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The Provender Journal November-December, 2006 Read the first few paragraphs of the current edition. Provender Elects New Board of Directors Provender Elects New Board of Directors The Provender Alliance Board of Directors election was held at the General Membership Meeting that took place on Friday, October 6th in Hood River, Oregon. The election takes place each year at the Annual Educational Conference. Ballots were mailed prior to the conference and members also had the opportunity to vote at the conference. We are pleased to announce that an overwhelming majority elected this year’s slate of candidates. The slate included two incumbents with three positions open. Our newest board member is Jove Rousseau, of Toby’s Family Foods based in Springfield, Oregon. Jove wears many hats at the company and has several titles at Toby’s. The most accurate is Sales and Distribution Manager as well as Assistant General Manger. Jove joins Renee Kempka and Ron Leppert, both of Sundance Natural Foods based in Eugene, Oregon. Renee serves Sundance as its General Manager and Ron is the Grocery Manager for the store. Renee and Ron are are both returning to serve another term. They will all serve a two-year term. During the first meeting of the newly elected board, Ellen Markham was elected to serve as Board President, a new position for her. Chris Brown was reelected to serve as Vice President and Renee Kempka was reelected to serve as Treasurer. Contact information for all board members can be found on page 25 of this Journal. 30th Annual Provender Conference a Success The 30th Annual Provender Alliance Educational Conference was held in Hood River, Oregon this year and had the second highest attendance ever. The conference drew over 250 attendees from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Canada and California as well as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado. The conference theme, “30 Years of Provender: A Celebration of Dedication” was well represented by workshops and speakers alike. The conference kicked off on Wednesday afternoon with an optional 4 hour guided tour of Columbia Gorge Organic Fruit Company and Turtle Island Foods, both located in Hood River. Folks returned from the tour and went to celebrate with Equal Exchange as that company marked its 20th anniversary by hosting a barbecue and double feature movie. Attendance was tremendous with over 170 conference registrants particiopating in the festivities. The movies shown were The Future of Food, produced by Deborah Koons Garcia and The Real Dirt on Farmer John, produced by Taggart Seigel. Thursday morning began with a fabulous breakfast followed by a very inspiring and humorous keynote address from Deborah Koons Garcia. One of the workshop sessions following the keynote was a facilitated discussion with Ms Garcia on Film as Political Action. Other choices during the first breakout session included an opportunity to hear from the FDA with Public Affairs representative Alan Bennett. Allen Seidner and Carolee Colter led a playful role-playing session on conducting leadership team meetings. A very well attended session titled Building Your “Buy Local” Campaign included an experienced panel of participants representing several different perspectives and offered recommendations to attendees. Some of the myths about soy were addressed in Soy Science—The Big Picture on This Little Bean, presented by soy expert, Dr. Mark Messina and Portland naturopath, Arianna Staruch. After lunch, the sessions offered additional thought-provoking options. A roundtable discussion facilitated by Charlie Tilt, co-owner of Honey Heaven Wholesale, addressed Wal-Mart’s impact on the supply chain. Bs, Ms & As (Buyouts, Mergers and Acquisitions) brought together a panel of experts representing several different scenarios of what happens when a company is sold or ready to sell. Cecil Wright, of Organic Valley and Maple River Valley, and Jason Freeman, of Farmer Direct Co-operative, presented an informative update on Domestic Fair Trade. Allen Seidner presented an inspiring session for deli folks on envigorating their hot foodservice offerings and Harry MacCormack shared his insights on how retailers can respond to consumers demands for local products. Activists and gatekeepers of all levels of involvement were treated to an illuminating discussion by a panel of experts on the importance of keeping vigilant in the face of overwhelming opposition when it comes to maintaining organic integrity. Panelists included Jo Ann Baumgartner of Wild Farm Alliance, Jim Fullmer of Demeter, Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute, Dan Kent of SalmonSafe, and Jim Riddle, Co-ordinator for Organic Outreach at the University of Minnesota. We had four chair massage therapists this year, generously sponsored by Kettle Foods and slots filled up quickly. In addition to this bit of relaxation, the Member Munch & Mingle offered attendees an opportunity to let their hair down and socialize in a festive and unstructured atmosphere. Costuming was popular this year and the tour guides were delightfully attired and helped keep participants moving from site to site. Thursday evening, attendees were presented with a delectable buffet feast with a mouth-watering Cajun Blackened Salmon Filets and Herb Crusted Seared Bison Tenderloins. The scrumptious dinner was followed by a stimulating keynote presentation by Dr. John Ikerd, who followed his presentation with a book signing. This was followed by the fabulous ice cream dessert bar and the dance party continued into the night with the Portland marimba band Kukuva. Friday’s schedule began with a thought-provoking and insightful selection of workshop options. Pastures of Plenty: Where Exactly is Outside? brought together representatives from Oregon Tilth, Organic Valley, Horizon Organic and Straus Family Creamery to address the issues that have been so prominent lately regarding pasturing of dairy cows. This session was expertly facilitated by Jan Tobin, of Salmonberry Naturals. Carolee Colter and Allen Seidner presented an interesting 2-hour presentation on Hiring for Motivational Fit that looked at how and who you hire for the right position within your organization. Community Policies for Sustainable Food was a thought provoking session on sustainable food policies and the reality of whether they can work or not. A panel of energy experts discussed many of the options available to companies who are trying to green their businesses. Jim Riddle, immediate past chair of the National Organic Standards Board provided insights into protecting organic integrity and Dawn Smith, Personnel Manager at Community Food Co-op in Bozeman, presented a session on inspiring staff culture. After a hearty lunch, Friday afternoon offered more difficult choices. Rainbo O’Connor, Kitchen manager for Ashland Food Co-op, contributed her insights into current food trends and how deli service workers can respond to the latest customer concerns. Harry MacCormack presented a session on how retailers can respond to customer demands for safe and nutritious food choices. An interesting roundtable discussion was facilitated by Bill Klupenger, Small Business Management Program Co-ordinator for Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. This session addressed issues around distribution of products by small manufacturers and their needs as well as the issues that face distributors and retailers. A very well attended session, Is Time Managing You?, was presented by Cliff Jones, of Technical Assistance for Community Service, based in Portland. This all too short workshop was about time management and how to maximize your time, prioritize your tasks and get the most out of your day. I’m sure we will be offering this topic again in the future. Everyone deals with difficult customers whether in person, on the phone or among your co-workers. Michael Proctor, Nutrition and Personal Care Manager at LifeSource natural Foods in Salem, Oregon, presented some insights into how to deal with these folks without becoming one yourself. Carolee Colter offered a workshop on board issues regarding avoiding micromangement in personnel decisions. The Friday evening keynote event, A Cavalcade of Stars, was a moving and heart-felt retrospective of Provender’s history. There were many long-time members who participated and some folks who have moved on to other endeavors. By the end of the presentation, many folks felt newly connected to Provender and several tears were shed. Friday evening’s buffet dinner feast was followed by our annual awards presentation and the increasingly popular logo item raffle. The raffle serves as a fund-raising opportunity for the scholarship fund that provided conference attendance to many folks this year. The raffle was immediately followed by a low key dessert reception and an opportunity for attendees to wind down after a full two days of talking, learning, networking and inspiration. Many folks stayed over Friday night to get an early start on Saturday morning. As we compile the evaluations and read comments and recommendations for 2007, we encourage you to contact the office or one of your board or steering committee members with your suggestions for topics or workshop presenters while these ideas are fresh in your minds. You can call us at 888.352.7431 or 503.859.3600, send a fax to 503.859.3608 or send an e-mail to info@provender.org. Contact information for the Board of Directors and Steering Committee can be found on page 25 of this Journal. Keep watching the Journal for more information about next year’s 31st conference. The Hershey Company, as part of its strategic focus on the high-growth premium chocolate segment, announced October 19 that it had acquired the assets and operations of Dagoba Organic Chocolate, LLC. Based in Ashland, Oregon, Dagoba is known for its high-quality natural and organic chocolate bars, hot chocolate and chocolate-covered coffee beans sold in natural foods outlets and gourmet stores. Dagoba was founded in 2001 and seeks to create the world’s most exquisite organic chocolate, following the highest standards of ethics and ecological sustainability. Dagoba’s approach has gained high regards: Food & Wine’s 2005 Tastemaker Award, “World’s Best Chocolate” by CNN/Money, and “Best Dark Chocolate” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The Hershey Company is the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products, with revenues of over $4 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide. The company markets brands such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Kit Kat, Almond Joy, Mounds, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and Mauna Loa. It also markets Hershey’s cocoa, Hershey’s syrup and other branded baking ingredients, toppings and beverages. Hershey’s purchase of Dagoba adds to its current holdings of premium chocolate companies Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt products. To read the full press release, visit www.hersheys.com. For more information about Dagoba, visit www.dagobachocolate.com. Didn’t make it to the 30th Annual Educational Conference? Here’s what some of the attendees had to say when they returned home: “We are big fans of all that Provender stands for and very happy to be a contributor to the efforts Provender makes. The natural foods channel is where our heart and history reside and where we see much of our future.” “Thank you for the wonderful connections that you created at the Conference. It was really inspirational to meet and hear from so many people who care so much about the health of people and the environment. In many ways the conference reframed the way I look at food systems, and made me so grateful for all the work of people who have dedicated their lives to providing the highest level of integrity in their products. I guess I always took health food stores for granted as a kid, as they were just “where we went”, and my school lunches were always a bit different...now I understand better the forces that started the movement, and the challenges we face as consumers as the movement expands. Thanks!” “I am feeling recharged and inspired by all the wonderful activities, lectures and people from our industry that I met while I was there.” “ I felt compelled to say how important the conference was to me. In the past I’ve felt a bit like a voice in the wilderness when I’d tried to help steer ourselves toward a sustainable food future. Thanks to your conference, I know that there is a movement beginning that echoes my concerns and is well poised to begin making the changes needed.” “I’ve attended a lot of conferences, national and regional, solar energy and community radio, and the Provender conference was by far the easiest for me (a sometimes shy newcomer) to quickly feel welcomed. I told our staff, many of whom have never attended, “There’s no such thing as a stranger at a Provender conference, if this one is any example.” “It was a real privilege to be there with all the awesome folks in this business!” “I found it greatly inspirational to just be around the energy at the conference. What an amazing group of members you have!” “I loved the conference, great people, great format and the workshops were very informative.” The conference continues to inspire attendees and recharges the enthusiasm folks strive for in their businesses. Please join us next year as we continue to address the issues that impact us all. Provender Alliance held its 15th Annual Award Ceremony in Hood River, Oregon on Friday, October 6th during the 30th Annual Educational Conference. The ceremony took place during a delicious and delightful buffet dinner at the Hood River Inn. Provender Alliance bestows awards to industry members for their outstanding or unique contributions. Oceana Natural Food Co-op, in Newport, Oregon, was presented with The Good Neighbor Award for extending a hand by delivering natural products and helping their coastal neighbors also become meccas of good food for all. Toby Alves, founder of Toby’s Family Foods in Springfield, Oregon, and former Provender board member, was given The Flower Child Bean Curd Phenom Award for being a cornerstone in the natural foods community and over 30 years of satisfying and educating consumers, company and family with tireless effort and enduring love. Organically Grown Company, in Eugene, Oregon, was presented The Yellow Eco-Brick Road Award for attention to the footprint left behind, creating a path toward a sustainable tomorrow, and taking the deliberate steps to get there. Kelly Miles, from Seattle, Washington and Provender Steering Committee member and Conference Production Assistant, was bestowed the American Green Idol Award for not only being talented, humorous, and good-natured, but for a strong and enthusiastic performance in all aspects of life. We whole-heartedly applaud you. The award recipients are chosen by the Provender Alliance Board of Directors, with recommendations from the membership. The award recipients are kept in strictest confidence until the actual presentation so it’s a great surprise to everyone. We welcome your suggestions for future award recipients. Please feel free to contact the office at 888.352.7431 or 503.859.3600, or contact one of your representatives. You can find their contact information on page 25 of this Journal. 27th Annual Eco-Farm Conference —from The Ecological Farming Association, www.eco-farm.org The Ecological Farming Association is holding its annual Eco-Farming Conference January 24th through 27th, 2007 at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. This annual four-day winter forum is the world’s premier sustainable agriculture conference. “Eco-Farm” features prominent keynote speakers and more than 50 workshops on the latest advances in agricultural production, marketing, research, and important issues. The conference provides a unique opportunity to exchange vital information with people from around the world while renewing your spirit at historic Asilomar on California’s magnificent Monterey coast. The conference features more than 50 workshops, outstanding speakers, and delicious organic meals. Tours of organic farms are offered as well as an organic wine tasting, an exhibitor marketplace tent and a community awards banquet featuring the presentation of the “Sustie” Steward of Sustainable Agriculture Award and the “Justie” Social Justice in Sustainable Agriculture Award. For registration details and more information about the conference, please visit www.eco-farm.org. —from ATTRA–National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Weekly Harvest Newsletter, September 13, 2006, www.ncat.org USDA has announced the award of 20 grants totaling $900,000 to establish, expand or promote local farmers markets, roadside stands, and similar agricultural ventures under the new Farmers Market Promotion Program. These grants will assist regional farmers markets authorities; local governments; non-profit and economic development corporations; and tribal governments in 17 states in carrying out a variety of projects. A list of recipients, describing their projects, is available on-line by visiting www.usda.gov, go to Newsroom and search for Release No. 0344.06. OFRF Requests Research Proposals —from Organic Farming Research Foundation, www.ofrf.org The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is resuming its grants program after taking time off from its regular grantmaking schedule to evaluate the impact of its grants on organic agriculture. The deadline for proposals is Dec. 15, 2006. In reinstating the grants program, OFRF is releasing an open request for proposals in all subject areas, but particularly encourages proposals in the following topic areas: • organic livestock systems; OFRF encourages organic farmers and ranchers to apply for a grant. Many producers find that working with a small group, or with an extension educator or university-based researcher, can make it easier to design and carry out a research project. OFRF encourages applications from such partnerships, and will try to link interested farmers with research partners. Projects must involve farmers in both design and implementation and take place on working organic farms whenever possible. One finding of OFRF’s evaluation of its grantmaking, presented in the report Investing in Organic Knowledge: Impacts of the First 13 Years of OFRF’s Grantmaking Program, is that all farmer grant recipients interviewed for the evaluation said that their research findings had been of practical use to them and had resulted in their changing production practices on their farms. OFRF has funded the largest number of organic agriculture research projects of any foundation in the U.S. in its 13 years of grantmaking, disbursing $1.3 million to support 213 projects. To apply, eight copies of a proposal must be submitted to the OFRF office by Dec. 15, 2006. For more details, please refer to the updated request for proposals on the OFRF web site at www.ofrf.org/research/application.html or contact Jane Sooby, technical program coordinator, at 831.426.6606, e-mail jane@ofrf.org. —from Oregon Tilth, www.tilth.org Oregon Tilth’s 32nd Annual Fall Conference is right around the corner and will take place on Friday and Saturday, November 17th and 18th, at the Salem Conference Center in downtown Salem. This year’s conference theme is “Feeding the Future”. Registration is a nominal $10 per day to Oregon Tilth members. Friday offers a full-day Dairy or Direct Marketing symposiums to explore and enjoy. This is an opportunity to be introduced to technical and specific information to apply to your own needs. Workshops on Saturday are diverse and will be presented from experts in their field. There is something for consumers, producers, processors and handlers. The keynote presentation will be by Samuel Fromartz, author Organic Inc. He will discuss the growth and future of the organic movement as well as a business perspective introduction to the new Organic Industry. Meal packages are available for purchase seperate from the registration. For more information, visit the Oregon Tilth web site at www.tilth.org or contact them at 503.378.0690 or send an e-mail to organic@tilth.org. Food Transportation Challenges Workshop —from Resources Innovations, http://ri.uoregon.edu Resource Innovations will be offering the first in a series of workshops addressing sustainability on January 25th, 2007, 9 AM-12 PM at the Eco-Farm Conference in Pacific Grove, California. Most consumers live in cities far away from the fields where food is grown. Along its journey from farm to plate produce is transported through a network of trucks operated by growers, distributors, and retailers. Currently the produce distribution system remains largely dependent on conventional modes of transportation. This continued dependence on fossil fuels poses many threats to the food trade from being hit with price spikes to contributing to global warming. This workshop will focus on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to transition to renewable fuel sources. We will share tools for reducing fuel use through various efficiency measures, explore alternative fuels, and discuss how carbon-emissions offset programs can be used to mitigate negative carbon impacts. The presentations will be followed by open discussion and networking opportunity. To sign up for this workshop please register through Eco-Farm Conference or contact: Natalie Reitman-White, Program Coordinator, 541.346.1609 or by e-mail at nwhite@uoregon.edu. If you would like to join as a Supporting Business member or Sponsor please contact us at 541.346.1609 or nwhite@uoregon.edu. Tilth Producers Annual Conference —from Tilth Producers, www.tilthproducers.org The 2006 annual Tilth Producers conference will be held November 10th-12th in Vancouver, Washington at Red Lion at the Quay. The conference theme is “Farming for Food Quality.” It begins Friday with a daylong symposium, convened by Washington State University. Expert speakers will highlight the latest food quality research and the genetic and production issues affecting nutritional quality of crops, livestock, dairy and fruit. Friday evening, celebrate the harvest at a welcome reception, then dinner and activist sessions on Water Law, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and the 2007 US Farm Bill. The Saturday morning keynote address will be presented by Helena Norberg-Hodge, leading analyst of the impact of the global economy on cultures and agriculture worldwide. A plenary session, Creating a Regional Food System, follows. The panel features Helena Norberg-Hodge, Paul Roberts, lecturer and author of The End of Oil, and Fred Fleming, founder of Columbia Plateau Producers and Shepherd’s Grain. Saturday afternoon is devoted to workshops, while Saturday night brings celebration — an organic wine tasting, trade show, roundtables and dancing to the music of Spoonshine. Sunday morning, Tilth Producers will hold its annual membership meeting and board elections. After two more rounds of workshops, the conference will close at 4:00 PM. For more information, please visit www.tilthproducers.org. Boulder, Colorado-based Izze Beverage Company was recently purchased by PepsiCo, Inc. Details of the sale were not disclosed. Izze was founded in 2002 by two friends and has grown to an internationally recognized brand, offering eight flavors of sparkling fruit beverages. The Izze Project Reach is the company’s philanthropic program that supports and creates educational opportunities for farm workers and their families in the communities where Izze buys its fruit. —from Food & Water Watch, www.foodandwaterwatch.org Food & Water Watch welcomed farmers from France, Spain, and Germany in late September for a first hand look at the environmental and public health consequences of factory farm dairies in three states – Michigan, Oregon and Washington. Factory farms have been linked to health problems for farm workers and neighbors, and contaminated water and air in surrounding communities. The stench alone can ruin rural communities. These communities have been fighting lonely, uphill battles against operators that take advantage of lax enforcement of zoning and environmental laws. Factory dairy farming can also affect the health of consumers far from the dairy. According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), the overuse of antibiotics for livestock is creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threatens human health. An estimated 70% of antibiotics used in the United States are for promoting growth and preventing disease in food animals. Industrial agriculture companies have expanded their operations in parts of Europe in recent years, transforming the landscape from one of numerous small family farms to one of giant animal confinement facilities. The European Union is considering reforms to its Common Agricultural Policy for dairy that could potentially drive European dairy farmers out of business and towards a model similar to the U.S system. Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights group based in Washington, D.C. that challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources. Visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.
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