What if I Sell Products Produced by Others?
Good news! We launched an OPN Aggregator Membership just for you. You can read more about and find the application here.
How Much Does it Cost to Join?
We are happy to be able to offer free memberships for producers at this time. We are still growing and building this program, so there may be increased costs in future years. For now, you can apply today for free! There is a one-time fee only for the OPN Aggregator Membership.
Is the OPN a Certification?
No. The OPN is a network of producers who strive to improve their pasture-based systems. FoFF facilitates these opportunities for networking and collaboration as well as educational opportunities for OPN Partners. The OPN is not meant to replace certification programs that require outdoor access for animals such as Animal Welfare Approved, American Grassfed, Certified Naturally Grown, and/or USDA Organic.
What are the Criteria for Approval into the OPN?
After you submit an application, we will schedule a farm visit with a FoFF staff person and an OPN Advisory Committee Member. The following list will be used to determine if a farm is a suitable fit for the OPN:
- Is the producer allowing animals time outdoors suitable to the scale of their operation, location, and needs of the animals?
- During grazing season, are ruminants’ feed primarily from grazing outdoors?
- Are non-ruminants managed to prevent soil degradation?
- Is no more than 10% of animals’ area denuded? (This does not include seasonal sacrifice areas.)
- Are the management practices used appropriate to the scale and type of operation?
- Is the producer(s) stewarding the land through active management of pasture using techniques such as rotational grazing, over seeding, soil testing, and amending soil to promote the health of their pasture, animals, and the environment?
We understand that these criteria may be subjective, but again, the OPN is not a certification, it is a network of producers striving to improve their pasture-based systems. Acceptance into the OPN is ultimately at the discretion of the OPN Advisory Committee.