BOISE — An online ordering platform to debut by the first week of June is expected to benefit farmers and their restaurant customers alike.

The Idaho Independent Food, Agriculture, Restaurant and Beverage Establishment Alliance, which operates as FARE Idaho, will start with five farms and five restaurants.

Executive Director Katie Baker said the website, fareidaho.org, will show real-time inventory, process transactions for producers and verify when orders are delivered.

She said it will enable buyers to select products from the farms and help them better understand demand. Ideally, the farms will get more fresh food to restaurants faster.

“We really need to think about how we can increase sales and help our Idaho producers be successful,” Baker said.

Boise-based Global Gardens, which works with refugee farmers, will participate.

“The way we do it now is very labor-intensive,” said Rabiou Manzo, program manager. “And I don’t think farmers have equal access” to the market.

For example, Global Gardens now fulfills restaurant orders by calling its farmers each Monday to find out what they have available. Orders are split among participating farmers, but some are left out simply because they cannot immediately be reached.

“I am hoping that with some training, it will give equal access to all farmers,” Manzo said.

“If they are only a wholesale farmer, this is a great opportunity for them,” Manzo said. The website also may produce more frequent sales.

King’s Crown Organic Farm also plans to participate. Assistant Manager Wilder Jones said better market reach and inventory tracking are expected benefits.

Now, some potential business is lost because the timing of inquiries does not match what is available.

“Having all of Boise see what you have available, when it’s available and when you can distribute is way better than having conversations over and over again,” Jones said.

Baker said the pilot project is funded by membership-based FARE Idaho. It covers the southwest, south-central and central mountain regions.

Using the platform will be free. Producers will distribute the orders.