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Dec. 3, Food and Finance Update: Schedule free meetings with buyers and service providers

As part of the Food and Finance Summit, Cascade Harvest Coalition and its partners are bringing in service providers and buyers for you to meet. Come early on December 3rd to sign up for one-on-one consultations. Meeting time is limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Below you will find descriptions of some of our guests. Diane Dempster, Charlie's Produce I have worked at Charlies Produce for over 20 years.  I am currently the Organic Commodity Manager, and manage the Farmer's Own program.  Before that, I worked for Farmers Wholesale Cooperative, which was a grower coop in Olympia, and another grower Co-op in Salem, Oregon. I served on the Washington States' Organic Advisory Board for nine years, when the organic laws were being written. I have also been on the Board of Tilth Producers for over 20 years, and am the current President. I serve on the Boards of the PCC Farmland Trust, and on the Regional Food Policy Council. Mark Bowman, Enterprise Cascadia Mark Bowman was raised on a working in farm in California's Central Valley. It makes sense, therefore, that he likes to focus his services with Enterprise Cascadia on our region's agricultural community. Since 1995 the Enterprise Cascadia team has delivered non-bank investment capital and expert services in new ways to rural people and places experiencing the end of a long tradition of prosperity based on resource abundance. Starting in 2007, these same investment and consulting products were extended to urban communities like Seattle and Portland. Enterprise's products are designed to accelerate the emergence of new traditions for achieving and sustaining prosperity from natural resources. Enterprise has: invested $60 million in 400 business, social and civic ventures that represent new strategies for economic security and ecological health; provided over 200 clients with expert advice in matters concerning business strategy, non-profit organizational capacity, new product development, and real estate development; and made capital investments and services affecting more than 3,058 jobs, and leveraged an additional $255 million in investment by others. Jon Kroman, Kroman Law Jon Kroman recently established his own law practice after 28 years with a downtown Seattle firm, including over 20 years as a partner.  His experience as a business lawyer includes advice and deliverables supporting clients in their important relationships with other organizations, individuals and governmental authorities. He helps clients organize both for-profit and nonprofit entities, including internal relationships among stakeholders.  For many years, Jon has been heavily involved with sustainability in the regional business and nonprofit community.   A central element of Jon's transition to his own practice is the opportunity to provide cost-effective professional support to small and medium sized companies  defined by products, services and practices reflecting a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, including through the production of healthy food in our local economies.  Jon offers rates associated with virtually no overhead and greater flexibility on fee arrangements.  For more information, see www.kromanlaw.com Denise Breyley and Harvindar Singh, Whole Foods Denise and Harv will be available by appointment to meet with producers. In addition to raw agricultural product they are always looking for value added products of all varieties, from jams and cheeses to ciders and wines. They are even interested in bath and beauty products. Whether you are a seasoned professional or an amateur with a good idea, please sign up and bring a sample. Jeremy Vrablik, F.C. Bloxom Company F.C. Bloxom is a local family owned produce distributor in the Seattle area. We're always looking for new partnerships to be able to promote responsible and sustainable agriculture. Kate Dean, Jefferson LandWorks Collaborative The Jefferson LandWorks Collaborative is a network of organizations in Jefferson County working to preserve farmland through both conventional means and through enterprise development.  Working from the premise that farmland is best preserved by remaining productive, profitable and sustainable, the Collaborative works with landowner and business clients to find creative ways to help their operations succeed.  Examples of this include securing funding for conservation easements, connecting landowners with local investors, assisting in alternative leasing arrangements, leveraging environmental services funding and more.  Kate Dean has worked with the Collaborative since 2007, after being a farmer and value-added producer in the organic food world since 1994.

We look forward to seeing you. Please remember that pre-registration is mandatory. Sincerely, Alex Moore Cascade Harvest Coalition

NewSeed highlights investment opportunities

Agriculture 2.0 Investment Opportunities

-- Vive Nano (Toronto, Ontario)

-- PlantForm Corporation (Toronto, Ontario)

-- Agrisoma Biosciences (Ottawa, Ontario)

-- Titan Clean Energy Projects (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

-- Radient Technologies (Edmonton, Alberta)

-- GrowSafe Systems (Airdrie, Alberta)

-- Prevtec Microbia (Montreal, Quebec)

-- Advanced Animal Diagnostics (Durham, North Carolina)

-- Converted Organics/TerraSphere (Boston, Massachusetts)

-- Enginuity Energy (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania)

-- Oberon FMR (Boulder, Colorado)

Washington's 1st Ever Food and Finance Summit

On December 3, I am hosting a Food and Finance Summit as part of Cascade Harvest Coalition's Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting series. Farmers, investors, chefs, distributors, restaurateurs, wine makers, processors, and anyone else who has a stake in the Peninsula food system, come prepared to make new sales, meet vendors, and raise money to grow your business. 


Registration is required for this limited space event.

Slow Money's Executive Director Ari Derfel will lead off the day with a survey of Food Financing projects from around the nation.

A recent subject of the Wall Street Journal and an export product of the Olympic Penisula, Harvindar Singh returns to share his experiences as a Whole Foods 'Forager' and Producer Loan program representative. 

The Food and Finance Summit is sponsored by:

Whatcom Innovates: Another microloan program for food businesses

Just moments ago I received an email announcing a microloan program for Whatcom and Skagit County farmers. The 'Farm Fund' is administered by Community Food Coop and sponsored by the Whatcom Community Foundation and has already funded 7 projects this year. Each microloan is between $2,000 and $5,000 in value at 3% interest.

Loan applicants are graded across traditional and non-traditional criteria including Environmental Stewardship, Social Impact, and Business Plan. To learn more, visit: http://www.communityfood.coop/community/FarmFund.html