The Acadiana Food Alliance, in partnership with EatLafayette, is launching the inaugural South Louisiana Food Summit being held June 17 – 18. The two-day summit aims to foster and facilitate an ongoing conversation that brings together growers, distributors, restaurants, and the general public to discuss the challenges and opportunities each face within our local food economy.
The first day of the summit will be spent in the field where attendees will experience firsthand each part of the food and supply chain from various vendors in the region as well as get a chance to network with other attendees.
Participants will visit multiple local farms, including Bob Blanchet’s Brookshire Farm in Abbeville. Blanchet says he’s looking forward to promoting local and sustainable farming.
“Grass fed farming and any sustainable agriculture is better for the environment than conventional ag practices whether its conventional cattle, where they’re all in one pasture together or whether its conventional row crop farming instead of no till agriculture… For the farmer its good because the less you spend the more you make. For the consumer its good because everything is more natural,” says Blanchet.
The second day will be held at the CAJUNDOME Convention Center and will feature presentations and panel discussions in between morning and afternoon keynote speakers that will include audience participation throughout the day.
The event will conclude Tuesday evening at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and Taste of EatLafayette Kick-Off event at the CAJUNDOME Convention Center.
Tickets to the South Louisiana Food Summit are available for one- and two-day passes. Both ticket options include lunch as well as coffee and snacks. T
he two-day ticket option includes entry into the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and Taste of EatLafayette Kick-Off event at the Convention Center being held Tuesday, June 18 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are only available in advance by visiting SOLAFoodSummit.Eventbrite.com.