February 2026 Newsletter

Published February 6, 2026

  • Thank you to folks who joined us for our January virtual mini-convening and continue to contribute to OCFSN’s strategic planning process! It was great to have so many from across the network participate on the Mission, Vision, and Values drafting exercise with Terra Soma.

    If you missed it, you can watch the full recording and review the slides.

    We'd like to provide folks who weren’t able to attend with the opportunity to share your input to help shape these statements. Please use this survey link to provide input for OCFSN’s updated mission, vision, values statements by Thursday, February 12th.

    Curious about how OCFSN works? You can just watch the Overview of OCFSN section where we share about OCFSN’s structure, ways to engage with the network, working group highlights, and how OCFSN amplifies and connects food systems work across Oregon.

    As a reminder, you can find previous materials from past OCFSN convenings + working groups in this OCFSN members public folder.

  • We are excited to share the first completed step of the OCFSN strategic planning process, the final Taking Stock Brief, and it’s Executive Summary. 

    The Taking Stock Brief is a comprehensive discovery process that involves thorough review of relevant documents; multiple meetings with OCFSN staff; a structured intake process with the Leadership Team; a series of interviews; a survey of OCFSN membership; and two sessions at the OCFSN November 2025 Convening. This intake process culminated in the production of multiple rounds of drafts of the Taking Stock Brief, with ongoing reflection, review, and refinement by OCFSN stakeholders throughout this phase. The Taking Stock Brief provides a synthetic analysis of existing conditions, strategic considerations, and central organizational questions, as well as the provision of draft strategic priorities that become the backbone of the strategic plan document.

    We invite folks to review the Taking Stock Brief as we move into the planning phase of this process. The full timeline for network strategic planning is found below.

  • OCFSN member organizations, keep an eye out in March for a request to vote for Leadership Team candidates and new member organizations!

    Not sure if your OCFSN membership is current? All organizations that renewed their membership through the 2025 Convening Registration form have already renewed for 2026. If you’ve received an email requesting your membership renewal and haven’t yet, please use this form. If you have any questions about your membership, please reach out to andrew@ocfsn.org.

    Want to become a OCFSN member?

    OCFSN is always accepting applications for new members! You can learn more about that process here, and to apply to be a OCFSN Member organization, please complete this form.

Resources & Engagement Opportunities

  • Attention: Farmers and Food System Advocates

    Friends of Family Farmers is seeking feedback on how our programming, advocacy, and services can better support Oregon’s small and medium, socially and ecologically responsible farmers and the food systems they exist within.

    Our goal is always to be working on the most pressing and necessary issues for our farmers across the state, and we are SO proud to be an organization directed by farmers.

    Whether you are a farmer, rancher, local food supporter or food system advocate/professional, your voice is valuable to us when we are prioritizing our efforts for the future. The survey is available in English and Spanish and we will be accepting responses through March 31st.

    English Survey: https://forms.gle/GRrk3WJhKThNzHmv7 

    Encuesta en español: https://forms.gle/WSBwH2MTPo62SPdp8

  • There is just over one week left to share your feedback on the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention (HPCDP) Section's Strategic Plan.

    Click HERE to take the survey today!

    Closes February 15, 2026.

    Your input helps us align state and local priorities, strengthen collaboration, and ensure diverse perspectives shape our work. The survey takes 10-25 minutes, and you can choose which priority areas to comment on:

    • Commercial Tobacco Use

    • Excessive Alcohol Use

    • Physical Activity, Nutrition & the Built Environment

    • Chronic Disease Management

    Have questions or prefer to submit feedback another way? Contact HPCDP.Program@oha.oregon.gov with subject line "HPCDP Strategic Plan Feedback."

    Thank you for helping us build a healthier Oregon!

Working Group Updates

  • Missed a meeting? You can find recordings of working group meetings on OCFSN’s Youtube Channel and other materials in our Public Google Drive.

    Stay looped into the latest news for each of the working groups by joining the mailing lists: How to Use OCFSN Google Groups.

    • At the November meeting, Tracy Harding introduced the new Oregon Food Hub Network Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Resource Library. These SOPs are designed to be downloaded and customized to the needs of your hub. To learn more about using the SOP resource Library, check out the November meeting recording and folder with transcript and chat transcript.

    • These are public documents in our public resource folder. As always, please feel free to share with anyone you like.

    • Additional advocacy opportunity: information about potential OSU budget cuts that would impact Extension. Let your Oregon legislator know the importance of OSU Extension programs to you, your hub, and your producers. Learn more here.

  • Our next quarterly meeting will be in 2026. Join the Veggie Rx google group to stay up to date. You can join by emailing veggie-rx+subscribe@ocfsn.org. You will receive an automated email back with a “click here to join group” if you get an error message, use the reply to the email option and just send back a blank email.

    • The next meeting of the Beginning Farmer & Rancher subgroup will be on February 19th at 10am. We will be joined by Nick Rossi of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, who works on their appropriations portfolio and also leads their research work - which includes programs like SARE, BFRDP, etc. We’re excited to learn from Nick on federal ag appropriations this month.

      • Zoom, Calendar Link (there is a new calendar link and Zoom for 2026. Please update your calendars.)

    • The Farm Viability subgroup met on Jan 8th. The group discussed different business training work happening across the network and did a farm viability policy brainstorm. Meeting notes can be found here.

      • The next Farm Viability meeting is March 25 at 2pm. Zoom, Calendar Link

        • Agenda will include discussion of resources created by the Food Hub Working Group and their applicability to farm business training being done by working group members and if similar tools would be helpful.

    • The Land Access working group is developing a Farmland Access in Oregon Virtual Convening for this April. We will hear from land access leaders and advocates from across Oregon and California to learn about what folks are doing in this arena and how we can collaborate in the future. If you are working on land access issues and want to engage in this convening, please reach out - andrew@ocfsn.org.

    • The working group met in January to prepare for the 2026 Legislative Session which has started. Here are the notes from the meeting with some great updates advocates who are in Salem.

    • Our 2026 Short Session Bills to Watch Matrix is now live! Sophie is in the process of populating it with bill numbers, packages, and all the information you need to stay up to date with what we're watching this session. Leave a comment in the Matrix sheet or get in touch with Sophie via email if you see anything that is missing or inaccurate: sophie@ocfsn.org.

    • The short session moves quickly, so if you have any calls to action or requests for support that aren't reflected in the Matrix, please don't hesitate to amplify it to the working group and network: CFS-policy@ocfsn.org, community@ocfsn.org. Upcoming Working Group meetings:

      • Mid session working group meeting | Thursday, February 19, 12pm

      • End of session CFS at Leg Policy Convening | Friday, March 20, 10-11:30am

    • The first OFIC Quarterly Meeting took place Thursday, January 22nd and covered a presentation about Institutional Land Access research, Value Chain Coordination news and the National Farm to Cafeteria conference. The institutional land access research will be made available for viewing in the upcoming months. 

    The next OFIC quarterly meeting will be April 16th between 11:00 - 12:30 PM, if you’d like to be a presenter or have an idea of a presentation you’d like to see. Please reach out! 

    If you have a key resource for either producers or institutions regarding farm to institution to be added to the webpage, please email Aliza McHugh at ofic-coordinator@ocfsn.org

  • Visit OCFSN's calendar page for details on all the food systems related events on our radar.

    • February 11 @ 9:00 - 12:00 Dry Farming Collaborative Winter Convening (virtual). Learn more here. 

    • February 11 Migra Watch Virtual Training hosted by Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition. Learn more here. 

    • February 12 @ 9:00 - 3:00 Cropping Options in a Time of Water Uncertainty hosted by American Farmland Trust at the Central Oregon Ag Research Extension Center (COAREC) in Madras, OR. Learn more here. 

    • February 21 OSU Small Farms Conference. Learn more here. 

    • February 26 Applegate Valley Food and Farm Network Gathering. RSVP here.

    • February 26 Nonprofit Fundraising Summit in Eugene hosted by Nonprofit Association of Oregon. Learn more here. 

    • March 14 2026 Farm to School Showcase at the Oregon School Nutrition Association Food Show at the Salem Convention Center. Register here.

    • March 19  @ 9:00 - 3:00p. Small Farm Planting Equipment Demonstration Day hosted by American Farmland Trust. Learn more here.  

    • March 19 @ 8:30 - 4:30p. 2026 Oregon Nutrition Day Fueling Future Generations at OHSU Knight Cancer Research Building in Portland. Learn more here. 

    • [Open through March 3] Local Data for Equitable Communities program offers up to $50,000 in funding to 30 community-based organizations to leverage data to address urgent local challenges including Healthy Food Access. Funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute. Learn more here. 

    • [Open through March 3] Justice Oregon for Black Lives is thrilled to announce our first open call in three years that will support organizations working in the community-identified area of Addressing Trauma and Healing for Black Communities. Developed alongside a seven-person community advisory committee, this request for proposals is a collaborative effort to center care and wellness in Black communities.

    • [Open Grants] The Ford Family Foundation - Technical Assistance Grants, Good Neighbor Grants, and larger funding requests. Learn more here. 

    [Reviewed Monthly] AgWest - Farm Credit’s Rural Community Grant

    AgWest Farm Credit is dedicated to enhancing the economic and social wellbeing of rural communities across the West. Their Rural Community Grant program offers funding to nonprofit organizations working on projects that improve rural areas in Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Eligible projects include facility improvements, equipment purchases, and capital enhancements to support community infrastructure and prosperity.

    • Network Programs and Partnerships Lead - Food Systems Leadership Network. Learn more here. 

    • Network Outreach and Engagement Lead - Food Systems Leadership Network. Learn more here. 

    • Policy Development and Litigation Support Manager - Columbia River Inter Tribal Fish Commission. Learn more here.

    • Tilth Alliance in Washington is looking for multiple team members including an Accounting Manager and a Field Production Manager. Learn more here.

    • Donor Stewardship & Engagement Manager - Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). Learn more here.

    • Value Chain & Market Activation Specialist - Rogue Valley Food System Network. Learn more here.

    Volunteer

    Apprenticeships

    Oregon Farm Corps’ Apprenticeship Applications are open for the 2026 farm season and are received on a rolling basis. Learn more here.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Our next newsletter will be published April 2026.

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