“Things feel like they’re starting to come together. There’s a lot of hope – people are seeing results, and farmers are saying the soil is changing,” said Nathan Rice, Communications and Marketing Director at Kiss the Ground. “Organizations like Organically Grown Company are important for this change – both by promoting organic, which keeps toxic pesticides off the land, and financially supporting our work.”

“It’s inspiring to have a partner that helps us help our farmers – not only move their product and tell the stories but also financially supports the work directly,” said Michael Frazier, executive director of Viva Farms. “We’re a small team, trying to lift a heavy load. To have partners see, understand and support the work in the way that OGC does is essential.”

Today, March 7, is Climate Day at Natural Products Expo West. Every year, the Climate Collaborative brings together thought leaders from the natural products world to inspire, offer advice and bridge connections. T

his event is an essential part of the Climate Collaborative’s mission, which focuses on leveraging the power of the natural products industry to reverse climate change through policy advocacy and an engaging commitment program.

Fifty years ago, four University of Idaho students who believed food justice and ownership were critically important worked together to start the Moscow Food Co-Op. Today, the co-op straddles two of the most food-insecure counties in the Inland Northwest - Latah and Whitman. Faced with this fact, the Co-op’s leaders and members knew they needed to help, so they created the FLOWER program and Equity Fund to support low-income shoppers.

Each summer, 10 to 15 teens come to grow – in many ways. They earn a wage and gain job skills and training in gardening, leadership, financial management, and nutrition while learning to grow organic produce for a 180+ member CSA program and two produce stands. Half of the crop grown on the farm goes to the food bank to support neighbors in need. 

Oregon Food Bank is on a mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. They’ve been helping folks in our community for over 40 years through a wide range of programs, including distributing food across Oregon and Southwest Washington, organizing volunteers, supporting growers, and more. Through their work, they give away food today, and through their advocacy efforts, they support legislation to ensure food security for the future.   

Carl, reminiscing about when he first started working with OGC, mentioned that “We were one of the first growers through the doors when OGC opened. I remember bringing in flats of strawberries to a tiny loading dock. At that point, growers were running around to stores and almost tripping over each other. OGC had the idea to do the marketing and distribution so farmers could spend their time farming. I believed in that then and I still do now.”