Olympic Peninsula Farmers Fund

The Olympic Peninsula was an early seat of agriculture in Washington. The region and its Dungeness Valley were among the first to be farmed in the state. Today, despite pressure from development that has greatly reduced the amount of agricultural land, the area remains home to a diverse network of small farms that supply fresh, healthy food to area residents and larger cities across the Puget Sound. The mild climate and alluvial soils produce greens, mixed vegetables, fruits and berries, grains, dairy, meat and eggs. 

In Spring of 2020, farmers in Jefferson and Clallam counties were just gearing up for spring when COVID-19 hit our community. Farmers and food producers that relied on farmers' markets, restaurants, and events for their sales had little or no market for their harvests.  

A group of people across several organizations watched this with growing alarm. In an effort to help the farmers and our local food community, the Olympic Peninsula Farmers Fund (OPFF) was born. The North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council (NODC), WSU Extension Small Farms Program, North Olympic Land Trust and Jefferson Land Trust created the OPFF to provide immediate assistance to the farmers and long-term benefit to the food banks. Administered by NODC, the OPFF provided pre-paid, long term contracts of $1,500 to $5,000 for farmers to provide food for food banks and community food programs this season and over the next 1-3 years. 

The OPFF set an initial goal of raising $50,000 and with fundraising campaigns by Jefferson Land Trust, North Olympic Land Trust, NODC and a grant from Jefferson Community Foundation, they exceeded that goal. In June, $50,250 was distributed to 12 farms in Jefferson and Clallam counties and our local food banks and community food programs have benefited from the program all summer. Members of our community are receiving healthy, locally produced products such as eggs, cheese, milk, vegetables, fruit and honey. The Olympic Peninsula Farmers Fund was featured in an article in the Pew Charitable Trust publication Stateline as an example of the cooperative relationship that can be built between farmers and food banks.

OPFF opened a second round of applications and in December 2020, distributed more than $70,000 in additional contracts. Funding for this round came from a $15,000 grant from the Benjamin N. Phillips Memorial Fund of the Seattle Foundation, more than $12,000 in individual donations, and support from federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds allocated through Jefferson and Clallam counties.

Ten farms in Clallam and Jefferson counties received contracts and local food banks and food programs will receive fish, meat, goat cheese, raw milk, produce and honey from local farmers. 

For questions, please contact info@noprcd.org