FoFF was originally organized in response to the increased pressure being felt by eastern Oregon’s rural communities to welcome out-of-state corporate farms, such Threemile Canyon Farm, a 55,000 head dairy outside of Boardman. However, it soon became clear that there were no Oregon-based organizations advocating on behalf of socially responsible agriculture, or helping communities protect themselves from threats posed by factory farms.

So, a group of farmers, rural residents, and concerned citizens banded together to form Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF). We were founded in the summer of 2005 and received 501(c)(3) status in May of 2007.