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Taking Organic to the Next Level and Beyond

The Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC) works to advance the development and growth of the organic industry, practices, and community in Oregon.
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MISSION

​The Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC) works to advance the development and growth of the organic industry, practices, and community in Oregon.

VISION

Resilient regional food systems rooted in organic practices.

Growing  Organic

The OOC was founded by organic trade leaders in 2004 to build unified support for organic advocacy. The OOC has brought together organic farmers, businesses, affiliated organizations, and other stakeholders, to provide direction and advocacy, and to support efforts that promote and grow organic trade and farming practices in Oregon and beyond.

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Broadly, the OOC also contributes to regional advocacy efforts and sees the Pacific Northwest as having great potential for being a world leader in organic and regenerative agriculture, with diverse crop offerings. And when rooted in organic’s core principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care, the OOC believes organic production can create more equitable and resilient regional food systems.

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Facts

Organic Facts

  • Organic farms can create environmental benefits such as improved water infiltration, no-till or minimum tillage, habitat maintenance for beneficial insects and vertebrates, and biological pest control that is better for people and the planet. These practices benefit water quality, soil health, and biodiversity.

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  • According to data in the Organic Farming Research Foundation’s 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), Organic producers are leading the nation in the adoption of soil health management practices. 76% of organic field farmers plant cover crops regularly compared to only 10% of conventional farmers.

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  • Organic farming also creates jobs with greater stability–organic farms hire more people per acre, and those people work for more days of the year. (Finley et al. 2018).

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  • The number of US organic farms grew by 39% in recent years, while the total number of farms in the U.S. shrank by 3%. During that same period, organic farm income nearly doubled while the income of all U.S. farms remained stagnant. Furthermore, the average value of products sold from organic farms is double the average value sold from all U.S. farms. (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Census of Agriculture 2012 and 2017).

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  • Organic crop systems perform better than conventionally managed crop systems during climate extremes such as drought and excessive rainfall due to the increased soil stability and water-holding capacity of organically managed soils. (Lotter et al. 2003, 8).

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  • High Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) levels in organically managed soils promote higher microbial abundance and diversity consequently increasing the resistance of microbial communities to abiotic stressors (drought, climatic variations, etc.) which ultimately may buffer essential ecosystem functions against environmental fluctuations (Kundel et al. 2020, 2).

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Advocacy

Since OOC’s inception, the organization has been a voice for Oregon’s organic community and has spearheaded efforts to showcase and celebrate the organic trade, protect organic resources and commerce, and develop public policy that supports the growth of organic and organic practices. Advocacy and education efforts have included events, legislation, grant and project endorsements, agency outreach, and participation in legislatively mandated work groups and relevant coalitions.

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Some of our significant past achievements include:
  • Securing a legislative budget appropriation for an economic assessment of Oregon’s organic sector as part of “emerging sector” legislation.​

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  • Securing funding for two Organic Extension Agents at Oregon State University’s Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems (one for vegetables and one for pastures and forages).​

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  • Forming a legislatively-mandated work group that wrote the initial draft of the Oregon Organic Action Plan, a roadmap for Oregon’s policy makers of steps to take to help support and grow organic production in the state.​

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  • Hosting successful “Organic Grows a Better Oregon” days at the capital.​

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  • Initially introducing the concept of, and eventually supporting efforts to secure, a Soil Health Specialist at the Oregon Department of Agriculture.​

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  • Helping to phase out the use of Chlorpyrifos (a harmful pesticide) in Oregon.​​

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  • Aiding efforts that led to a five-year acreage cap on canola production in the Willamette Valley, which threatens the area’s lucrative vegetable specialty seed production.

Membership

Grow with us

The Oregon Organic Coalition, a 501(c)(6) organization, is fortunate to have many member-supporters, including key organic stakeholders and businesses—large and small—as well as individuals who share the values and goals of the OOC. Notable members include Organically Grown Company, Mountain Rose Herbs, Hummingbird Wholesale, Organic Valley, Oregon Tilth, New Seasons Market, GloryBee and Save the Bee. 

 

 

The OOC’s work is done by a largely-volunteer board, along with a network of committed organic advocates, but is more meaningful when done in collaboration with organic allies throughout the state. We look forward to expanding our roster of supporters as our advocacy efforts continue and we invite community-minded businesses and individuals to join us as we strategically advance our mission.

​​Member Benefits
  • Logo and link to your business on the OOC website

  • Opportunities to be featured in our outreach materials and social media channels

  • Periodic stakeholder reports from the Board of Directors

  • Policy alerts affecting the Oregon organic industry

  • Access to advocacy engagement and other events

  • Ability to serve on OOC Advisory Committees

  • Access to Oregon organic trade data

Membership

Members pay annual dues, on a sliding
fee scale: 

  • Individual: $50 and up

  • Businesses: based on annual sales 

    • $75 up to $99,999

    • $250 $100,000 to $499,999

    • $400 $ 500,000 to $2,999,999

    • $750 $3,000,000 to $19,999,999 

    • $1500 $20,000,000 to $49,999,999

    • $2000 over $50,000,000

Support our Work

The Oregon Organic Coalition also accepts contributions of any size from Supporting Members and Sponsors inside and outside the state of Oregon. Supporting Members and Sponsors are businesses, organizations, and individuals who share the values and goals of the Oregon Organic Coalition. Volunteer and in-kind donations are also welcome. We are currently recruiting for both Board and Advisory Committee members. Please contact the OOC at amy@oregonorganiccoalition.org for more information or to express interest.

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The OOC is a proud member of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network and often collaborates with various other member organizations.

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Contact
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