A Special Note to Members.
Dear Island Grown Members,
We’re excited to share the launch of an updated website and logo for the Island Grown in the San Juans program.
The Ag Guild experienced staff changes and grant changes during the global pandemic. The site and tools were slipping further and further out-of-date and so we decided to pause the ‘membership’ model while we were under-resourced to meet our end of the bargain. Our commitment to the mission never wavered and now we’re back with a stronger foundation, funding, and staff plan.
We were able to secure grant funding to brush off our tools and put together a roadmap to support the programs longevity.
First Phase:
- Updated website and logo! This work, shared with you today, was made possible through funding from a San Juan County LTAC (Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) grant and USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development grant. The artists and creatives behind this work are our beloved San Juan County and Washington-based community members.
Next steps:
- Update information for points of distribution (farm stand addresses and hours, updated list of producers, etc.) with a USDA RFSP (Regional Food System Program) grant in partnership with Sustainable Connections.
- Use our newly secured donation (yay!) to hire staff to support the ongoing storytelling content, event calendar, blog posts, and website
- The Ag Guild will be organizing Listening Sessions to solicit input from you with the goal of steering the membership program in the best direction forward.
- The original logo will rest fondly in our hearts. If you have the logo somewhere, say a sticker on the window, it is your choice to keep it up or not. We plan to dedicate part of the Listening Sessions to collecting your input on this
In the meantime, Island Grown in the San Juans remains committed to improving access and visibility to local foods by:
- Creating a cohesive, easily identifiable brand and informative materials that increase public access to foods and agricultural products grown in the islands
- Sharing the benefits of local agriculture to help consumers value and support the many health, flavor, and environmental benefits when they make local food choices
- Celebrating the heritage of island agriculture
- Developing content that tells the stories of our farmers
- Applying for funding to share the stories and build a wider audience so we reach more buyers, expand the local food system, and benefit the greatest number of farms
The new website was made possible through funding from a San Juan County LTAC (Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) grant, USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Grant, and a USDA RFSP (Regional Food System Program) grant in partnership with Sustainable Connections. We are also very grateful for an incredible donation of $12,500 from an anonymous donor in support of this program.
We are so grateful for all you do to take care of this place, its animals, and community members. In return, we remain deeply committed to increase demand and awareness for local goods while making them easier to find.
We will be in touch soon with more information on the Listening Sessions. In the meantime, if you have questions – let us know!
With gratitude,
Lauren Bigelow, Executive Director, San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild
