With the “farm to table” movement – a vague-but-trendy catchall stressing the most local, most seasonal ingredients – having been in full swing across the country for the better part of a decade now, sometimes it’s hard not to feel like the Central Valley has lagged behind. If not in production, at least in promotion.
A new branding initiative, Central to the Valley, hopes to change all that. At a launch event in Ivanhoe east of Visalia on March 10, the folks behind Central to the Valley brought together small farmers, academics, and some local politicians to celebrate the new marketing push.
“Despite the diversity and abundance of produce grown here in the Central Valley, there’s never been a unifying brand to promote it,” said Helle Petersen, Regional Director of F3 Local, the nonprofit driving the new effort. “This new ‘Central to the Valley’ campaign creates that opportunity.”…