In the current issue of Certified Organic, CCOF announced our new grant opportunity for small-scale Salinas Valley farmers on the path to becoming organic farm owners. More specifically, grantees will be implementing regenerative practices that have been the hallmarks of organic production for decades, including crop rotation, cover cropping, mulching, composting, and other soil-building practices.
At the helm of this new grant opportunity is the Rustic Canyon Family, a Michelin-starred restaurant group with a history of community giving and philanthropy. The announcement of this grant opportunity comes just weeks before the UN announces a new climate report with a clear direction for citizens of the world: It’s time to change.
Because healthy soils store carbon, organic farming is one of many approaches that must be employed to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The science is clear that organic farms sequester carbon, protect pollinators, keep water sources clean, and provide a multitude of other ecosystem services. Organic farming and regenerative practices pack a double punch: Not only are farmers keeping soils healthy, but the lack of pesticides allows for healthy waterways, more water storage, pollinator-friendly operations, and healthy communities—both those eating the food and those on the frontlines of farming operations. CCOF envisions a world where organic is the norm, and now is the time to grow it. As of July 31, 2021, the CCOF Foundation and its partners have raised nearly $200,000 for this new Organic Transition Grant opportunity. We appreciate all our donors and give a special thanks to the anonymous donor of $50,000 that is helping make farmers’ organic dreams a reality. With your partnership, we will equip farmers with the resources, funding, and skills necessary to become organic farm owners and to steward the land toward a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you to our current donors:
• The Rustic Canyon Family
• The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation
• Wells Fargo
• Anonymous donor
• FreshPoint
• California Department of Food and Agriculture
• All other CCOF Foundation Supporters who make continued projects like this possible
To get involved with this grant opportunity, please email Shawna Rodgers at srodgers@ccof.org.
Photo by Liz Birnbaum