FarmPlate = Sustainable Food Central

FarmPlate is a new online resource for finding and selling sustainable food.

Founded in August 2011, FarmPlate allows visitors to search a directory of over 40,000 listings in order to find everything from local farmers, to food and drink artisans, to restaurants, food markets and farmers’ markets selling local products. The website boosts the online presence of small businesses and drives interested customers their way.

“The fact that oil prices continue to skyrocket, the severity of the health crisis in this country and the long-term benefits of supporting regional economies and small businesses is really giving the movement legs,” says Kim Werner, FarmPlate’s president and founder.

Partnerships with a variety of organizations bring more users to the site. A recent partnership with the Vermont Foodbank included donating 50 meals for every Vermont food business that purchased one year of online marketing with the company. These types of incentives allow FarmPlate to grow itself and the sustainable food movement simultaneously

As the site expands its resources and content it’s aiming to become more substantial than a simple directory. “We believe that the easier we make it for people to find sources of sustainable foods, the more likely it is that they will change their shopping and dining habits,” Werner says. “This shift will have far-reaching positive impacts on the health of our nation, both from a personal health and an economic standpoint.”