STAY INFORMED
Thank you for visiting our Stay Informed page!
A lot of information finds its way to our devices every day, and we have chosen to compile a small sample here for those who might be interested in what others are saying about foods systems, ag policy and important topics affecting organizations like OFS and farmers operating at the local and community scale.
We will post additional articles and other links as we determine they are relevant to the OFS mission and purpose.
3,700 WA Farms Shut Down in 5 Years. Why?
- The Seattle TimesThis article features a Skagit Valley far family and begins to explain the economics of farming and why over 3,700 farms shut down in Washington from 2017 - 2022.
Regenerative Thinking Will Help Businesses Prosper
- Fast Company / Jeff Tkach, CEO of Rodale InstituteWe chose this article because it expands the conversation about “regenerative thinking” beyond agriculture to include all businesses.
Nutritional Benefits of Local Organic Produce This paper was prepared in Spring 2025 by a team of graduating seniors at University of Washington as their Capstone Project for the Food Systems, Nutrition and Health Program.
Avian Flu This is a downloadable PDF
- by John Fetrow VMD, MBA
The notion that the U.S. could produce all of its food domestically is nice, but very far from reality (requires subscription to access full article).
This documentary reaches across political and social divides to report on how COVID exposed the country's broken food system and to celebrate the innovators risking everything to transform it.
Provides a general overview of tariffs and their impact; however, it was selected becuase it includes specific examples from interviews with farmers.
Captures the story of a local farm that is finding success by adapting regenerative practices.
With increasing pressures to sell farmland for housing, and studies showing farmland valuation increasing by 23% between 2017 and 2022 in some areas, NW farmers are finding it more difficult to sustain operations and plan for succession.
Cuts to federal funding for local farm to school program could lower nutritional benefits for students and eliminate income for locally-grown crops. This example from Seattle also applies to Whidbey Island schools.
Offering a perspective on the importance of looking at the whole system impacts of federal budget cuts.
By supporting regenerative organic agriculture, we foster biodiversity, protect pollinators, restore balance to our environment, and improve public health.
The host of The Farming Show series, Dillon Honcoop, interviewed OFS Executive Director, Judy Feldman, in June 2025. This link will provide insight into Judy’s thinking about the role of OFS in training the next generation of community scale farm managers.