Consumers understand the value of buying local when food is grown organically, picked ripe and delivered right away – better food quality and less waste & pollution in transportation. They understand the value of having successful local and regional farms– food resilience and support for the local economy. So do we. It is key to our mission in offering Organic, high-quality, nutritious foods grown as locally and sustainably as possible.
As a distributor, Hummingbird sees the value in bringing together Organic farmers, Organic retailers and consumers to seize the momentum for the benefit of the community. So, we’ve coined the term Distributor Supported Agriculture (DSA). Not unlike Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where consumers become members of their local farm and commit to buying and paying for the produce before it is harvested, this model gives the farmers some financial assurance, transfers some of the risk to the distributor, and creates a stronger connection to the community. In our DSA model, we have plenty of tools in our tool belt to support Organic Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest.
Our DSA model has many benefits for farmers:
- We pre-contract with PNW farms to purchase a set number of acres or pounds of food at a set price when the crop is harvested and cleaned - this gives the farmer the assurance that they will get the necessary value for what they grow. Contracts are in understandable language and are typically less than 2 pages long. The goal is mutual value for farmer and distributor.
- Hummingbird can assist the farmer with sourcing planting seed, and will sometimes pay for the seed costs up front, so that if the crop fails, we cover that expense. If the crop succeeds, the farmer pays for the seed out of the proceeds from selling the crop to us.
- Hummingbird pays a set amount of money per acre to a farmer up front to cover a portion of the growing cost. This is most likely a scenario when the crop is one that is at risk of failure (an experiment) or the farmer is undercapitalized.
- Through our relationship with Oregon Tilth, we can connect farmers with more resources for farmers transitioning to Organic growing practices. Hummingbird works with them to help farmers get the information they need to make informed decisions and successfully meet Organic standards.
- We serve as a hub for farmers to get information about current Organic product value, growing practices, processing and cleaning options, and market opportunities. We are constantly networking resources for farmers to get what they need.
- Our policy is to share origin and growing practices, creating value for what farmers do–they provide the food we need to live. We share their stories, on our website, through social media, in videos, and on our product labels. We just love our farmers!
Our Bin Labels identify the origin, details about the product, growing practices and cooking instructions
In a CSA, local vegetable farmers grow fresh food for their members. Our DSA focuses on all the foods that these local vegetable farmers don’t grow. We are talking about nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, and dried fruits. These all grow well locally and regionally. Having so much grown organically and in our regional community is super rewarding. So next time you look through the bulk bins at your local food coop or grocery look for our Hummingbird bin label and see where things are grown. Find these staples and add them to your own pantry!
As an Organic food distributor, we are proud of the DSA model that supports local farmers.
Hummingbird’s mission is to offer Organic, high-quality, nutritious foods grown as locally and sustainably as possible while taking great care and pride in creating long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Like the Hummingbird, we seek to sip the nectar of the Earth without harming the flower.
And our EOPT Purpose: To preserve Hummingbird’s mission, while ensuring the long-term, financial sustainability and health of the company to benefit current and future coworkers, serving as a co-creator of life-enhancing, inclusive and healthy food systems for our regional and global community.