Sustainability of small, family farms through direct sales at Farmers Markets
Stewardship of land and community
Access to local foods for everyone, regardless of income level
In 1996, a small group of farmers was recruited for Baton Rouge’s first farmers market by Chris Campany as part of his Master’s thesis under the direction of LSU Landscape Architecture Professor Suzanne Turner. Red Stick Farmers Market was born and the first market was held in November 1996 in the parking lot of the Government building located on St. Louis Street in downtown Baton Rouge. Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA) was officially recognized as a 501 © 3 non-profit organization in the same year and began its work to increase economic opportunities for small farmers.
In 2002, BREADA was approached to relocate the farmers market to 5th and Main Streets and create a dynamic public marketplace for the downtown community. In conjunction with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the State of Louisiana, Main Street Market opened, serving as both an incubator for small local businesses and a gathering place for the community. Since then, we have continued to expand our outreach efforts to small farmers and our community with the addition of a mobile farmers market serving limited access neighborhoods, incentives to assist low income families increase access to fresh food, and a kids club that teaches healthy lifestyles to our youngest market shoppers.
Our mission is to build a healthy and strong local food system; to increase sustainability of independent local farmers, fishers and food producers; and to foster stewardship of land and community through public markets.
Darlene Adams Rowland
Executive Director
Lisa Gray
Deputy Director
Malorey Uzee Cutrer
Marketing & Outreach Manager
Nick Uzee
Market Coordinator
Allie Schleter
Community Engagement Coordinator
President
Susannah Bing Johannsen, Louisiana Division of the Arts
Past President
Jessie Hynes Babcock, Beaux Box Commercial Real Estate
Vice President
Nathan Judice, Pickering Firm
Secretary
Nathan Judice, Pickering Firm
Treasurer
Lauren Songy Hatcher, Business Consultant
Founding Director Emeritus
Suzanne Turner, Suzanne Turner Associates LLC
Mila Berhane
Red Stick Farmers Market
Marcus A. Coleman, Ph.D.
Professor, Tulane University
Teresa Bailey Day
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana
Representative Barbara Freiberg
Louisiana House of Representatives
Chef Celeste Gill
Chef Celeste Bistro, Main Street Market
Jenifer Godfrey
Higher Education Consultant
Lauren Marschall
Center for Planning Excellence
Tracy Averett Morganti
Attorney, Breazeale, Sachse, and Wilson, LLP
Bernell Muse
Southern University Ag Center
Claire Sauls Ryan
Attorney, Adams and Reese LLP
Anna Gatlin Schilling
Consultant
Katherine Spaht
Community Volunteer
Catherine St. Pierre
Attorney, Erlingson Banks, PLLC
Charles D. Sutcliffe
Governor’s Office: Coastal Activities
Casey Tate
Downtown Development District