The Applegate Valley Farm and Food Network is an extensive group of farmers, ranchers, growers, food entrepreneurs, grocers, and restauranteurs. The overall goal is to maintain and enhance our local food and agricultural system.
 
At our network gathering in November 2022, around 70 members attended and jumped into picking one or two of the many ideas from the Applegate Valley Vision and creating a plan of action on how to actualize these ideas. Read about the event on Applegate Valley Connect. 

This network meets twice a year and has formed subcommittees to work on priority projects, including:

  1. Supporting the local farmers’ market development, growth, and increasing attendance;
  2. Developing an “Applegate Valley Grown and Made” aggregation booth at the farmers’ markets;
  3. Forming an Applegate Farmer to Farmer Network;
  4. Managing water use among multiple systems and users;
  5. Supporting the certification of Community Kitchen Projects;
  6. Doing an inventory of available commercial kitchen and processing spaces;
  7. Increasing local purchasing in the community by developing relationships between producers, farmers, purchasers, and retailers.

The food and farm work being done in the Applegate is a part of a partnership between A Greater Applegate and the Rogue Valley Food System Network. It also works in conjunction with the Oregon Community Food System Network. It is currently being funded through a Business Oregon Rural Opportunities Initiative grant.

If you would like to get involved, please contact the Applegate Valley Food and Farm Coordinator, saramarie@rvfoodsystem.org.