Programs

Friends of Family Farmers is the only statewide agricultural organization working to promote and protect socially responsible family farming, ranching and healthy rural communities in Oregon. We engage in a variety of programs and projects that support our mission.

Farmer Campaign

Friends of Family Farmers has brought farmers and ranchers together and to understand the issues that are facing Oregon agriculture.  Through the Agricultural Reclamation Act,  we are giving farmers a voice and establishing a platform for the future of Oregon’s food and agriculture.  Here you can meet Oregon’s socially responsible family farmers and ranchers and learn more about the  farmer campaign>>>

Eater Campaign

We might not all be farmers, but we are all eaters!  Friends of Family Farmers has launched the Eater Campaign to demonstrate the need for consumers and the public to better understand the issues that socially responsible family farmers and ranchers face, and the connection between food and farms in Oregon.  From tabling at farmers’ markets to presenting at gatherings to our monthly InFARMation (and Beer!) in Portland, check out what we’ve been working on here>>>

The Watch Dog

This public oversight program keeps tabs on the corporate agriculture lobby and the state agencies charged with promoting and regulating agricultural activities. We also monitor and make the public aware of other threats to Oregon agriculture, such as factory farms moving into rural communities. See what we are keeping our eyes on>>

It’s Our Backyard

Friends of Family Farmers supports citizens actively participating in building and shaping their agricultural communities. When invited, we can provide assistance to communities who see their local agriculture and their rural ways of life being threatened. We are also glad to offer our services to communities who would like to organize and promote socially responsible farming or build a healthy local food system. Let’s put ‘culture’ back in agriculture, because after all, it’s our backyard>>

iFarm Oregon

The average age of farmers in Oregon is 57 years. Without a plan to get new farmers onto the land, with access to education, financing and markets, we stand to lose 25% to 50% of the land that is currently in agricultural production. In response, Friends of Family Farmers has developed an online database that is designed to connect new and young farmers with the land and resources they need to get started as we work to help grow the next generation of family farmers. Check out iFarm Oregon >>

Oregon Grows Partnership

When food and agriculture issues arise in Salem, history has demonstrated that the local food and farm community has been uncoordinated, leaving our farm policy decisions largely in the hands of the corporate agribusiness lobby. Friends of Family Farmers has partnered with other food and agricultural groups from around the state that agree on priorities to support socially responsible agriculture and our state’s family farmers and ranchers.  More on Oregon Grows>>

Bringing the Farm to School Curriculum

Bringing the Farm to School is a sustainable agriculture curriculum project that will offer a much needed counterpoint to the agricultural industry’s Ag in the Classroom curriculum currently available nationally.  It has been developed directly in response to requests from educators and parents who desire a more values based, sustainably focused approach to agriculture education.  Read more here>>