Good To Know
great websites to find useful and interesting information about:
Sustainable Farming
farm to table food
Health, and
the Environment
Farmer resources
American Farmland Trust The only national conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.
American Grassfed The website of the American Grassfed Association, lists the organization’s member farmers by state and types of meat or milk they produce.
The Campus Kitchens Project By partnering with high schools, colleges and universities, CKP empowers youth leaders to implement innovative models for combating hunger, developing food systems and helping communities help themselves, in part, by recovering food from cafeterias and engaging student volunteers who prepare and deliver meals to the community.
Center For Food Safety Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a national non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy organization working to protect human health and the environment by curbing the use of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture.
Conscientiously Sourced Pet Food Sustainable and ethically sourced pet food that is healthy for pets and the planet.
The Cookbook Project Empowers underserved youth to be catalysts for healthier communities and a more sustainable environment through food literacy and cooking education.
Common Threads Through cooking and nutrition programs and curriculum, Common Threads brings family-centric, hands-on programs to kitchens in low-income, urban communities. Empowering children to eat healthy, make sustainable behavior changes and celebrate culture through food.
Eat Local Grown The Eat Local Grown project is a crowd-sourced community driven tool that helps you find, rate and share locally grown food.
Eat Well Guide An online directory of family farms, restaurants, and stores selling sustainably-produced meat, dairy, and eggs. Many resources listed on this site sell grass fed meat products, but not all, so be sure to check descriptions.
The Edible Schoolyard Project The Edible Schoolyard Network connects educators around the world to build and a share a K-12 edible education curriculum.
Environmental Working Group Specializes in research and advocacy issues related to corporate accountability, toxins, farming, food, energy, and water in the U.S. They are known for publishing consumer guides, including the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
5 Gyers The 5 Gyres Institute is a non-profit organization that empowers action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, art, education, and adventure.
Farm Aid Farm Aid works with local, regional and national organizations to promote fair farm policies and grassroots organization campaigns designed to defend and bolster family farm-centered agriculture. Well known for their annual Farm Aid concert featuring board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews and other musicians. Farm Aid is the longest running benefit concert series in American. They have raised over $45 million to help family farmers.
Farm Forward Farm Forward implements innovative strategies to promote conscientious food choices, reduce farm animal suffering, and advance sustainable agriculture
FoodCorps is a nationwide team of AmeriCorps leaders who connect kids to real food and help them grow up healthy.
Food Tank - 101 Global Food Organizations to Watch Highlighting organizations (with links) across the globe that are working to fight food waste, combat the dual paradoxes of hunger and obesity, recognize the multiple roles of family farmers, increase nutrient density, protect agricultural diversity, and adapt to a changing climate.
Food + Tech Connect Connecting food and technology through news and analysis, online food business courses and events, Food + Tech is making it easier for food and agriculture startups to create a better future for food.
Food Policy Network The Food Policy Networks (FPN) project is a project of the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), an interdisciplinary center at of the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. They help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping the global commons — our shared resources — under public control.
Foodprint - Real Food Encyclopedia With over 200 entries, this comprehensive encyclopedia helps you understand the foodprint of each food listed. You’ll learn how sustainable (or unsustainable!) each food is, what to look for when shopping for it and even tips on how to cook it.
Future Harvest, Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Future Harvest CASA’s mission is to provide education, networking, and advocacy to help build a sustainable Chesapeake foodshed, where food flows from farm and fishery to table in ways that strengthen farming and the regional food economy; protect our land, water, and air; and provide healthy, nutritious food that sustains the region’s communities and cities.
Kiva Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Kiva loans supports people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans. Kiva covers costs primarily through optional donations, as well as through support from grants and sponsors. 100% of the money you loan is paid back to you.
Lexicon of Sustainability A multi-platform project based on a simple premise: people can't be expected to live more sustainable lives if they don't know the most basic terms principles.
Meatless Monday Meatless Monday is a global movement with a simple message: one day a week, cut the meat. They provide information, news, recipes and free promotional materials to help individuals, schools, restaurants, hospitals, food companies and entire communities to start each week with a commitment to eating healthy, environmentally-friendly, meat-free meals.
Modern Farmer A monthly publication for people who want to become more connected to the food they eat, how they live and the planet. It is for window-herb growers, career farmers, people who have chickens, people who want to have chickens and anyone who wants to know more about how food reaches their plate.
Mother Earth News Provides wide-ranging, editorial coverage of organic foods, country living, green transportation, renewable energy, natural health, and green building.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition An alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.
Non-GMO Project The Non-GMO Project is North America’s only third party verification and labeling for non-GMO (genetically modified organism) food and products. Thier mission is to preserve and build sources of non-GMO products, educate consumers, and provide verified non-GMO choices.
Organic Consumers Association The OCA is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics. "Our mission is to empower action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, art, education, and adventure. Our vision is a world free of plastic pollution!"
Real Food Challenge Real Food Challenge's primary campaign is to shift 1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources.
Rodale Institute For more than sixty years, the Rodale Institue has been researching the best practices of organic agriculture and sharing their findings with farmers and scientists throughout the world, advocating for policies that support farmers, and educating consumers about how it is their belief going organic is the healthiest option for people and the planet.
Seafood Watch The mission at Seafood Watch is to empower consumers and businesses to make choices for healthy oceans. Among other things, they provide consumers with guides to show you which seafood items are "Best Choices" or "Good Alternatives," and which ones you should "Avoid."
Season Food Guide By purchasing local foods in season from local farms, your food dollar goes directly to farmers, you eliminate environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles and you’ll enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Plus, local, seasonal produce just tastes better!
Seed Savers Exchange Our mission is to conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants.
Stone Barns Center for Food And Agriculture An innovative farm utilizing sustainable practices, a ground breaking culinary, and educational center who’s mission is to create a healthy and sustainable food system that benefits us all.
Stone Barns’ Farmer Resources Wonderful videos recorded at Stone Barns Young Farmers Conferences for anyone interested in agroecology and/or wish to help create a healthy and sustainable food system.
Sustainable Table GRACE Communications Foundation develops innovative strategies to increase public awareness of the critical environmental and public health issues created by our current industrial food system, and to advocate for more sustainable alternatives.
Water Footprint Calculator You know water comes from the tap, but do you know how much water goes into your sandwich?
Xerces Society Recommendations for native plants that are highly attractive to pollinators such as native bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, and are well-suited for small-scale plantings in gardens, on business and school campuses, in urban greenspaces, and in farm field borders.
CONNECTING FARMLAND WITH FARMERS
When farmers retire and have nobody to pass their farm along to, what do they do? When suburban sprawl begins encroaching on farmland resulting in higher land taxes, what does a farm do? When young people want to farm, but cannot begin to afford land, what do they do? The organizations below exist to help with these kinds of problems. They help keep precious farmland in farming and support new generations of farmers.
California Farm Link The mission of California FarmLink is to connect independent farmers and ranchers to the land and financing they need for a sustainable future. "FarmLink provides access to capital and land to low income, beginning, underserved, minority and small-scale farmers. "
Eager Farmer Mission is to establish connections, kick-start partnerships and encourage healthy agricultural landscapes that span the generations. Internships, apprenticeships, farm managers, workers, share experience and land management.