Cohort 7
This unique group of leaders represents the passion and vision of a food system hit hard by the challenges of COVID-19, and the entrepreneurs and community change-makers that stepped up to meet the needs of this time. Cohort 7 represents a focus on community food webs, inclusive technology, regional food system infrastructure, and alternative business solutions. These leaders are not only addressing the unique circumstances of the past year - they represent real local solutions that are part of a systems shift towards healing and more just, local economies. As with all FS6 cohorts, Cohort 7 was selected for their work across the four FS6 impact pillars of Healthy People, Vibrant Farms, Sustainable Ecosystems, and Justice & Fairness.
To learn more about each company and to get in touch with the entrepreneurs, click the links below.
Meet the Cohort by watching the 7th Annual Forum Event recording here:
Meet the Cohort
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Farm to Pantry (Sonoma Country, CA): Farm to Pantry is a non-profit gleaning organization that rescues unharvested produce from farms & backyards across Sonoma County and distributes it to families facing food insecurity. Their mission is to cultivate good health, community, and environmental sustainability by diverting fresh, local food that would otherwise go to waste, and sharing it with those in need. With the help of over 300 volunteers, 250+ farms, and 85+ community partners, Farm to Pantry has rescued over 3 million servings of fruits and vegetables since inception in 2008.
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Ferry County Edible Resource Team (FCERT) (Ferry County, WA): Ferry County Edible Resource Team (FCERT) is a consultation and startup service supporting sustainable micro-agricultural solutions across Ferry County, WA. They provide startup assistance, logistics support, continuing education, and R&D to those furthering the effort to build a more resilient, healthy, and prosperous rural landscape. At FCERT, they believe the future of agriculture is small, family-owned, regional, and sustainable.
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Kitchen 66 (Tulsa, OK): Kitchen 66 (K66) is the first food incubator and kick-start kitchen in Tulsa, OK. They support Tulsa-based food entrepreneurs in decreasing barriers to success by providing three key resources: affordable commercial kitchen space, business training programs, and sales and distribution channels. Kitchen 66 is a nonprofit program of the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation.
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NAFICI Environmental Research (West Sussex, UK): NAFICI Environmental Research transforms agricultural waste into pulp for paper and packaging through a patented, low-carbon solution called EcoPulping. EcoPulping offers an economic and sustainable option for utilizing the large amounts of surplus agricultural waste (often burnt, or left to rot), while decreasing the use of wood pulp derived from trees. Every tonne of EcoPulp produced saves up to 1 tonne of CO2 emissions.
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Open Food Network USA (Bend, OR): Open Food Network (OFN) is a not-for-profit organization helping to build a new food system that’s fair, local, and transparent. They are enabling new, ethical supply chains through their open-source platform - where food producers, wholesalers, food hubs, and shops can buy and sell online to anyone using OFN. This virtual market solution brings communities together, building a more resilient local food economy.
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Reem's California (Bay Area, CA): Reem's California is an Arab street corner bakery and restaurant with two locations in the Bay Area. They connect people across cultures and experiences through the warmth of Arab bread and hospitality. The Reem’s vision is to build a strong resilient community with good jobs, nourishing food, and a sense of home for all. -LEARN MORE- |
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Regenerative Poultry Systems (Northfield, MN): Regenerative Poultry Systems provides virtual and hands-on regenerative poultry training and business services for farmers and agriculture service providers. Their mission is to ease the transition of the poultry industry to a regenerative model that relies on the proven ancestral system centered on returning poultry to their original habitat. The Regenerative Poultry System is designed to accelerate the transition of BIPOC farmers, as well as established industry leaders and farmers, into regenerative poultry, resulting in measurable and scalable social, ecological, and economic impacts.
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the FarmHand tractor (Jordan, UT): the FarmHand tractor is not your traditional tractor. It is an all-electric, solar-powered, and remote-controlled tractor for small, sustainable market farmers. The open-source design allows others to design flexible add-ons for a variety of on-farm needs - from weeding to harvesting - with minimal impact to the environment. the FarmHand tractor provides a flexible alternative to large, cost-prohibitive equipment for farms of all sizes.
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Umi Feeds (Atlanta, GA): Umi Feeds is a food rescue nonprofit dedicated to serving healthy and nutritious meals from donated surplus foods that are redistributed to those who are hungry, homeless, and food insecure. Umi Feeds provides education, community engagement, and a mobile food market for the seniors, low-income, and homeless citizens of Atlanta, GA.
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Excited about this cohort and want to help us spread the word? Check out our Cohort 7 Communications Toolkit for social media language, graphics, and more!
