No Accidents in Tillamook
Where we live out in Tillamook, Oregon, no one settled here by accident.
Settlers crossed obstacle after obstacle, and mountains and rivers along what is now known as the Oregon Trail. And when they finally reached the Tillamook Bay where it seemed like they couldn’t explore any further…they built a boat.
Farmers here in Tillamook used that first boat to get their farm products to customers outside their area. They traveled up and down the coast, and inland on the Columbia River, to bring food to people in the towns and cities. It's why the Tillamook cheese logo has a ship on it to this day.
It's in that same spirit Go Find a Farmer was started. We thought if we could create an easy way for people to buy the food they love directly from family farms and ranches, it would be a small change that might make a big difference.
The reality is that America loses one family farm every 23 minutes. This means that in the time it takes me to watch an Oregon State Beavers football game, 8 families (on average) will have lost a farm that may have been in their family for generations.
But it doesn’t have to keep happening.
Now, there are several reasons why a farming operation shuts down, but one of the biggest reasons is that four enormous companies (collectively known as The Big Four) control a staggering 85% of the beef supply in America today, along with a growing percentage of chicken and pork (YouTube it…). They’re so large and have bought out so many brands since the 1980’s that they can dictate prices, change compensation rules, and create a system that’s rough for both farmers and consumers. A system that only benefits the corporations themselves.
This relentless control and consolidation has left many smaller family farms at the mercy of these corporations. The Big Four pocket an average of 2/3rds of EVERY dollar we pay for meat in the grocery store–leaving less and less for the family farms that actually produce the livestock.
However, by changing just a little bit of how we buy food for our families, we can make a dent in this problem. We’re not advocating abandoning local grocery stores, but if the average family even occasionally bought some of their staples like beef, chicken, or pork directly from local family farms, those farms would thrive. Plus, the quality and taste are just so good.
One of the biggest parts of creating this change is helping people become aware of the problem. That's why we’ve started something we’re calling the Founder’s Club. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for anyone to share their support of family farms, and also get a nice shirt in the process.
I’d love to have you join.
Stay sane,
Derrick
P.S. If you sell direct to consumer and you are looking for more customers for your farm, you should join Go Find a Farmer.
