Pick-your-own apples. Stroll through vibrant farmers’ markets. Taste ice cream churned at a historic mill. Sip a glass of local wine or beer. Enjoy fine dining with the freshest ingredients. Smell the organic, locally-roasted coffee. Spend an overnight at a quaint bed and breakfast...

All of these scenes already exists in the exciting local food world of Licking County. Now imagine all that could be if we were to capitalize on this local movement and grow more family businesses, local food infrastructure, and access to fresh, healthy food for all.

Since the inception of the 30 Mile Meal Project in Athens County, this branding campaign has found success showcasing and promoting the economic power behind local food enterprises and partnerships. Licking County also has a talented and engaged group of citizens who are poised to replicate this success and to take a more active approach to capture this economic potential. The time is now, and we are ready.

Why the 30 Mile Meal Project?The 30 Mile Meal Project works to promote local food production, infrastructure, and purchasing. Under the leadership and support of the Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet), this project is being expanded into a select number of new communities. The 30 Mile Meal Project provides an umbrella identity for participating food partners as well as an easily recognizable sign of approval for consumers and visitors looking to eat and support local. This partnership and marketing campaign taps into local buying power, creates local food infrastructure that facilitates institutional and restaurant purchasing, and promotes local food access, all while furthering the goal of economic development in and around Licking County.

The 30 Mile Meal Project...

● Promotes local economic development, improving livelihoods for local producers, processors, and businesses and encouraging the development of new food-related businesses and jobs● Instills pride in community and strengthens community identity and interactions

● Raises awareness about health and food access● Strengthens infrastructure for local food and agriculture by encouraging collaborations between partners ● Provides consumer education surrounding agriculture and local food, in turn strengthening markets for local producers and processors and capturing more of the local food dollar

Licking County: Coming Home to Eat

Ben Dilbone, Proprietor, Sunbeam Family Farm,

Alexandria:

“Increasing support for local food, especially providing incentives for restaurants to increase their purchasing of local foods, will open doors for my family’s farm as we grow in our beginning years.”

Who is the Licking County Local Foods Council?In 2010, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commision, funded by the Columbus Foundation, conducted a Central Ohio Local Food Assessment and Plan. In response to one of its top recommendations, the Licking County Local Food Council was formed. With members representing food producers, processors, and distributors, local governments, schools, university research, business owners, not-for-profit organizations involved in local-food advocacy, health professionals, hunger advocates and concerned citizens, the Food Council has been meeting together for two years to further the conversation around local food infrastructure within Licking County.

Why Licking County, Why Now?Licking County is considered an economic development “hot-spot” located just on the eastern border of Franklin County in growing Central Ohio. There is great potential to develop our capacity for local food production and to capitalize on our proximity to the Columbus metropolitan area and its potential for visitors and tourism. This campaign is a response to what is happening both nationally and locally. Consumer demand for locally grown food is expected to rise from an estimated $4 billion in 2002 to as much as $9 billion by 2012. Consumers are more aware than ever before of the importance of sustainable local food -- for the health of their families as well as for the health of the planet. Licking County has the opportunity to be one of the very first communities to adopt the expanded Athens 30-Mile Meal brand. Inclusion in this first cohort will ensure additional, hands-on support from those in Athens with experience and expertise

Moving Forward

First Phase: We will seek to establish a fiscal sponsorship agreement with an established 501(c)3 organization that would match our goals. The Project’s first objective will be an assessment of Licking County conducted by seasoned leaders from Athens’ 30-Mile Meal Project. Acceptance to the 2012-13 learning cluster requires a $7,000 commitment for consulting services, web packaging, and adaptation and licensing of 30-Mile Meal marketing collateral.

Second Phase: The Project’s second objective will be the launch and implementation of the 30-Mile Meal project in Licking County. The first year (2013) will include building partnerships along the value chain. We expect to hold multiple stakeholder meetings to introduce members to the 30-Mile Meal project and include their perspectives in the project’s growth. We will utilize these partnerships through quarterly events highlighting various aspects of the local food movement. This could include a consumer education day, a “We Love Our Farmers” week, a local food restaurant week, and finally a 30-Mile Meal harvest challenge and cook-off.

For ways to get involved, contact Bryn Bird at 740-404-1475 or bird.bryn@gmail.com or Erin Harvey at 740-808-9908 or thekaleyard@gmail.com.

Niles Gebele, General Manager, Denison Dining Services:

“As one of the largest buyers of food in the county, we welcome the 30 Mile Meal Project and believe it will create awareness of the need and opportunities that exist locally.”