Letitia Johnson
University of Missouri Extension
255 Market St.
Sainte Genevieve MO 63670
(573) 883-3548, (573) 883-3549 fax
johnsonlk@missouri.edu

The Missouri Regional Cuisines Project seeks to create, link and promote high-quality, locally-produced wine, foods and other specialty products by focusing on a regional identity. Project Director Dr. Elizabeth Barham, associate professor of rural sociology, University of Missouri—Columbia, modeled the Regional Cuisine Project on European appellations—wine region designations. Appellations are officially recognized, regional identities based on ecological land types and cultural heritage. Wine and foods that meet the standards determined by the region carry a special label of origin—for example, real Champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France…anything else is sparkling wine. Dr. Barham’s research shows that labels of origin can be an important way to distinguish products in the market and gain greater added value and profit.

In 2004, the Missouri Regional Cuisines Project began in a pilot region that runs south from St. Louis along the Mississippi River. Currently, there are eight wineries in the region and multiple agri-tourism opportunities. A companion ecological region existing on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River will be added to the project at a later date.

This workshop will be given by the University of Missouri Extension community development specialist who is serving as the regional coordinator for the project. During the workshop we’ll discuss the project background (research findings and theoretical underpinnings), scope, the process being utilized, lessons learned and the roles being played by Extension faculty.

PowerPoint Presentation (PDF format, 1,031 kb)