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UPDATE FOR FRIENDS OF OGC FOURTH QUARTER, 2021

INTRODUCTION H E L LO, F R I E N D S ! Winter solstice allows us to explore the darkness and reflect on what’s certainly been a heavy, resiliency-testing year. Fourth quarter is the busiest time for our team and our customers — the final push to distribute the amazing bounty of 2021. It’s a Herculean feat managed through 24/7 work, scheduling and logistics wizardry, and a dedication and commitment that is no less than magic. Yet, somehow, someway, through snowy mountain passes, a continuing pandemic, labor shortages, and well-deserved time off, we’ve done it again. Our team, and you, our larger ecosystem, have shone brightly. In Q4, we also fostered light and learning, hope and honest reflection. Whether it was presenting a year of work at the annual SFAPPT Gathering in November, or carefully listening to the needs of our coworkers, we shared produce, opinions, tears, and laughter with each other. As we look to the year ahead, we’re inspired. We’re diving back into our strategic planning work with a thoughtful eye towards integrating sustainability and equity. We’re reinvigorating ways to connect with coworkers, our purpose, and our food. We look forward to seeing you out in a field, on the produce floor, or when we next arrive on your doorstep. During the darkest time of the year, our work together truly offers us a lot of light.

– OGC M is s ion Te a m

Carla Balen

Everet Chenevert

Matt Mroczek

Mike Boyle

Sarah Brown

For the latest stories, videos and updates on OGC and seasonal produce, following us on social media and visit our blog, which features new content each week! @organicgrownco

@organicgrownco Organically Grown Company

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Q UART E R LY H I G H L I G H T S

O G C ’ S C HAR I TAB L E C O N T R I B U T I O N S P R O G R AM S U P P O RT S OVE R 50 N O N P R O F I T S I N 2021 Being stewards of our community, the planet, and organic farming is in our DNA and an important part of our purpose. OGC’s charitable contributions program is funded annually by 2.5% of net profits generated by the prior year’s sales. Our 2020 growth allowed us to make a bigger impact (through increased donations) than ever before. A coworker-led Charitable Contributions Committee is responsible for distributing donations to targeted nonprofits and community organizations on OGC’s behalf throughout the year. As part of this Q4 Update, the committee shares highlights of our biggest donations year ever. 2021 presented unique challenges in the communities that OGC serves. Food insecurity came to the forefront as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to create disparities in society. In response, the Charitable Contributions Committee expanded its range of giving to nonprofits dedicated to food insecurity including Backyard Harvest in Idaho and Gallatin Valley Food Bank in Montana, along with continued support for Marion County Food Share, Oregon Food Bank and Food for Lane County. We made investments in organic research and education across a wide swath of organizations including, the Organic Farming & Research Foundation, the Organic Seed Alliance, California Certified Organic Farmers Foundation, OSU’s Agricultural Research Fund and the WSU Bread Lab. The Charitable Contributions Committee also chose to donate to youth- and beginning farmer-focused organic education programs at Bethel Farm and Lane County Youth Farm in Springfield, Boise Urban Garden School, Rogue Farm Corps, and OSU’s Small Farm School. We renewed support for the McKenzie River Trust, three NW-based farmland trusts, and became business-aligned partners with the Climate Collaborative and Willamette River Keepers, putting OGC among an incredible network of conservationists and climate activists. Donations to Unete, Causa, Huerto de Familia and Farmer Veteran Coalition increased OGC’s aid for farmworker relief. Donations also targeted plastic takebacks across Lane County through a partnership with Eco Generation, Lane County’s only plastic recycler, keeping thousands of pounds of plastic out of the landfill. Click here to see a complete list of nonprofits supported by OGC’s Charitable Contributions program in 2021.

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O G C AWAR D E D $160, 000 I N M I S S I O N F U N D G R AN T S TO 25 R E G I O NAL N O N P R O F I T S & B U S I N E S S E S I N O C TO B E R

Mishjacks Catering

Growing Gardens

OGC’s Mission Fund grants are central to our mission to invest in people, practices, and organizations contributing to equitable and sustainable agricultural systems for local and global health. Reinvesting profits across our stakeholder groups is embedded in our trust-owned business model, recognizing that our wellness is interconnected, and their success is ours. Our Mission Fund grantmaking is dedicated to positively impacting a broad range of stakeholders, chosen for their alignment with the company’s priority funding areas which in 2021 focused on: Supporting growers, handlers, and customers with direct relationships to OGC. Our grants targeted projects that increase resiliency and viability of organizations and strengthened our relationships, or addressed barriers to a consistent supply chain. Building equity in our regional farm and food system by supporting underserved or underrepresented communities including those who identify as Black, Persons of Color, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+. Promoting small and medium farm viability. Strengthening our grower and eater communities by funding product innovation, engagement and research. Growing the organic trade and sector. Click here to read about stakeholders supported during the 2021 grant cycle and watch for news about our 2022 grant cycle later this spring. O R GAN IC AL LY G R OWN C O MPANY | U PDATE FOR F R I END S OF OGC | Q4 2021

P O L I CY & ADVO C ACY U P DAT E T HAN K YO U, R E P R E S E N TAT IVE P E T E R D E FA Z I O BY LYN N C O O DY

O G C ’ S S E N I O R P O L I CY ANALYST LYN N C O O DY R E F L E C T S O N T H E I M PAC T O F T H I S O R G AN I C C HAM P I O N On December 1, Representative Peter DeFazio announced that he is retiring from the US House of Representatives at the end of his current term. He has tirelessly represented Oregon’s 4th District for 35 years as a feisty advocate for a wide range of topics from affordable health care to wilderness protection and transportation safety. But for those of us who work in the organic trade, or who are consumers of organic foods, one action stands out above all – Peter DeFazio was willing to introduce, and fight for, the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) in the House of Representative, when no one else would do so.

STANDING FOR ORGANIC In the spring of 1990, I was a part of a scrappy band of organic advocates from grassroots groups across the country who had managed to negotiate the text of the OFPA, testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee, and with the support of wellrespected Senator Leahy of Vermont, get the bill through the US Senate. Then, everything screeched to a halt.

The House of Representatives presented a very different challenge for the organic bill because the House Ag Committee was actively hostile to organics. There was not one Committee member willing to consider introducing the OFPA. Knowing that we would be facing an almost insurmountable disadvantage without any supporter on the House Ag Committee, the organic advocates nevertheless started looking for other Representatives who might be willing to introduce the bill. After the group worked through a lot of ideas for supporters without success, I suggested my own Oregon Representative, Peter DeFazio, and ran down a few points about why he might be open to supporting the bill, including his personal interest in organic production and his work as a Congressional Aide for our former US Congressman James Weaver (D-4th District), which had resulted in an earlier bill in support of farmers transitioning to organic. People listened, heads nodded, and I was instructed to ask DeFazio for support. I was able to get an appointment with DeFazio during his next trip home to his Eugene office. After I explained the main

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sections of the bill, I emphasized that we had no support from the Ag Committee. Without any hesitation, DeFazio agreed to introduce the bill into the House! However, his next words were to tell me, in detail, why the OFPA would not have an easy path through the House. DeFazio explained that not only was he not on the Ag Committee, worse than that, he also had very little standing as he was only in his first term in the House. He was certainly right about the difficulties! In fact, when he contacted Senator Leahy’s office to indicate his interest in being the House sponsor, Leahy’s aide, Kathleen Merrigan, said she appreciated his offer but preferred to wait a bit to see if the organic team could come up with anyone else who had more experience and sway. We couldn’t—so DeFazio stepped up to become the sponsor of the OFPA in the House. In June 1990, the House Ag Committee took up the OFPA and voted it down emphatically. No surprise there. But what a blow; the OPFA would not be included in the Farm Bill. Most observers concluded that the OFPA’s trip through Congress had ended. But, not to be deterred, Freshman Congressman Peter DeFazio, offered to take it to the House Floor to re-propose OFPA as an amendment to the Farm Bill. Back in Oregon, on a hot day in August, I was sitting at my desk at Organically Grown Co-op, doing brix tests on squashes and talking with growers about their field monitoring reports, when a call came through from a DeFazio staffer. “Come over to our office right away—Peter is going on the House floor with OFPA in a few minutes and there will be a vote on the OFPA right after that!” I hopped in my car and arrived at DeFazio’s Eugene office in time to watch the proceedings on the C-Span channel with his staff. DeFazio’s speech was convincing and inspiring as he laid out the need for a national organic standard and for enforcement of the organic label to prevent fraud. When the vote began though, my heart sank because the tally looked like an absolute disaster, with the Republican block voting quickly and firmly against the OFPA. Seeing my distress, the staffers explained that the bill’s supporters would likely cast their votes later in the voting period. Sure enough as more votes were cast, the tally slowly inched toward more “yays” than “nays.” When the voting period finally ended, the OFPA Amendment had passed 234 to 189!

tenacity of the Congressman from Oregon, who would later go on to earn a reputation as a firebrand for his passionate support of issues, always including organics!

REPRESENTATIVE DEFAZIO HAS BEEN A CONSTANT CAMPAIGNER FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE ORGANIC LABEL During the ensuing decades, Representative DeFazio has been a constant campaigner for the integrity of the organic label, benefiting organic producers and consumers alike. He has been Co-chair of the House Organic Caucus since its inception in 2003. He authored many letters to the USDA to urge the agency’s implementation of strong and consistent organic standards. He has also actively supported Oregonians’ applications for a seat on the National Organic Standards Board. In fact, whenever Congressional leadership was needed to address a new organic topic, the organic trade could count on Congressman Peter DeFazio to weigh in with his firsthand perspective, based on his longstanding experience and deep knowledge of organic issues. Representative Peter DeFazio has taken the lead for decades on organic policy, always with the goal of advocating for directions that would allow organic farmers, handlers, and processers to prosper. When he retires from Congress in January 2023, his leadership will be sorely missed by many, but especially by those of us who had the honor of working with him on organic policy issues over his decades as an important member of the organic community.

Astonishingly, of all the bills that had been rejected by the House Ag Committee, OFPA was the only one to pass as an amendment and eventually be approved by Congress along with other provisions of the 1990 Farm Bill. This, thanks to the O R GAN IC AL LY G R OWN C O MPANY | U PDATE FOR F R I END S OF OGC | Q4 2021

N OT E S F R O M T H E F I E L D C U L I NARY B R E E D I N G N E T WO R K ’ S 2 021 C H I C O RY FAR M TO U R P R O U D LY S P O N S O R E D BY O G C In October, the Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) assembled a small group of growers, retailers, seed breeders and marketers enthusiastic about introducing more eaters to chicory, a category that remains somewhat obscure among Americans. A pandemicera riff off of CBN’s wildly popular Sagra del Radicchio festival, this intimate farm tour included visits to Boldly Grown Farm, The Crows Farm, Ralph’s Greenhouse and Osborne Seed’s research garden, all located in Washington’s Skagit Valley. A small delegation from OGC, including Director of Purchasing Mike Neubeck, Buyer Charlotte Nieman, and Communications and Community Engagement Specialist Ana Johns, made the trek up to Mt. Vernon to attend. The climate of Washington’s Skagit Valley has drawn comparisons to Veneto, the region in northern Italy where chicory cultivation flourishes. OGC’s partner in all things chicory, Boldly Grown Farm, specializes in cold-weather crops, has made significant investments in this category, and is a leader in cultivation in the area. Mike Neubeck addressed tour attendees, alongside CBN Founder Lane Selman, discussing the role of produce distributors and marketers to create demand for this misunderstood group of greens. There are challenges in convincing more shoppers and chefs to select radicchios and chicories from the endless array of salad and braising greens. Still, it’s encouraging to see such a dedicated group come together to support each other in growing, educating, and marketing this category. The event helped deepen OGC’s existing relationships with CBN and Boldly Grown Farm and demonstrated to other growers and retailers the role OGC can play in supporting their work in promoting the chicory category and beyond!

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S U S TAI NAB L E FO O D & AG R I C U LT U R E P E R P E T UAL P U R P O S E T R U S T U P DAT E S

S FAP P T AN N UAL S TAK E H O L D E R GAT H E R I N G R E C AP The 2021 Sustainable Food & Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust Gathering was a success – it was great to see so many faces, even on screens! For those not able to attend, this year’s agenda created a fast-paced and informative experience. Attendees heard from representatives of the SFAPPT, OGC, and AOA, and had an opportunity to contribute ideas and feedback on OGC’s strategic priorities and learn about our 2021 Mission Fund grants recipients. As we’ve said before, we believe the trust-ownership movement is critically important and could serve many other growers and allied businesses in their quest to stay true to their missions. The SFAPPT has a role to play in leading and supporting others with innovative ownership and financing solutions. We see 2022 as a time to further engage with our stakeholders, like you, for ideas, energy, and thought partnership. As a special thank you, all attendees received a beautiful Harvest Box, hand-packed with some of fall’s best organic produce from Northwest growers to inspire seasonal meal-making and trying something new! Keep an eye on the SFAPPT website for updates on the 2022 annual gathering.

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WE ’ R E P L E AS E D TO S HAR E T HAT NATAL I E R E I T MAN -WH I T E HAS B E E N R E E L E C T E D TO T H E T R U S T P R OT E C TO R C O M M I T T E E ! The Trust Protector Committee (TPC) is charged with appointing OGC’s Board of Governors, ensuring that OGC and other entities are purpose oriented, appointing or changing the administrative fiduciary Trustee, and engaging stakeholders in the trust. Natalie will continue to carry out these functions well and contribute to our evolving organization. Follow this link to read Natalie’s candidate statement.

SEEKING TPC CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 2022 ELECTION CYCLE We will have two open seats on the Trust Protector Committe in 2022. Voting will take place to fill these seats later this year. Please share candidate recommendations with the Nominations Committee by emailing trust@organicgrown.com. To learn more about desired qualifications for member of the TPC, please follow this link.

BECOME A QUALIFIED STAKEHOLDER! As a member of our community, please consider becoming a Qualified Stakeholder of the SFAPPT. Stakeholders are individuals or organizations with an interest in the ongoing operation of a company owned by the trust (OGC!). Those who complete the qualification process are able to vote in the TPC election process. Stakeholder qualifications can be found here. If you belong to one of the five designated stakeholder groups (OGC coworkers, suppliers, purchasers, investors, or community allies) and are interested in becoming a Qualified Stakeholder, please follow this link to submit a simple Expression of Interest form, and we will follow up with more information.

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C OWO R K E R N E WS

E X P E R I E N C E D O G C L E AD E R P R O M OT E D TO H E AD O F O P E R AT I O N S Everet Chenevert, formerly OGC’s Head of Information Technology, was promoted to Head of Operations. Everet will continue to oversee Information Technology (IT) taking on expanded leadership responsibilities that include oversight of Operations, Environmental Health & Safety, Compliance, and Facilities. Everet has been with OGC since 2014 and has served on our Mission Team since 2015. He has led teams in a variety of functions and capacities for more than 20 years. Prior to his promotion, in addition to his Head of IT role, he had already started overseeing warehouse operations. Everet comes from Eastern Washington’s Okanogan Valley and grew up surrounded by fruit trees and beautiful mountains where he spent evenings and weekends as an announcer at the local small-town radio station and summers picking Baby’s Breath (a popular noxious weed used in flower arrangements).

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Organically Grown Company appreciates the leadership, experience and guidance provided by our dedicated Board of Governors and the SFAPPT Trust Protector Committee and Trust Enforcers. BOARD Brian Rohter | Hood River, OR Cathy Calfo | Santa Cruz, CA Cecil Wright | Viroqua, WI Maia Larson | Springfield, OR Mike Bedessem | Hudson, WI

TRUST ENFORCERS Andy Westlund | Scio, OR Robbie Vasilinda | Eugene, OR Mike Neubeck | Eugene, OR ARE YOU AN OGC CUSTOMER, GROWER, INVESTOR, COMMUNITY ALLY OR COWORKER? If you fall into one of these groups, you have the opportunity to influence how our business is run by becoming a Qualified Stakeholder. Consider Submitting an Expression of Interest.

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