by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Annual Fort Collins gathering aims to strengthen Northern Colorado’s farm-to-table economy
More than 100 Northern Colorado farmers, ranchers, chefs, restaurant managers, school representatives, and food distributors are expected to gather on February 5, 2026, for the annual Farm2LocalBiz local food networking event in Old Town Fort Collins.
The event will be held at Block One Events and is designed to help local food producers connect directly with commercial buyers, expanding farm-to-table opportunities across Larimer County and the broader Northern Colorado region. Farm2LocalBiz is co-organized by the Colorado State University Extension Office in Larimer County, the Northern Colorado Foodshed Project, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development Office, and CSU Food Systems.
Northern Colorado producers will showcase a wide range of locally grown and raised products, including salad greens, eggs, mushrooms, beef, chicken, honey, and grains. Each producer will host a table and offer samples to attending food businesses. Catering will be provided by Fresh Plate Catering, featuring ingredients sourced directly from participating producers. Locally crafted beverages, including beer from Stodgy Brewing and wines from Colorado wineries, will also be available.
“Agricultural producers in Northern Colorado report that connecting with local commercial markets can be challenging,” said Jessica Callen, agriculture specialist with Larimer County CSU Extension. “Our hope is that Farm2LocalBiz changes that.”
In addition to open networking, the event will include an educational panel featuring a local producer and a restaurant purchaser, as well as a presentation from Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development on the economic impact of local food systems.
Following the inaugural 2024 event, organizers report strong interest and tangible outcomes. One local business owner shared that the opportunity helped them finally connect with a local honey supplier, noting the event provided “just the incentive we needed to make it happen.”
To encourage new partnerships, participating commercial food businesses will receive a $100 discount on their first purchase from a producer they meet at the event. Organizers say the incentive is designed to lower barriers and help businesses take the first step toward sourcing more local ingredients.
Larimer County Extension provides practical, research-based education to support individuals, businesses, and communities throughout Northern Colorado. Its programs span agriculture, community development, youth education, food safety, and more. Additional information is available at https://larimerextension.org.
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Attribution: Larimer County CSU Extension
