Oregon Organic Coalition

In 1965, Richard Birkemeier planted the first forty acres of Meridian Orchards hazelnut trees in Aurora, Oregon, and added an additional 40 acres the following year, mostly the Barcelona variety. Richard’s son Jim took over in 1995, and as part of this transition, Jim adopted organic practices, certifying Meridian Orchards as organic in 1997. Meridian Orchards is now in its third-generation and is being thoughtfully stewarded by MaryClair Birkemeir-Stehman, Jim’s daughter, and her husband David Stehman. “Organic farming is an art form, it takes experimentation and research and creativity,” MaryClair shared, “it’s also a lifestyle, you’re choosing to live your whole life with certain values.” MaryClair and David are in the process of becoming @regenerativeorganic certified, or #ROC, which in addition to an organic baseline, takes things even further. Many organic farmers–certified or not–already exceed organic standards, but the ROC label is a way to convey to consumers that soil health (among other things) is front and center, and is the basis of nutrition for the crops being grown. At Meridian, in addition to soil testing, the trees are tested to determine what they are actually absorbing from the soil. Meridian Orchards also harvests, washes and dries their nuts on-site, then ships around 50 tons of nuts per harvest to an Albany processor for inspection and shelling. We had a lovely time–despite rain showers–touring Meridian Orchards with Birkemeir-Stehmans and their farm helpers, as well as @elenavaleriote, @joan_nathan, @kittygreenwald, @organicgrownco, and @progressive_hedonist as part of the Collaborative Culinary Mission we hosted in partnership with @goodfoodfdn. You can find Meridian Orchards hazelnuts at Oregon City Farmers Market farmers market(s), under the name of Squirrely Jane, as well as in one of our all-time favorite @hummingbirdwholesale products, Hazel Munch, which is available at multiple co-ops and grocery stores, including coalition member @newseasonsmarket. Photos courtesy of @shawnlinehan & Amy Wong. #organic #FarmLikeTheWorldDependsOnIt #OMDG #organicistheanswer #oregon

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming certified organic? Now is a great time to get free support and guidance in doing so by joining the TOPP Mentee Program! The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources. With TOPP, producers transitioning to organic will find support through the transition and certification process. Mentorship, workshops, webinars, field days, technical assistance, and other educational events will offer opportunities to learn about organic production, the certification process, market opportunities, and more. As a transitioning producer you will receive free mentorship from an experienced organic producer. Mentors and transitioning producers will work together to set goals for the mentorship year and will form a strong network of organic producers across the region. More information can be found at the link in our bio.

Exciting organic news! 🙌🏽 The @usdagov has allocated over $9.5 million for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program, including $150,000 to Oregon for 2024. The purpose of the program is to reimburse organic operations for specific organic certification costs💸 "Consumer demand for organically produced goods continues to grow and with some assistance more Oregon producers can tap into this market and be successful," emphasized Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson. “Statewide, our organic producers farm nearly 194,000 acres and boast more than $351 million in annual sales, these funds can help grow this market benefitting our communities and the economies that help support them." Congress authorizes the USDA to provide organic certification cost-share assistance to Oregon producers or handlers who have paid eligible costs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. Oregon producers or handlers that receive certification or renew their certification from a USDA-accredited certifier are eligible for reimbursement for 75% of eligible certification fees, up to a maximum of $750 per annual certification scope. To benefit from the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, producers or handlers in Oregon must submit their completed applications and all necessary documents, including proof of payment, between October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024, by October 31, 2024 #oregon #agriculture #organic

The organic community was devastated to hear about the tragic Shin Shin Foods fire that impacted @umiorganic and other local food businesses. Fortunately, no one was injured. Please support Umi Organic as they navigate this difficult time by attending their open house on Wednesday, July 10 from 9-2 at 722 N. Page, Suite 200, Portland. Umi Organic will be selling their remaining inventory and will also have coffee treats, cases of their Umi Yakisoba sauce, and other offerings available. If you are unable to make it, Umi Organic products can be found in select stores throughout the PNW and beyond. The OOC had the pleasure of spending the day with Lola Milholland, the founder of Umi Organic, at the recent Organic Grains & Cover Crops Field Day. Lola has long been a champion of more equitable food systems and sourcing local and organic grains for Umi Organic's products. Lola is also a talented, award-winning writer and Lola's book, Group Living and Other Recipes, will be released in August! Photos courtesy of @shawnlinehan & @umiorganic

Applications for American Farmland Trust's 2024 Brighter Future Fund’s National Grant for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers are now open! ☀️ $5,000 grants are available for projects related to: 1) improving farm viability 2) accessing, transferring, or permanently protecting farmland 3) adopting regenerative farming practices and increasing resilience to climate change APPLY by July 8 – link in bio! The Brighter Future Fund was launched in 2020 to assist farmers in successfully launching, growing, and sustaining farms in the face of forces impacting the food and agricultural system, including the COVID-19 pandemic, changing markets, severe weather, and climate change. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $5,000 per project. A project may involve one or more individual farmers or farm families. Only one grant can be awarded per farmer/farm family. #oregonagriculture #organic #climatesmart #agriculture #brighterfuturefund #americanfarmlandtrust

🙌🏽Proposal Call!🙌🏽 Ready to make a difference and shape the future of the organic trade? 🌿 Are you an organic movement leader or advocate? Submit a proposal to become a featured speaker and share your knowledge, best practices, and boundary-pushing new ideas. The conference is an opportunity to connect and collaborate with a diverse group of eco-conscious consumers, farmers, organizations, and potential partners. @organicology is calling all #organic thought leaders and advocates to be a part of our one-of-a-kind program. Pitch your idea to become a featured speaker and share your knowledge, best practices, and boundary pushing new ideas. Organicology will be held March 12-14, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. The event brings together contributors, advocates and change-makers from across the organic movement to revolutionize food, agriculture and economic models for the better. Learn more at the link in bio. #organicgrown #organicology2025 #orpol #orag #oregonagriculture #oregon #organic #climatesmart #agriculture

On Juneteenth, we are highlighting the history of racism in agriculture and how despite federal efforts to address this inequity, problems still remain. In 1910, approximately 14% of American farmers were Black, collectively owning over 16 million acres of land. Now only one in 100 farmers are Black, and their land ownership is fewer than 5 million acres. Additionally, Black farmers have lost over $325 billion in land value over the last century. The USDA's history of discriminating against Black farmers and other ethnic and racial minorities by denying them access to low-interest loans, grants and other assistance, created disparities within the agriculture sector, including organic. And major barriers still exist, such as access to land, capital, and governmental aid, and challenges with the certification process. Black farmers have been shrinking in numbers amid economic obstacles and difficulty getting loans. They have lost approximately 90% of their land over the last century as large agricultural corporations consolidated the nation’s farmland. According to USDA statistics, by 2022, the 42,000 Black farmers left in the U.S. represented about just over 1% of the nation’s 3.4 million farm operators. Creating an equitable food system is a core value for the organic community. In the same way that biological diversity is foundational to the healthy agricultural systems we support, we recognize that diversity of people makes the organic movement healthier and more sustainable. However, access to the organic movement and to organic certification has not been equal across racial groups: systematic racism has kept our movement from reaching its full potential. The next Farm Bill can help keep Black farmers on their land by including provisions that help resolve ownership and title issues for Black farmers, and hopefully will create funding that improves access to land for all farmers. The Farm Bill, which was most recently reauthorized in 2018, was set to expire last September before Congress extended it for one year. Currently, Congress is working to pass a new farm bill that includes nutrition assistance, programs to support farming, conservation and forestry, and rural development. Stay tuned for more updates.

Cassedea Ashley grew up in Creswell, Oregon on land stewarded with principles of environmental sustainability. NW Native Nuts is a hazelnut farm using organic practices with the hope of inspiring the world to move away from chemical-intensive farming. Cassedea was raised on a produce farm run by her father and soaked up the skills, knowledge, and joy that come with farming. During the pandemic, Cassedea and her sister, who runs their farm stand, began revitalizing the family farm by adding organic approaches to production. NW Native Nuts is also a founding member of the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective, whose mission is to advance Oregon's organic hazelnut industry by providing education, community, and resources. Organic hazelnuts are in high demand–and Oregon is a key supplier–but there is limited organic processing in the state, and it is difficult for nut dryers to obtain organic certification. NW Native Nuts hopes to bring more attention to the organic nut industry through organic advocacy efforts. We had a great time tabling with NW Native Nuts at the @goodfoodfdn Portland Mercantile this year as part of our @usda_ams OMDG award, introducing retailers and makers to organic hazelnut producers in the region, building new markets for them! We’re excited to have NW Native Nuts join the OOC and our work to build resilient regional food systems, rooted in organic practices. #orag #oregonagriculture #NWNativeNuts #oregonorganichazelnutcollective #OMDG

Please join us in welcoming new OOC member, Zero Foodprint (ZFP). 🙌🏽 Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. Their work focuses on the belief that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. "ZFP and OCC share a vision for a restored Northwest region. By taking direct action to build healthy soil, we can work together to advance the environmental and community benefits of regenerative agriculture: better food, thriving farms, and a restored climate. We believe in a world in which climate change isn’t merely postponed, it is overcome. While the food system is responsible for up to a third of global emissions, it doesn't have to be that way. ZFP works with eaters, farmers, and businesses across the entire food system to implement more regenerative practices that sequester carbon and restore the climate." -- JB Douglas, Marketing & Communications Manager at ZFP Images courtesy of ZFP. #oregonorganic #portlandorganic #zerofoodprint #orpol #orag #oregonagriculture #oregon #organic #climatesmart #agriculture

One of the OOC’s @usda_ams OMDG award partnerships is with the @goodfoodfdn, who puts on the annual Good Food Awards–a celebration of food that is tasty, authentic, and responsible--and often organic! One of the partnership goals is to connect Good Food makers with even more organic producers, while showcasing Oregon’s organic bounty. This year we focused on Oregon organic hazelnuts and were fortunate to collaborate with @culinarybreedingnetwork and Chef Risa Lichtman to create the Welcome Bite at the Good Food Awards. The bite included @littletbaker baguette with @briarrosecheese fromage blanc–a Good Food Award winner–lemony herb schmoo, microgreens, and hazelnut dukkah made from Meridian Orchards organic hazelnuts. Many thanks to @hummingbirdwholesale for donating the hazelnuts and @organicallygrownco for the organic greens in the vegan version of the bite! It was a big hit, and was complemented by the Welcome Sips, white and red Pinot Noir, provided by @lemelsonwinery, home to the longest-certified organic vineyards in Oregon. Risa is a chef, advocate, community-builder & the owner of @lepagefoodanddrinks, which creates seasonally driven Jewish- and Mediterranean-inspired comfort food. Risa embodies OOC values by focusing on ingredient-driven food and building close relationships with local farmers. Risa previously cooked in restaurants in San Francisco & New York, and is also the lead organizer of the Portland chapter of Queer Soup Night, which gathers queer community and allies over food-centered events and raises. Photos by Shawn Linehan. Image 1: L to R - Chef Risa Lichtman, RIvka (waiting on last name), Liz Singer Image 2: Hazelnut dukkah Image 3: All three chefs putting finishing touches on the bites Image 4: The Welcome Bites Image 5: L to R - Kitty Greenwald @kittygreenwald, Kayt Mathers @playnicepr & Amy Wong enjoying the Good Food Awards Welcome Party