg Banse of 7th Pixel (www.7thpixel.com). Funding for the project comes from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Northern Vermont Resource Conservation & Development, Inc., the Oakland Foundation, and a USDA CSREES special research grant with ongoing support from Senator Patrick Leahy. The Center for Rural Studies is a nonprofit, fee-for-service research organization that addresses social, economic, and resource-based problems of rural people and communities. The mission of CRS is to promote the dissemination of information through consulting, research, and community outreach. To learn more about CRS, go to http://crs.uvm.edu The Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District is a non-profit organization servicing the Winooski River Watershed, Browns River, and portions of Lake Champlain's sub-watersheds, including all the land and resources within Chittenden and Washington counties and three towns in Orange County. WNRCD provides on-the-ground conservation assistance and promotes public awareness and appreciation for the value of conserving natural resources. To learn more about WNRCD, go to http://vacd.org/winooski/ Local Growers Guide quick facts: URL: www.vermontgrowersguide.com Farmers who want to be listed in the guide can contact Jessica Hyman at 656-9897 or [log in to unmask] or go to http://www.vermontgrowersguide.com/get-listed/ -- Jessica Hyman Research Specialist Center for Rural Studies 206 Morrill Hall University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405 (802) 656-9897 http://crs.uvm.edu