Big River Economic & Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA) was founded in June 1996 with a mission of building community, promoting sustainable economic development and protecting the environment by fostering stewardship of land and community. In November 2006, BREADA celebrated its 10th anniversary, Ten Years Fresh and Growing.

The values which formed our first efforts ten years ago still hold true today:
 1- Sustainability for small, family farms through direct sales at Red Stick Farmers Market
 2- Stewardship of land and community
 3- Access to local foods for everyone no matter what the income level
 4- Development of a public marketplace to connect the urban consumer with the local farmer

BREADA is the founder and parent organization of both Main Street Market and the Red Stick Farmers Markets. The markets create an atmosphere that brings together farmers, local chefs, citizens, businesses, government leaders and nutritional experts.

BREADA has a positive, measurable economic impact on the downtown Baton Rouge community:
 1- During its first 4 years of operations, the cumulative gross sales revenues of Main Street Market vendors has been
     $4,173,246;
 2- Attendance figures have risen to 288,500 annually;
 3- Fifty-seven (57) member farmers maintain Sustainable AgriBusiness through participation in Red Stick Farmers Market;
     and
 4- Thirteen (13) retail and restaurant merchants with a total of 39 employees in Main Street Market create a thriving
     downtown public marketplace.

Red Stick Farmers Market is a producer only farmers market with a membership of over 55 independent small family farms from throughout the state of Louisiana. Red Stick Farmers Market is a statewide leader in redemption of Senior and WIC Coupons in the USDA Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

We now have three locations to serve the Baton Rouge area:
 * Saturdays from 8 AM until noon in conjunction with Main Street Market in downtown Baton Rouge
 * Tuesdays from 8 AM until noon in the Goodwood neighborhood.
 * Thursdays from 8 AM until noon at the corner of Florida Boulevard and Ardenwood. Our third Market is
    a collaborative effort with BREC and opened in June of 2007.

Main Street Market is an affordable market hall for small local farmers, artists and businesses in downtown Baton Rouge. It is a six day a week public marketplace with a strategic location in the Galvez Parking Garage at Main and Fifth Streets and evokes the feel of a contemporary town square.

Growing a Gulf Coast Food System - In 2007 BREADA will collaborate with agricultural partners from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama in a project to redefine local food systems across the Gulf Coast region. BREADA received a $100,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to begin this tri-state project.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local - In addition to management of the two special projects, Red Stick Farmers Market and Main Street Market, BREADA also is the statewide coordinator for the Louisiana Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign for economic support of local small family farms, a national initiative by FoodRoutes Network.

Louisiana Small Farm Survival Fund - In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, BREADA established the Louisiana Small Farm Survival Fund to provide gap funding and replacement funds for equipment and building damage to Louisiana’s subsistence farmers. Over $187,000 was raised for grants and designated to Louisiana’s subsistence farmers who were struggling to recover from hurricane damage and loss of markets for their goods.

Ten Years Fresh and Growing - Throughout 2007 and 2008, several initiatives are planned that will expand our work in local food systems. A lecture series will bring nationally recognized speakers to Baton Rouge to provide the community with a greater knowledge of the importance of a local food system. We will increase access to locally grown and seasonal products through a pilot program using food stamps in a farmers market setting. Main Street Market will receive a fresh look and expand its educational offerings.