September 2025 Newsletter

Published September 17, 2025

apple tree against a blue sky

  • Our goal for this convening is for us to leave each other

    • feeling more connected to place and our roles within Oregon’s food systems

    • with thoughtful stories and ideas to support the network’s 5-year strategic planning process

    • feeling hopeful that together we can take care of each other and those in our communities

    What to expect before showing up:

    • A clear agenda and map of the space

    • Focused time as a full group to explore what we collectively want to prioritize as a network in the next 5 years

    • Opportunity to opt into an attendee directory with contact info and connection points

    • Spaciousness, our days have breaks built in and plenty of space for you to have those conversations you’ve been waiting to have in person

    • Access to miles of trails through the trees and beach

    Please visit our 2025 Convening page to learn more and register to attend! We are expecting significant interest in the convening, so please connect with your team and register soon.

  • OCFSN launched its first RFP for strategic planning support in July and we were blown away by the incredible proposals we received. We are excited to announce that we will be partnering with Terra Soma in our strategic planning process. We are excited for you to meet this great team at the November Convening.

    We received many strong proposals from individuals and organizations around the country, we wanted to share them with the network in case one is the right fit for your organization!

  • For more than a decade, the Farm to Institution (F2I) movement in Oregon has made significant strides engaging institutional purchasers, government agencies, nonprofits, and supply chain producers. While successes have created lasting change in many institutions, the impact has largely been focused on the Portland Metro Region. 

    The Oregon Farm to Institution Collaborative (OFIC) formed in early 2023 after receiving a USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership grant, led by Health Care Without Harm, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Mudbone Grown, Oregon Farm to School Network, and sixteen other partners. It’s priority objectives were to: 

    • Develop shared vision, common language, and purchasing standards

    • Strengthen regional infrastructure to support F2I projects that improve market channels for producers 

    • Address gaps and barriers that contribute to food system inequities

    • Build a sustainable community of practice focused on F2I 

    Since OFIC’s November 2023 kickoff, the collaborative has grown to 120+ partners across three active working groups and completed all grant activities. OFIC's leadership has connected with other statewide F2I networks nationwide and witnessed the transformative potential of increasing local procurement for local economies, institutions, producers, and regional food systems. 

    On August 26, OFIC wrapped up its current RFSP grant. Updates were shared from its communications support folks, InCommon, work group updates, Value Chain coordination successes, and held an evaluation session for some reflection and integration. Get caught up by watching the meeting recording and slide deck.

    The OFIC team also shared updates on the future home for the collaborative…as the newest working group of OCFSN! OCFSN is excited to support OFIC in its next iteration of this work.

    Stay tuned for more updates regarding fundraising, work groups, and continued strategic planning! 

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.

  • The Food Hub Network met in July to learn the ins and outs of buying and selling fish products. Watch the meeting and review resources shared.

    The Food Hub Trade Network project has been very active in this time and has been making larger volume sales mostly between Eugene, Central OR and the Gorge with smaller connection points in Southern OR & the north coast. A findings report and route recommendations are due in late fall.

    New Shared Resources:

    Upcoming Events:

    • OCFSN & the Food Hub Network is hosting four more workshops for food hub leadership and staff with the Becoming the Employer of Choice (BTEC) team, Sarah Janes Ugoretz and Katie Bishop. Sarah and Katie hosted our recent Strategic Leadership  workshop and follow-up discussion. Below are the workshop offerings for the rest of the year. Food Hub Network members get priority for spots in these workshops. Please click the links to register! 

  • Register for the October Veggie Rx Working Group Quarterly Meeting; from 9-10:30am.

    We will be sharing updates on what to expect at the November Full Network Convening at Salishan as well as hearing from two speakers…and maybe a third!

    • Kaila Luttrell of UC Veg in Roseburg will be presenting on their Veggie Rx Program model and share updates as they enter their third year of using the AboutFresh card for participants and referrals through UniteUs. Read about the 2021 Fresh Connect Pilot Project.

    • Theo Latta, a Veggie Rx Steering Committee member will be sharing about The Toward Healthy Lifestyles Initiative he co-developed with Leah Werner and Gina Zatarain partnership with with CO-LED and community-based organizations to support innovative approaches to exercise and nutrition for OHSU IDS members. We are offering small awards ($5,000–$20,000) to help bring forward ideas that promote healthier lifestyles in ways that reflect the strengths and creativity of each community. Instead of requiring a traditional grant submission, we invite organizations into conversation with us and to provide a simple process for tracking progress. Together, we aim to make health more accessible, culturally relevant, and community-driven.

    Finally, we plan to share results from our 2025 Oregon Veggie Rx Program Census at the November Convening. To have your program included, please complete this short census survey!

    • BFR Subgroup met in August 

    • Oregon Beginning Farmer & Rancher Resources story map is ready to be shared on your websites and with your networks! I have updated OCFSN's website with the map links, and if you would like to be added to the map, please complete this form.

    • The Farm Viability Subgroup is restarting! Our first meeting back will be Wednesday September 24th at 2pm and we will then meet every other month on the fourth Wednesday at 2pm. 

      • On the agenda for the first meeting back is a presentation from Carly Boyer of American Farmland Trust on her recent Agricultural Viability Indicators paper, see attached.

      • Zoom Details: link, passcode: 260626

      • Calendar link

    • Oregon Public Policy (CFS at the Leg) working group virtual convening | Monday, September 15th at 1pm | Watch the Recording!

      • Who is this for? Anyone in the network interested in state policy and connection to food systems!

      • Agenda

        • 1:00pm - Introductions in chat

        • 1:05pm - Next phase of OCFSN Oregon Public Policy working group - focusing on CFS and more general Oregon public policy

        • 1:15pm - Presentations

          • Oregon Hunger Task Force food safetynet directory and SNAP funding (Chris Baker and Alex Aghdaei from Partners for Hunger Free Oregon)

          • Plan for a Resilient Oregon (Aimee Fritsch and Jonna Papaefthimiou from Plan for a Resilient Oregon)

          • Oregon Agency Partnerships (Rachael Ward from Farmer's Market Fund)

        • 2:45pm - Breakouts on specific policy area

        • 2:00pm - Focused discussion on important OCFSN policy topics

          • Folks can stay and participate or head out

        • 2:30pm - End of meeting

    • OCFSN membership has great representation in the Plan for a Resilient Oregon regional work groups with 8 member organizations participating in all but one region of the state!

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

    • Fire Resiliency Learning Circles – Southern Oregon
      Join local farmers and ranchers to learn and share strategies for fire resiliency, including prescribed burning, community organizing, fire anxiety, and wildfire preparedness. Lunch included. Free, limited to 30 participants (register for one session only). Questions? Diane Choplin: diane.choplin@oregonstate.edu

      • Takilma – Sun, Sep 21 | 10 AM–3 PM | Hosts: Carol McBride & Aaron Howard - Register

      • Greensprings – Sat, Oct 4 | 10 AM–3 PM | Hosts: Deb Evans & Ron Schaaf - Register

      • ButteFalls – Sat, Oct 11 | 9 AM–2 PM | Host: Don Hamann - Register

    • Oct 1-3: Native Grown and Gathered Food Expo – Join Indigenous food producers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in Seattle, WA, for a celebration of Indigenous food sovereignty. The expo features a marketplace, keynote speakers, chef tastings, and sessions for entrepreneurs, buyers, and tribal community members.

    • Oct 2-3: Resilient Pasture & Forage Symposium
      The Oregon Forage and Grassland Council and OSU Extension host a two-day symposium focused on soils, forages, and livestock systems for resilient farming. The event features keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and an optional farm and seed tour. Learn more!

    • Oct 3-5: BUGs Conference – Join Black Urban Growers and partners for the 13th Annual BUGs Conference, October 3–5, 2025, at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. This year’s theme, Cultivating Resilience from Soil to Sovereignty, brings together farmers, chefs, herbalists, educators, policymakers, and activists for hands-on workshops, panel discussions, farm tours, and social events focused on sustainable agriculture and Black food sovereignty. Registration is now open, early bird pricing ends soon.

    • Oct 16-17: Food Rescue Conference- Professionals, government leaders, nonprofits, and retailers for a dynamic two-day event focused on the future of food rescue. Hear from experts on distribution, policy, and social trends shaping food access and security, and connect with peers driving change in their communities. 

    • Dec 1-4: 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. Join the National Farm to School Network on for the premier event focused on local food in institutional settings.

    • Nov 12-15: Tilth Conference + Farm & Food Symposium. This year’s Tilth Conference will be presented in collaboration with the Spokane Conservation District’s (SCD) Farm & Food Symposium to represent farms of all sizes across Washington! We’re bringing together growers, organizations, food system activists, researchers, and educators to learn, network, and celebrate together in Spokane Valley, WA.

    • Due Sep 26: Nourishing Neighbors Nutrition Security Grant from Albertsons Companies Foundation. Learn more here.

    • Due Oct 13: Community Green Infrastructure Grants. Oregon DLCD is now accepting applications for the Community Green Infrastructure (CGI) Grant Program, supporting projects that improve local green infrastructure. Learn more & apply!

    • Due Oct 14: The Growing Justice Fund is a pooled fund that invests in efforts to solidify the leadership, dignity, and power of Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant people to identify and drive solutions that expand the market for good food from locally- or regionally-owned, and environmentally- and economically-sustainable farms, ranches, fisheries, and food businesses. Awards of $25,000 to $250,000 are available to support community leaders working to advance the Growing Justice Fund’s vision through Planning and Implementation Grants. Review the RFP.

    • Due Oct 15: OWEB Water Acquisitions Grant.
      The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) is accepting applications for the Water Acquisitions Grant, which funds voluntary projects that increase stream flows and improve water quality. Eligible projects include permanent or temporary water right transfers, water conservation initiatives, and other strategies to keep water in stream for fish, wildlife, and water-quality improvements. Pre-application consultation with OWEB staff is highly encouraged. Learn more & apply!

    • Due Nov 1: Hoover Family Foundation in Oregon funds organizations based in the Portland Urban Growth Boundary. Learn more here.

    • Due Dec 5: FY 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm Farm to School Grant Program. The objective of the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Farm to School Grant is to improve access to local foods in eligible CNP sites through comprehensive farm to CNP programming that includes local sourcing and agricultural education efforts. Learn more here.

    • Due Jan 15: Applied Materials Foundation accepts proposals focused on civic engagement such as supporting food security. Learn more here.

    • Rolling Applications: Empowering Healthy Living Grant. Learn more here.

    • Rolling Applications: Borealis Philanthropy, with funding from Meyer Memorial Trust, has launched the Oregon round of SAFE (Security, Action, and Freedom for Everyone) grants. SAFE grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 for organizations in Oregon needing immediate financial support for operational security and crisis response. Learn more here.

    • Rolling Applications: AgWest - Farm Credit’s Rural Community Grant, maximum grant request is $5000. 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 Oregon. Eligible projects include facility improvements, equipment purchases, and capital enhancements to support community infrastructure and prosperity. Learn more here.

    • Farm Manager/Sugar Maker at Oregon Maple Project. Seasonal | November 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026 | 40 hrs per week | $4,000 per month + housing. Learn more here.

    • Grants Manager with Oregon Agricultural Trust. $75,000-$78,000 DOE. Applications are preferred by September 14. First interviews will begin the week of September 15. Learn more here.

    • Farms for a New Generation Director at American Farmland Trust. $120-130k. Fully remote position. Learn more here.

    • Prospect Researcher and Database Administrator at American Farmland Trust. $60-65k. Fully remote. Learn more here.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Our next newsletter will be published November 2025.

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