Katie Baker, FARE Idaho executive director

1. Event, registration detail
2. FARE Idaho detail

The first Field-to-Fork Festival will be in Boise next January.

The event is scheduled from 9 to 4 p.m. Jan. 19 at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, 1000 W. Myrtle St., Boise.

In addition, festival sponsor FARE Idaho and the state Wine Commission plan a celebration from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Amsterdam Lounge, 609 W. Main. State elected officials are invited.

The free festival is designed as an interactive trade fair. It aims to bring together independent food and beverage industry professionals including farmers and ranchers, food producers and retailers from around the state.

Scheduled panel discussions feature topics ranging from farming, ranching and butchery to winemaking and craft brewing, coffee roasting and processing, and pastry making.

Panels will feature a farmer, rancher or other producer. They will include discussions of how food and beverages get from the field to the consumer’s plate. Chefs are slated to lead several classes.

“It’s been a wild three years for the food and beverage industry,” said Katie Baker, executive director of FARE Idaho. A desire to source more food locally as supply-chain and staffing challenges continue is among trends, as are increased wages and other costs, and concern about a possible recession.

The trade association represents more than 300 independent food and beverage businesses in the state. Its acronym stands food, agriculture, restaurants and establishments. It was founded in March 2020.

A goal of the festival is to “come together in person, celebrate, network and strengthen relationships within our local food system,” Baker said. It is “time to come together to create positive change for the industry and build a more resilient Idaho food system.”

The festival venue is named for John R. “Jack” Simplot, founder of agribusiness J.R. Simplot Co.

Information: Baker at 208-495-4284 or katie@fareidaho.org