Summer’s in full swing, and here at OGC, you can taste it. Juicy organic tomatoes, sweet melons, vibrant grapes and stone fruit that stops you in your tracks. These summer stunners don’t just show up by magic. They’re the result of deep care, collaboration and a whole lot of hands-on work from soil to store. To all our growers out there, your resilience, care and commitment to the land make everything we do possible. Thank you!
In this quarterly update, you’ll get a glimpse of our team’s activity at Johansen Ranch, learn how Persian cucumbers and winter squash are teaming up through grafting, meet youth climate leaders helping us monitor air quality and see how OGC coworkers are finding smart new ways to reduce waste and give back.
We’re still riding high from Organicology 2025, and excited to share that Organicology will be back in early 2027. The planning has started, and we’re building on the new format introduced this year. Thank you for showing up to connect, learn and lend your voices to the movement.
And speaking of connecting: Mark your calendar for October 9th! We’re hosting a live candidate forum giving you a special chance to meet the people running for the Sustainable Food & Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust’s Protector Committee (the TPC). Two seats will be filled in the fall TPC election.
What makes this forum so special? By taking part, you’re helping guide the Perpetual Purpose Trust that owns OGC—a governance model designed to keep our mission at the center, not shareholder profit. Our business model is rare in the U.S. and, together, we’re reshaping how business can be done. The TPC plays a crucial role, tasked with keeping OGC accountable to our purpose rather than just quarterly earnings. This is a chance to see democracy in action within an ownership model that we and others believe is redefining the future of values-driven companies. Click here to RSVP
Thanks for standing with us and believing in the power of organic for healthier people and planet.
With deep appreciation,
Brenna Davis CEO
TIME-HONORED FRUIT NEXT-GEN FARMER, AT JL’S ORGANIC ORCHARD
Black Friar and Simka plum season is here, and if you’re lucky enough to bite into one of these ruby-red or deep-purple plums, take a moment to thank Jeff Leach and his crew at JL’s Organic Orchards in Zillah, Washington. At just 31, Jeff is a fifth-generation farmer tending 40 acres of organic plums, pluots and pears with precision and a quiet passion that runs deep. His father, Scott, took an early interest in organic farming practices and their land has been certified for over 30 years.
We visited Jeff in late July, a few weeks before his Simka and Black Friar plum harvest. Simka is a Japanese plum variety known for its heart-shaped fruit with purple skin and firm, sweet golden flesh. It’s an important pollinator species and vital to the deep-purple and sweet Black Friar crop, also a Japanese variety.
Last summer, Jeff and his farm were part of the Whole Chain Plum Project, a food waste study OGC conducted alongside the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment (PCFWC) and our customer, New Seasons Market. Together, we tracked Simka and Black Friar plums from the orchard to OGC to the retail shelf, zeroing in on moments of loss and opportunities for change so our farmer can get the best results.
While some of the study’s recommendations—like building onfarm cold storage—are longer-term goals, the data is helping guide decisions and shape what’s next for JL’s Organic Orchards. In the meantime, the trees are thriving and fruit is ripening deliciously. Between rows of plum trees, we spotted milkweed in full bloom, buzzing with pollinators. The orchard floor is lush and green, blanketed with grasses that help hold moisture in the soil. Every tree, pruned and thinned with care, tells a story of thoughtful farming and deep stewardship.
Keep an eye out for organic plums now and pears next month from JL’s Organic Orchards. Volume is strong, and the fruit is excellent, available only from OGC.
Sunshine, Soil & Getting to Know the Grove
An early look at how we’re growing into the season at Johansen Ranch
Since taking the reins at Johansen Ranch earlier this year, we’ve been all in, rolling up our sleeves and getting to know the land, the people and the citrus. As the northernmost citrus-growing ranch in the region, Johansen sits in a unique climate pocket with rich, organic soil that’s already showing signs of promise.
Spring brought plenty of rain, letting us hold off on irrigation until May— music to any grower’s ears. From pruning and weeding to kicking off a full nutrition program, the team’s been getting right to work. We’ve been steadily making infrastructure upgrades to support the land and the people who care for it. Upgraded irrigation, added equipment and a new utility vehicle for the crew are just a few of the early improvements making daily work a little easier and more sustainable.
So, what makes Johansen special? Besides the soil—rich, organic ground that performed beautifully through the wet season—it’s the combination of legacy and possibility. We’re learning from what’s already working (like the nutrition program originally developed by Rich and the late, legendary
Amigo Bob Cantisano), while also exploring new ideas, science and modern techniques to help trees and soil thrive for seasons to come.
Rich continues to lead daily operations as a contract grower through the transition, and the entire crew has stayed on. These hardworking folks know the land intimately, and we’re lucky to be learning from them. We’ve spent the last few months getting to know the people, the local vendors and the rhythms of the ranch, honoring the legacy we’ve inherited.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to dig into plans for what else can grow here. From making strategic investments in the ranch to setting our vision for the future, we’re taking a thoughtful, longgame approach to make sure Johansen Ranch keeps delivering the good stuff—organically and with heart.
The 2025-2026 citrus crop looks strong, the trees are healthy and we’re just getting started. Big things are growing, and we can’t wait to share the bounty.
Better Together: THE POWER OF GRAFTING PLANTS
We all get by with a little help from our friends, and sometimes, in farming, that’s the case for both the plants and the growers themselves.
Mini Persian cukes have been growing in popularity in the United States over the past few decades—a 2011 Los Angeles Times article declared that they are “tastefully taking over.”
The small, thin-skinned cucumbers are beloved for their crunch, subtle sweetness and lack of seeds.
Growing these tender little cucumbers requires some finesse. Field-grown cucumbers are susceptible to scarring from as little as the wind, which can be unattractive and make their typically supple skin tougher. That means Persian cucumbers need to be grown in high tunnels, which is precious and expensive real estate on a farm.
In the Pacific Northwest, soil moisture is often an issue, too. Though modern Persian cucumbers have been crossed with other varieties to improve disease resistance, pesky cucumber diseases thrive in moist spring soils.
These two factors combine, creating a perfect storm for soilborne diseases and a real threat to cucumber plants. Because hoop house space is so valuable, the soil is much less likely to be left fallow for a season. Even with carefully managed crop rotations, diseases can build up in the soil and become a greater threat to veggie plants. Soil-borne diseases can wipe out an entire cucumber crop—once the plants are large and start to set fruit, they whither and leave nothing to harvest. That’s an expensive waste of space, time and energy and enough to inspire any farmer to leave the cucumber growing to someone else.
ENTER GRAFTING.
More commonly associated with fruit trees, grafting is a technique that combines two plants, so they grow as one. The upper part of one plant, called the scion, is attached to the roots of another plant, called the rootstock, to create benefits for the grower—like better yields and disease resistance. In veggie farming, grafting tomatoes is incredibly common and easy to do right in the field.
During his years working at Gathering Together Farm in Philomath, Oregon, OGC’s Product Innovation Manager, Joey Staub, tackled the Persian cucumber’s high tunnel, soil moisture, disease trifecta by exploring the potential of grafting. By combining the scion of a Persian cucumber with the tougher rootstock of Tetsukabuto winter squash, the cucumber plants were much more resilient and less susceptible to the diseases that plagued the crop.
But grafting cucumbers is tricky. Timing the size of the rootstock and the scion requires careful planning because the stem of the Tetsukabuto grows much larger than that of a Persian cucumber plant, and they need to be the same size for the graft to take and the plant to grow. Once they are combined, grafted starts need to be in a carefully maintained environment to heal correctly. This intensive management can be a challenge on diversified vegetable farms, with so much going on in the early spring. So, Gathering Together purchased Persian cucumber starts rather than growing their own. That’s a larger upfront investment, but if it means having cucumbers at all, it’s worth it.
FROM CHALLENGE TO COLLABORATION
A few years ago, OGC Buyer Josh Spoden saw an opportunity for the right grower. OGC customers wanted organic, Northwest grown mini Persian cucumbers, and there wasn’t enough supply in the diminutive size that shoppers wanted. Josh went to Joey to help find a grower who could supply a steady stream of organic cukes that met the specs OGC’s customers needed.
As our Product Innovation Manager, Joey works closely with growers to try new things and solve on-farm problems. He knew that Little Garden Farm had seen their Persian cucumber crop fail in the past and reached out to the farm’s owner, Dionilde Lopez, to see if he’d be interested in trying grafted starts and growing to the specifications that Josh was after. He was enthusiastic right away.
After three seasons of growing grafted cucumbers, the success of the Little Garden Farm’s cucumber grafting program is in the numbers. In 2022, OGC bought one case of cucumbers from Little Garden. In 2023, Josh purchased 150 more. That number more than doubled in the 2024 season, and this year’s harvest is set to be even bigger.
Farming is a complicated endeavor. There are so many factors that contribute to each crop’s success—and more than any one person can learn about the interplay of soil, water, microbes and sun. Sharing knowledge and experience is what’s needed to grow great crops and meet the needs of farmers, distributors, stores and shoppers.
Cucumber plants grow better with the help of winter squash roots. Farmers grow better with some support, too.
SOWING THE SEASON: FARM TOUR in the WILLAMETTE VALLEY
In early June, a group of OGC coworkers and friends got to see what was growing on eight different farms in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and hear from growers about their operations.
Oregon’s warm and dry spring was evident in what was growing in June. We expected the berries, greens, peas, spring roots and Fava beans, but there were also cucumbers, tomatoes and even eggplant—weeks sooner than they’re typically available from the Northwest. It was amazing to see how much infrastructure is required on these farms, with acres of hoop houses, drip tape for irrigation and tidy trellising.
The subtle themes of the tour were the passing of organic farmland from one generation to the next, and how closely the community of organic farmers in the Willamette Valley is tied together. We met growers who bought their farms from their former bosses, took over from folks who had been farming organically for decades and a berry grower who continued the legacy his father started in the 1950s. This tour showed what a web the organic farming community of the Willamette Valley is and how connected the stories of organic farmers in the region are.
There’s something extra special about connecting with our grower partners while seeing organic produce growing up close, and this tour was magical.
FROM THE BOOTH TO THE MAINSTAGE: OGC AT OPS
In early July, OGC headed to Monterey for the Organic Produce Summit, the industry’s biggest annual meetup for all things organic produce. We caught up with longtime partners, made new connections and showcased Ladybug Brand ® and OGC services at our booth.
OGC Buyer Jeff Fairchild took the stage as part of a lively panel on the art of merchandising, drawing from his 45 years of experience to share what really moves the needle in produce departments.
“Merchandising is about telling a story.” Watch the video to find out more about Jeff’s retail tips and philosophy.
Coworkers Step Up & GIVE BACK
Living OGC’s mission doesn’t stop at the warehouse doors. Leading with purpose means showing up in the communities we serve, and many coworkers are doing just that by serving on boards that are shaping the future of food and farming.
Here are some recent exciting leadership appointments:
Brenna Davis, CEO, joined the OGC Board of Directors
Humberto Maldonado, Director of Safety & Compliance, is now serving on the California Certifiers of Organic Farms and the OGC Board of Directors
Mike Dill, Director of Advocacy & Sustainability, was appointed to the Oregon State Board of Agriculture
Isabelle Lishewski, Quality Assurance Supervisor, joined the board of Slow Food Portland
From food policy to farmer advocacy, OGC coworkers have a seat at the table and are staying rooted in the field.
ORGANICALLY GROWN IN OREGON WEEK RETURNS IN SEPTEMBER
Mark your calendars: Organically Grown in Oregon Week is back September 8–14, 2025!
Led by our friends at the Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC), this statewide campaign celebrates the farmers, makers, retailers and advocates who grow and champion Oregon’s organic food system.
The week is all about connections, from land to table and from farmer to eater, and it’s a powerful moment to spotlight the environmental, health and economic benefits of organic.
Whether you’re a farm giving a tour, a retailer building an endcap of Oregon grown organic foods or a chef featuring local organic ingredients, there’s a way for everyone to get involved.
A digital toolkit is available to help participants share their stories, promote their events and celebrate Oregon’s role as a national leader in organics.
OGC is proud to be a co-founder and forever supporter of Organically Grown in Oregon Week. We encourage our Oregon supply chain partners and allies to join us in taking part. Let’s celebrate and communicate what it means to be Organically Grown in Oregon!
To learn more or get involved, visit www.oregonorganiccoalition.org.
A SECOND LIFE FOR TWIST TIES
At OGC, we handle a lot of produce. Every day, our in-house repack team sorts through cases of fresh organic fruits and veggies, making sure only the best reaches our customers. But in that process, we end up with literal piles of twist ties, barcode tags and elastic bands. The little necessities that bundle things like organic green onions and make sure our customers and shoppers can scan their produce at checkout.
For years, those tiny bits of plastic and wire had one fate: the landfill. And honestly? That just didn’t sit right with us. So, we found a better way.
FROM TRASH TO TAGBACK ®
Enter TagBack, an initiative from Bedford Industries, the very folks who manufacture those produce tags. Instead of tossing them out, we now collect and return them to Bedford, where they’re given a second life, upcycled into new tags or turned into PolyScape™ plastic lumber for things like outdoor furniture. An Adirondack chair in your garden store might have started as an elastic band around a bunch of organic broccoli.
We learned about TagBack from OGC customer PCC Community Markets (they’re currently introducing shoppers to this recycling program in five of their stores). Since starting this practice last summer, OGC has diverted 138 pounds of twist ties and tags from the landfill—tiny, seemingly insignificant bits of wire and plastic. It’s the little stuff that adds up, making a big impact.
WHY THIS MATTERS
There’s no perfect, one-size-fits-all solution to handling packaging waste (trust us, we wish there was). But what we can do is chip away at the problem, one small but meaningful step at a time.
Twist ties and produce tags might not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of sustainability. But in the end, sustainability isn’t just about the big changes. It’s about the little choices that add up to something bigger. And at OGC, we’re in—twist ties and all.
TRACKING EMISSIONS, INVESTING IN Healthier Air
In June, OGC launched a new air quality monitoring initiative at our Portland facility to better understand the emissions produced by our truck fleet and loading operations and what we can do to reduce them.
Thanks to a new collaboration with the Change is in the Air program, led by Portland’s Blueprint Foundation, we’ve installed four air quality monitors to collect real-time data on particulate matter and gas-phase pollutants. These monitors include BottleBots, designed and built by the Change is in the Air students, called “Community Scientists,” and high-tech QuantAQ sensors. Together, they’re helping us track key air pollutants commonly associated with vehicle exhaust.
This partnership goes beyond the tech. Change is in the Air empowers BIPOC youth with classroom and field-based environmental science training, building the next generation of climate justice leaders. We’re honored to be part of their mission and grateful to be learning from the students themselves.
At OGC, we set a goal to reduce our emissions by 25% by 2030. This effort will help us go deeper: measuring what we emit, understanding how it impacts our community and using that insight to make smarter, long-term improvements to our fleet and facilities.
Better data, strong partnerships and cleaner air. That’s the path forward.
OGC ACCELERATES MISSION FUND GRANTS TO Support Nonprofits
Every year, OGC awards Mission Fund grants to organizations that are making a difference in our food system and communities. This year, we accelerated our giving in response to the federal funding freezes that are hitting nonprofits hard.
For 2025, we’ve focused our support solely on nonprofit organizations, many of which are facing sudden budget shortfalls due to delayed or cancelled federal government grants.
Our Mission Fund reflects OGC’s mission in action: promoting and inspiring the growth of the organic agriculture movement. We’re proud to back people and programs doing critical work—from food access and farmer training to environmental stewardship and community resilience, especially during a time when support is so urgently needed.
2025 NONPROFIT Mission Fund GRANT RECIPIENTS
1000 Friends of Oregon, Bethel Farm, Beyond Toxics, Black Farmers Collective, Black Oregon Land Trust, CAPACES Leadership Institute, CCOF Endowment, Clackamas Community College, Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT), Corvallis Environmental Center, Crag Law Center, Ecotrust, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, Farm2People, FOOD for Lane County, FOOD for Lane County Youth Farm, FoodCorps, Friends of Family Farmers, Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Good Rain Farm, Gorge Grown Food Network, Growing Gardens, Huerto de la Familia, Kitchen Table Advisors, Live Earth Farm Discovery Program (Cali), Long Tom Watershed Council, Marion Polk Food Share, McKenzie River Trust, Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Oregon Climate & Agriculture Network, Oregon Agricultural Trust, Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Wild, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Organic Seed Alliance, OSU Farm Club, Outgrowing Hunger, People’s Land Fund, Rogue Farm Corps, South King County Food Coalition, The Organic Farm School, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Tilth Alliance, Unete Oregon, Viva Farms, Washington Farmland Trust, West Seattle Food Bank, Western Environmental Law Center, Willamette Riverkeeper, Yakima Food Bank
Tilth Alliance Growing Gardens
Summer Flavors WE CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT
From snappy grapes to water-wise melons, summer’s bounty is hitting its peak. We love the excitement of a limited time offering that’s grown with care by Northwest farmers and ready to turn heads in produce departments. Here’s what we’re loving right now.
MELON MAGIC, NW GROWN AND WATER-WISE
Now in its third season, OGC’s organic dry farmed melon program continues to deliver some of the most flavorful fruit of the summer. Dry farming is a sustainable technique that does not rely on irrigation to grow crops. Instead, the growing practice relies on efficiently storing moisture from rainfall in the soil to grow juicy melons with concentrated flavors. Dry farming helps to save precious water and produces fruit that’s sweeter and richer in flavor.
The dry farmed melon crop is a special part of our Ladybug Brand® lineup and will arrive in stores with a bold new label to help shoppers easily identify and explore every unique variety.
This season, we’re focusing on three deeply flavorful varieties: Charentais, Piel de Sapo and Sugar Cube.
CHARENTAIS: A French heirloom variety, this melon is wellloved for its rich flavor, pleasant muskiness and over-the-top floral aroma.
PIEL DE SAPO: Football-shaped with distinctively patterned skin, this melon tastes like a cross between Honeydew and a perfect fall pear.
SUGAR CUBE: This personal-sized Cantaloupe is intensely sweet and incredibly aromatic.
Don’t miss the chance to bring the bold flavor of dry farmed melons to your shelf or menu now through September!
GEAR UP FOR GALACTIC GRAPES
OGC is adding two new Northwest grown seedless grape varieties to our Ladybug Brand® collection, and they are out of this world!
Venus grapes have a snappy texture that comes from their thick skin. These large-size grapes have a delightfully rich flavor with a hint of Muscat, and are great for fresh eating, jelly and juice.
Known for their meaty texture and thin skin, Mars grapes are sweet and juicy with a hint of Concord flavor. Perfect for snacking, Mars grapes are also great for making juice, jelly or raisins.
These seasonal stunners won’t be around for long. Keep an eye out for some of the most flavorful organic fruit of the summer.
PIELDESAPO
SUGARCUBE
CH ARENTAIS
Cheers, Don Mayfield!
After nearly two decades, OGC Buyer Don Mayfield retired! Mike Neubeck, OGC’s Director of Purchasing, shared that Don was a cornerstone of our purchasing team and will be deeply missed.
“Don brought a steady, thoughtful approach to everything he did—whether navigating a tricky growing season or mentoring a new buyer. His ability to build real trust with both coworkers and growers will have a lasting impact,” said Mike.
“Connection is one of OGC’s core values, and Don lived that out every day. Not in big, flashy ways, but through consistent care, honesty and followthrough. OGC is better because he’s been here.”
Here are highlights from a conversation with Don about his time at OGC and what lies ahead:
After decades of working at OGC, what’s your favorite produce?
Kishu Mandarin
What did you like about working at OGC?
The people and camaraderie. Also, OGC has an open-door culture; a willingness to give and receive advice at every level, including leadership.
What did a typical day at work look like?
My days started with reviewing inventory and reporting it to the sales team. Then I’d move into analysis mode, looking at what’s selling, what isn’t and adjusting purchase orders based on trends. I also kept in close touch with farms. My busiest time was during citrus season (November – May).
What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
Not studying numbers every day! But in all seriousness, I’m looking forward to enjoying the outdoors in central Oregon,
spending more time with my kids and grandkids and traveling in our trailer. We’re excited to explore new places, especially dark zones where we can stargaze.
What’s your favorite OGC memory?
My first visit to the Eugene office. It was very quirky and different, in the best way. Also, having two of my kids and my daughter-in-law work at OGC while I was there was special.
What was your OGC career path?
I was a buyer the whole time. It takes years to really get it; there’s no play book. Every season is different and every year it got easier and more fun.
What was it like to be at OGC for almost two decades?
I’ve been so pleased to work at OGC. We care about things; we’ve got a mission, and it’s not just about making a family rich or big profits over people. We really care about our growers. It’s truly a great group to work for. I can’t think of a better way to put it—it just fit me well.
Don, thank you and we hope you enjoy every moment of retirement. Here’s to relaxing, stargazing and maybe a few Kishu mandarins along the way.
FROM GOOD TO BETTER: RESCUING Organic POTATOES, FEEDING PEOPLE FIRST
The OGC team has always taken food waste prevention seriously. With a 95% landfill diversion rate , we’ve long prioritized sustainable outlets—food bank donations and animal feed—for fresh produce that isn’t perfect enough for our retail customers. But earlier this year, we asked ourselves a bigger question: Are we really doing the best we can with the edible food we’re diverting from the landfill or composting facility?
That question sparked a shift. Our nearly year-round potato bagging line is a vital operation that helps bring an organic, staple crop from farms to grocery shelves across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. A potato gets sorted out if it doesn’t meet customer standards. These so-called B-grade potatoes are still perfectly edible, just blemished or misshapen. For years, they went into bins destined for animal feed, a respectable solution, but one we realized wasn’t enough.
“After OGC joined the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment three years ago, we felt proud of how we were managing our culls and food waste,” Mike Dill, OGC’s Director of Sustainability and Advocacy. “But earlier this year, bins of fresh-looking potatoes caught my attention. Why were these spuds heading to livestock? Why had we accepted ‘not going to landfill’ as the final goal, when we knew we could do better?”
CLIMBING THE FOOD WASTE HIERARCHY
OGC’s Sustainability, Quality Assurance and Operations teams worked together to modify the line, allowing those B-grade potatoes to be separated and rescued for donation. We established a new system with trusted hunger relief partners, including Oregon Food Bank and Birch Community Services, who now pick up bins of fresh, organic potatoes weekly to distribute to people in need.
In just the first four months of 2025, our total produce donations were up 25% compared to last year, thanks largely to this potato initiative.
“This
simple, thoughtful shift reflects something bigger: a move from doing good to doing better,” said Mike. “We realized that even “sustainable” systems need a second look. Recycling and composting are still energy-intensive processes. Landfill diversion is not the ceiling, it’s the floor.”
Of course, there’s still work to do. Our next challenge is to help build value for this kind of produce, not just through donations, but through markets that reward the full harvest.
We’re proud of this change. Edible potatoes once headed for animal feed are now feeding families. And we’re committed to staying curious and humble enough to keep asking: What else can we do better?
Organically Grown Company appreciates the leadership, experience and guidance provided by our dedicated Board of Governors, the SFAPPT Trust Protector Committee and Trust Enforcers.
BOARD
Cathy Calfo | Santa Cruz, CA
Brenna Davis | Portland, OR
Bianca Kaprielian | Oakland, CA
Edmund LaMacchia | Soquel, CA
Maia Larson | Eugene, OR
Humberto Maldonado | Portland, OR
Darren Nakata | Portland, OR
Brian Rohter | Hood River, OR
You can learn more about their experience and accomplishments at www.organicgrown.com/ourboard
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