Mealani Event (Sept. 21, 2012)

 Food producers, ag educators invited to

Mealani event (Sept. 21)

(Photo courtesy of Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival)

MEDIA RELEASE
Local food producers are invited to display and sample their product at the 17th annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.
The state’s premiere ag showcase again offers a free trade show for Hawaii farmers, ranchers and food producers to hookup with Taste attendees. Called the Agriculture Festival, the expo coincides with the 6-8 p.m. Taste of the Hawaiian Range.
The Agriculture Festival provides a venue for food producers to present their products to participating chefs and attendees.
The expo is also open for agricultural and sustainability-themed organizations to present informational displays.
Producers interested in participating may contact Amy Shimabukuro-Madden at 808-974-4107/410-933-0853 or amysanae@hawaii.edu. The signup deadline is July 30.
Those interested in having an educational display may reach Victoria Vrooman at 808-640-4492 or vvrooman@hawaii.edu.
Taste will headline more than 30 statewide chefs who will dazzle diners using various cuts of forage-fed meats and a cornucopia of island fruits, vegetables and other farm products.
Also on tap is a 3 p.m. culinary activity, “Grass Fed Beef Cooking 101,” presented by James Babian, executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.
Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival provides a venue for sustainable agricultural education, encouragement and support of locally produced ag products.
The premiere ag-tourism event is a partnership between CTAHR, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Kulana Foods, UH-Hilo CAFNRM, County of Hawaii Dept. on Environmental Management and community volunteers.
Sponsorship also includes the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Hawaii County Research and Development, Hawaii Community College Food Service & Culinary Program and KTA SuperStores.
The quality and growth of this event are rooted in small business participation, sponsorship and in-kind donations.
— Find out more:
www.TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.co…