INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana producers who raise and produce food products for sale to the public are invited to attend a membership drive geared at gaining vendors for the historic Indianapolis City Market in downtown Indianapolis.

The meeting, Jan. 10 from 6-8 p.m. at the Clinton County Library in Frankfort, is sponsored by I.Farm, a new farmer-owned retail co-op. I.Farm members will sell food products in a year-round farmers' market environment at the Indianapolis City Market, a popular venue currently undergoing a renovation expected to be completed by May.

The group’s promotional materials state that it is the first Indiana farmer co-op to operate a retail store in Indiana exclusively to market food and food related products to consumers.

I.Farm was developed to provide Indiana producers a direct-to-consumer selling avenue where a majority of the dollars earned go directly back to individual producer members.

The co-op will be managed by a professional staff, thus producers will be able to spend their time raising crops and producing products rather than in the act of selling, as is the case with traditional weekly farmer’s markets. The market will be open daily as well to capitalize on daytime workers in the city and full-time residents.

I.Farm consists of a board of farmer members and receives assistance in the development of the retail opportunity from the Indiana Cooperative Development Center and the Central Indiana Community Foundation.

An additional opportunity to explore membership in I.Farm will be in Alexandria on Jan. 17. For more information contact:

•Stanley Poe II, I.Farm board president, 317-738-0863

•Daina Chamness, I.Farm membership coordinator, 317-414-5102

•Chad Martin, Indiana Cooperative Development Center, 317-275-2247

•Gina Sheets, Clinton County Chamber of Commerce, 765-654-5507

This farm news was published in the Jan. 3, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.