Tourism Kelowna is seeking to pair area farmers with local restaurants using Buy Local funding from the BC government. 

The $100,000 in matched funds will be used to promote and grow its "Farm To Table" program, increase visitor awareness of the program and improve its interactive website.   Tourism Kelowna works in partnership with 300 tourism businesses located within the Central Okanagan Regional District, the City of Kelowna and the District of Lake Country to increase the local economic impact of tourism. 

"An estimated 1.5 million people from all over the world visit Kelowna annually, many of whom will visit a local farm or orchard, tour a local winery, or dine at a local restaurant,” said Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick.

“The Farm To Table program is an excellent way to match producers with restaurants and chefs and will offer a very enjoyable way for people to discover where their food comes from."

One of the goals of the Farm To Table program will be to grow word-of- mouth and awareness of Kelowna as a centre for agri-tourism experiences and to catalyze the momentum of the buy local movement.

Tourism Kelowna will offer tourism promotion guidance to area businesses and farmers who wish to be involved and will provide marketing support to promote the program. 

The Buy Local program offers successful applicants matching funds up to  $100,000 to launch or expand local food marketing campaigns.

"We are thrilled to enter into this partnership with the government of BC,” said Tourism Kelowna president and CEO Nancy Cameron.

“We feel the time is right for Kelowna's identity as an iconic Canadian agri-tourism and farm to table destination to be revealed