Working to sustain the sustainable system

Produce Perspectives

I recently received an invitation that contained a thought-provoking quote by natural cookbook author Alice Devine Loebel: "Put your energies into sustaining the system that sustains you."

The invitation was for the second annual Building the Community of Organic Growers, Retailers, Wholesalers & Consumers gathering, a meeting to continue a conversation that began at the Eco-Farm Conference in 2000. There, it became evident that we needed to work together if we were to make sustainable farming economically sustainable for the growers, retailers and wholesalers involved. So Paul Cultrera, the general manager of Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, invited all interested parties to meet at the store to expand the dialogue.

The first meeting attracted a large group of growers, retailers, wholesalers, educators and brokers and ended with a commitment to develop stronger relationships and communication.

Sacramento Natural took the lead again this year and held a second meeting. About 50 people attended, and it brought together veterans and respected industry participants in Northern California sustainable agriculture—growers Full Belly and The Apple Farm; wholesaler Veritable Vegetable; distributor UNFI's Mountain Peoples Warehouse; farming organizations Rural Development Center, Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, and Community Alliance with Family Farmers; and a group of cooperatives and retailers.

The group divided in two—one part dealing with fair trade for farmers and the other with consumer education.