Projo Biz Blog

Buy Local RI is hoping to take what Farm Fresh Rhode Island did for farms and expand it throughout the state's economy by getting Rhode Islanders to support locally owned business.

Michael Tanaka, a spokesman for Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, says the group's organizers want to replicate the success of the Farm Fresh Web site, which promotes local produce and advertises farmers' markets.

"They're kind of a model," Tanaka said in an interview today after Roberts met with nearly 40 business owners and other campaigner organizers. "The idea is to take that model and expand it to include all businesses in Rhode Island."

Noah Fulmer, the Farm Fresh executive director, is advising Buy Local RI, Tanaka said.

Buy Local RI organizers met this afternoon at 2:30 at the Economic Development Corporation headquarters, Projo Biz Blog reported earlier. The group formed two committees: one will write a mission statement while the other designs a logo and debates whether to keep the group's name, created last November to urge shoppers to buy holiday gifts from local retailers.

Buy Local RI hopes to launch its Web site by next spring or summer.

http://www.ri.gov/press/view/7607
http://www.farmfreshri.org/
http://bizblog.projo.com/2009/01/buy-local-campa.html

---