Readying for premiere event

Lismore mayor Isaac Smith’s column discusses preparing for premiere food event

HORTICULTURE: This year’s Eat the Street is designed to “return Lismore to its agricultural roots”. Photo: Zoe Phillips

This week we launched Eat the Street, Lismore’s award-winning food festival, which is going to be bigger and better than ever in 2020.

It’s also a wonderful opportunity to look at food in a different way.

As we spent 2019 fighting fires and drought, the country looked to rural and regional Australia to try and understand the challenges of farming.

We all need to take this opportunity to better understand agriculture and support our farmers, because unfortunately when things get better again, people tend to forget.

So as a city, Lismore council is more focused on agriculture than ever before.

In 2020 we will be working with Tarwyn Park and Southern Cross University to make our regional the regenerative agriculture capital of not just the country, but the world.

Regen Ag, as it is called, is the future of sustainable farming practices where we look after the land so it can look after the crop with less chemicals and intervention.

This is returning Lismore to its agricultural roots, which is a good thing for our city.

We had our start and became the heart of the region because of farming and I believe it is the key to rising the city up again and boosting our economy and local jobs.

We when you come to Eat the Street, think about the food you eat.

Ask about the way it was grown and prepared.

Where does it get transported to and from?

Who buys and sells it?

Who put their heart and soul into putting that on your plate?

In the modern world of convenience, we don’t ask questions like this any more.

But we should.

And when we gather for all things food in Lismore, you have the perfect opportunity to start.

Support or city and our farmers and make the most of our regions signature food event.

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