Creating New Opportunities for Sustainable Agriculture,
Small Farms and Local Food Systems in
Washington and Western Idaho

Bonnie Rice

Over the past year, non-profit organizations (NGOs) in Washington and western Idaho have played a critical role in building institutional and public support for sustainable agriculture, small farms and community food systems.

Many non-profits have come together to promote sustainable farming under the umbrella of the Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network (the Network). The Network is a grassroots-based alliance of producer, environmental, community, consumer, marketing and sustainable agriculture advocacy organizations. With its broad base of constituencies and its ability to reach large numbers of the public, the Network demonstrates well how NGO involvement can be instrumental in creating change in the Northwest agricultural system.

Specifically, in late 1998, a unique partnership was formed between Washington’s land grant university, Washington State University (WSU) and the Network. A groundbreaking "Letter of Mutual Commitment" was signed by Network and WSU leadership in order to increase support for small farms and sustainable agriculture at WSU. The number and diversity of the Network’s many membership-based organizations and their individual constituencies was instrumental in gaining the agreement. The partnership is currently developing a statewide Small Farm Program. The Network is helping to guide the development of the Small Farm Program through active participation in advisory and hiring committees, as well as the planning of farmer-researcher listening sessions to determine the needs of small farmers in Washington. The Network is also working to bring about a new focus on sustainability throughout WSU’s education and research programs.

The Network has also been working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to increase its awareness and support of small farms and sustainable agriculture. In 1998, a Sustainable Agriculture Program was created at WSDA as a result of collaborative work between the Network, the EPA, and WSDA. Discussions are currently underway regarding creation of a Direct Marketing Program within WSDA.

Many non-profit organizations in Washington are playing a key role in reinvigorating Washington’s food and farm system. The Tacoma-based Tahoma Food System is doing innovative work in improving access to quality, locally-produced food for low-income populations through community gardens, gleaning and youth training programs. Washington Tilth Producers has been instrumental in advancing research on sustainable farming methods, and has brought many new people into farming through its apprenticeship program and conferences. The Cascade Harvest Coalition is bringing new awareness to the public of the value and benefits of locally produced food in Western Washington, through harvest fairs and conferences. Other non-profit organizations in both eastern and western Washington are forming partnerships with producers to build food systems that feed the local community and bring higher profits to the farmers, such as value-added processing centers.

Initiatives in Washington between non-profit organizations and institutions have played a role in jump-starting similar initiatives in Idaho. Discussions are currently underway regarding creation of a regional, multi-state Small Farm Center based in Sandpoint, Idaho. Rural Roots, a community-based organization working in eastern Washington and western Idaho and member of the Network, has spearheaded these discussions.

Non-profits are instrumental to sustaining our agricultural system for several reasons: NGOs often have a range of skills and constituencies that can be critical to effecting social change; NGOs generally have access to a broader public than do agricultural institutions or producers; NGOs can help to find additional resources for many types of private/public food systems projects; and broad-based NGOs can maintain momentum by actively work on issues continuously throughout the year, whereas producers by necessity must limit policy work to the off-season.

In summary, the involvement of non-profit organizations in the agricultural system in Washington and Western Idaho has been key in bringing about a new, more supportive attitude toward sustainable agriculture from institutions, fostering innovative partnerships and projects, and in building public awareness of the benefits of sustainably-produced food.

Bonnie Rice
Coordinator
Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network
PO Box 6054
Bellingham, WA 98227-6054
Tel: (360) 592-3094
Brice@Televar.com

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