Food Alliance

10/16/2026

My family loves Pure Country Farms.

It's Officially Crockpot Season!

The leaves are falling, the mornings are chilly, and somewhere out there a crockpot is begging for a beautiful Pure Country roast!

We have one very important question:

Are you TEAM BEEF ROAST or TEAM PORK ROAST?

Drop your vote below!

visit www.purecountry.us to place an order or stop in at Pure Country Harvest in Moses Lake and pick up your favorite roast!

10/16/2026

🌱 Board Member Spotlight: Natalie Price

Please join us in welcoming Natalie Price as the newest member of the Food Alliance board!

A seasoned w**e and hospitality professional and nonprofit event coordinator, Natalie brings a deep commitment to conservation, community building, and supporting the people who make our food and agricultural systems possible.

Through her work as a w**e buyer and her previous service with the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association, Natalie has built strong relationships with growers, producers, and hospitality professionals—and developed a firsthand understanding of the environmental, social, and business considerations they navigate every day.

We’re excited to welcome Natalie to the Food Alliance community and look forward to the knowledge, connections, and collaborative spirit she brings to our work. Welcome, Natalie!

10/13/2026

We’re grateful for the continued commitment of our renewing Food Alliance clients 🌱

Their ongoing partnership helps strengthen a growing network of farmers, ranchers, and food businesses working to build a more resilient and regenerative food system.

Thank you to our renewal clients for continuing to put these values into practice and for being part of the Food Alliance community. We’re proud to have you with us!

Benchmark Farms, Ephrata, WA, Certified Since 2023
Bussmann Cranberries, Sixes, OR, Certified Since 2004
Enfield Farms, Lynden, WA, Certified Since 2011
Integrity Ag, Quincy, WA, Certified Since 2000
Spokane Hutterian Brethren, Reardan, WA, Certified Since 2008
Travis Herring Farms, Quincy, WA, Certified Since 2023

10/08/2026

🐦🦋 Regenerative agriculture is for the birds—and the bees.

As birds make their fall migration and pollinators prepare for the seasons ahead, the landscapes they encounter along the way matter. Farms and ranches can provide important sources of food, shelter, nesting areas, and habitat when managed with biodiversity and natural cycles in mind.

From flowering field borders and hedgerows to cover crops and protected waterways, thoughtful agricultural practices can support wildlife while building healthier, more resilient farms.

Read our latest blog to learn more about the connection between regenerative agriculture, birds, pollinators, and biodiversity: https://foodalliance.org/blog/agriculture-supports-birds-and-pollinators

10/05/2026

Food Alliance Executive Director Shaila Cook recently traveled to Columbus, Montana, for the Western Sustainability Exchange’s () Expanding Markets Conference.

Bringing together ranchers, food companies, and industry leaders, the gathering offered an opportunity to exchange ideas and explore meaningful market opportunities for regenerative agriculture.

For Shaila, it was a valuable chance to listen, learn, and connect with people working across the food and agriculture system, and to bring those conversations back to the work Food Alliance is doing to support a more sustainable food system.

We’re grateful for the conversations, connections, and shared commitment to building a stronger future for agriculture. 🌱

09/30/2026

🌾 Client Spotlight: Mercer Ranches

For five generations, Mercer Ranches has been guided by a simple philosophy: “Protect and Respect the Land.”

Along the Columbia River in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills, the Mercer family has cared for the land since 1886. What began as a livestock operation has grown into a 12,000-acre agricultural enterprise producing a diverse mix of row crops and w**e grapes, while keeping long-term stewardship at the heart of the operation.

Today, Mercer Ranches combines innovative technology with conservation practices to support healthy soils, efficient water use, biodiversity and resilient ecosystems. More than 2,500 acres are set aside for native vegetation and wildlife, while cover crops, integrated pest management, drip irrigation, recycling and thoughtful nutrient management are among the practices used across the farm and vineyards.

That commitment extends beyond the fields. Mercer Ranches partners with researchers at Washington State University and has helped advance environmental stewardship practices within the w**e industry.

A Food Alliance Certified partner since 2004, Mercer Ranches exemplifies our whole-systems approach to sustainability, considering the health of the land, the strength of the business and the social and ecological communities connected to both.

After more than 140 years of farming, the Mercer family continues to look ahead, finding new ways to protect and respect the land for generations to come.

09/30/2026

Contract consulting auditors are needed. Food Alliance is excited to be growing and expanding. This is a perfect position for an existing auditor (organic or otherwise) looking to add additional work to their schedule. Travel is required. Contact me! [email protected],

09/29/2026

What does sustainable agriculture look like in practice? 🌱

Our FAQ explores some of the questions we hear most often from producers, food businesses, buyers, and members of the public, from pesticide use and food safety to local food, certification at different scales, and what it really means to farm and do business responsibly.

At Food Alliance, we believe sustainability means looking at the whole system. Where food comes from matters, but so do the ways it is grown, raised, processed, handled, and brought to market.

Curious to learn more about what Food Alliance certification means and the principles behind our work? Explore our full FAQ at our link in bio and find answers to some of the questions we’ve been discussing for nearly three decades.

And if your question isn’t there, get in touch. We’re always glad to continue the conversation.

09/28/2026

Guiding Principle: Continually Improve Practices 🌱

Building a better food system is an ongoing process. It means setting meaningful goals, measuring progress, celebrating achievements and being transparent about where there’s still work to do.

Food businesses can lead the way by making continuous improvement part of their culture, while food buyers can help drive change by supporting companies that are open about their goals and progress.

Small steps, consistent action and shared accountability can add up to meaningful change.

09/26/2026

“Regenerative” may be having a moment, but many of the practices behind the term have been part of Food Alliance’s standards for decades.

Reducing soil disturbance, preventing erosion, improving water retention, supporting biodiversity, integrating livestock, and using rotational grazing are all approaches that can contribute to healthier soils and more resilient agricultural systems.

Since 1997, Food Alliance has evaluated these practices as part of a broader approach, one that considers not only soil health, but also workers, animals, communities, and ecosystems.

And as regenerative claims become more common, independent verification matters. Food Alliance’s optional Regenerative seal helps qualifying products communicate regenerative practices backed by comprehensive standards and third-party verification.

Regenerative agriculture should be about more than a buzzword. It should be about practices, progress, and proof.