September 5th, 2023
Celebrating Regenerative Agriculture and Organic Transition with Daily Harvest and California Certified Organic Farmers
In Mid-August, American Farmland Trust had the incredible privilege of joining forces with Daily Harvest and California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in Merced, CA, to see firsthand the results of our ongoing partnership to advance regenerative practices and build a more inclusive food system hand-in-hand with growers in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Through a field visit, an educational outreach session, and conversations with service providers and farmers, we saw the role that strong partnerships have in addressing the challenges facing the nation’s leading agricultural region and the impact of our on-the-ground work scaling the San Joaquin Land and Water Strategy.
A special highlight of our visit was meeting the remarkable farmer, Latsamee Moua. Latsamee is the recipient of a grant from CCOF, funded by our partnership with Daily Harvest, to give underrepresented farmers the financial and technical support they need to transition their land to a certified organic farm. She grows a huge variety of crops that are hard to find in the San Joaquin Valley, diversifying her operation and catering to immigrant communities that shop in nearby farmers markets. 
Angelica E. Bugarin shared with us her unwavering commitment to establishing infrastructure that champions fair markets for small farmers in the region. The founder of Sweet Valley Produce, she works directly with farmers to purchase their organically grown crops at competitive prices, providing a valuable market for small BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) growers in the San Joaquin Valley.
Later, we had the chance to attend a small-scale farmer centered workshop in Spanish to share information about the resources, grants, and 1:1 assistance available to support organic transition, along with a Q&A conversation about the experience of growing organically with a local family farm. 
This event highlighted the significance of cultural inclusivity and community engagement in meeting farmers at every stage of their regenerative and organic journey – a key pillar of AFT’s outreach work in the area.
As we look to build even more market opportunities for certified organic farms and growers in the San Joaquin Valley, we’re honored to work hand in hand with organizations like Daily Harvest, CCOF, and countless service providers who are committed to reshaping the food system and creating lasting, equitable change. Read more about how collaboration is protecting the San Joaquin Valley.
Don’t Miss! CCOF, AFT, and Daily Harvest will be at EcoFarm Conference from January 17 to 20 in Monterey, CA, to share more about this important work.