Photo credit: Claire Schaper and Max Wanger
Jacob Pechenik of The Farm Project and Lettuce Grow will keynote the CCOF Foundation Feast at the Organic Grower Summit. Save seats for you and your team today!
On Wednesday, December 4, the CCOF Foundation will celebrate the collaborative effort to advance organic for a healthy world. Since 2014, the Foundation has granted more than $600,000 to the next generation of organic farmers and producers, nearly $100,000 to organic businesses that have experienced hardship, trained thousands of professionals through the Organic Training Institute, and has continually educated the public on the benefits of organic. This year, the CCOF Foundation is pleased to have Pechenik joining as the Foundation Feast’s keynote speaker.
Jacob Pechenik co-founded The Farm Project with actress and environmental activist Zooey Deschanel. As The Farm Project’s tagline describes, “The Farm Project empowers initiatives that reconnect people with food.” The Farm Project emphasizes consumer education above all else, telling the story of the farmer, the journey from seed to shelf, and why it matters. The organization is also unique in its partnership with ATTN.com and Zooey Deschanel’s “Your Food’s Roots” series, which provides informational videos about synthetic pesticides, the journey of produce from farm to table, and the benefits of supporting local farmers.
Pechenik and Deschanel also founded Lettuce Grow, committed to helping people establish a deeper connection to healthy food by making it fun and easy to grow a portion of their own fresh food at home. Their work helps raise public awareness of where our food comes from and gets consumers more interested in understanding the different methods of food production and seeking out healthier, more natural options.
Pechenik comes to the CCOF Foundation Feast to share his story as co-Founder of The Farm Project, and to emphasize collaboration within the organic industry as we move forward into an urgent time for agriculture and the planet. Never before has there been more public attention on soil health, natural resource preservation, and the potential for organic farming practices to support a sustainable future in the face of climate change. Together, through a wide range of approaches, we can collaborate to create a healthy world. We look forward to hearing Pechenik’s keynote address and hope you’ll join us for this unforgettable evening.
Jacob Pechenik is a passionate entrepreneur who has built a career around questioning and improving industry status quos. After graduating from MIT with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, he launched multiple companies in the software and supply chain industries. In 2011, he became involved in the film industry and founded Venture Forth, a film finance and production company focusing on high-quality and impact-driven independent films. While expecting their first child, Pechenik and his wife, Zooey Deschanel, became acutely aware of limitations in our food system, and they were inspired to look into possible solutions. This passion led them to found The Farm Project, a Public Benefit Corporation whose mission is to transform our food system by engaging and empowering consumers. In the fall of 2017, The Farm Project launched the hit web series “Your Food’s Roots” in partnership with ATTN:, and in the spring of 2019, the company launched Lettuce Grow. Pechenik grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and splits time between Los Angeles and Austin.