Program Matching Farmers to Local Businesses Launched by Oregon Environmental Council

PORTLAND, Ore.—June 18, 2009—The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) has kicked off a one-of-a-kind program matching the state's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers with local businesses.  The "Vote with Your Fork!"  program creates drop-offs sites for CSA farmers at local workplaces, creating new business opportunities and streamlined operations for local farmers, while providing access to fresh, local produce for employees.

With the program, a workplace commits to purchasing a certain number of shares and the farm commits to providing them. The first drop-off of the season occurred in late May, partnering natural gas provider NW Natural and Love Farm Organics of Forest Grove, Ore. In addition to NW Natural, three additional workplaces have been connected with CSA farms; NW Pump and Equipment and Providence Cancer Center have been paired with Sauvie Island Organics (Portland, Ore.), and CH2M Hill with Heavenly Harvest Farm (Corvallis, Ore.).  Also through the program, 76 individuals or families have signed up as members of CSA farms.

"We love the convenience of having fresh, organic produce delivered in the middle of the week," said Valerie White, of NW Natural. "Many of us are discovering vegetables that we’ve never tried and it’s been a delicious experience."

In addition to matching businesses with CSA farms, the Oregon Environmental Council’s “Vote with Your Fork!” program educates and informs individuals and businesses about the benefits of food choices that create a food system that supports our health, our environment, and strong local economies. Individuals are challenged to pledge to change at least one of their eating habits in the next month – including choices like supporting a local farmer, hosting a local foods potluck, composting, and more. More than 400 individuals have taken the pledge thus far.

For businesses, the program educates employees and management about the ripple effects of our food choices. At the request of a business, the Oregon Environmental Council gives on-site lunchtime presentations at the workplace covering topics like eating sustainably on a budget, the benefits of supporting local farmers, and the how food choices we make can directly impact our community and our environment. More information is available at: www.oeconline.org/fork.

"What we want to convey with this program is that we all have the power to create a better food system," said Allison Hensey, program director for Healthy Food and Farms at OEC, “Our individual food choices significantly impact where and how food is produced, and the kind of food that is available to all of us."

NOTE TO EDITORS: High resolution JPEG images are available of the May 20 CSA first drop off at NW Natural. Contact communications director Jeremy Graybill for image files.

About the Oregon Environmental Council

The Oregon Environmental Council safeguards what Oregonians love about Oregon – clean air and water, an unpolluted landscape and healthy food produced by local farmers. For 40 years we’ve been a champion for solutions to protect the health of every Oregonian and the health of the place we call home. Our vision for Oregon includes solving global warming, protecting kids from toxics, cleaning up our rivers, building sustainable economies, and ensuring healthy food and local farms. Find out more at www.oeconline.org.