Grow Gainesville
| Formation | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-Profit Organization |
| Headquarters | Gainesville, FL |
|
Key people
|
Pamela Smith, President |
| Website | http://foginfo.org |
Pamela Smith, President
Victoria Freeman, VP
Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, also known as Florida Organic Growers or FOG, is a non-profit organization founded in 1987. It is classified as a 501(c) corporation. One of the main facets of FOG is Quality Certification Services, a program that extends through 30 states and 14 countries. FOG is also concerned with community outreach and education in order to promote healthy organic lifestyles and social equity.
Headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, FOG began as community farmers joining together to promote and ensure quality organic food and farming practices.
In response to the Florida Organic Farming and Food Law of 1990 and the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, FOG began a quality certification program in order to protect consumers and enforce consistent organic standards. In 2001, FOG received their USDA accreditation, allowing it to certify organic farms. FOG also become involved in policy creation and promotion, including the National Organic Program and Farm Bill.
More recently, FOG has expanded its interests to include teaching and research projects oriented towards sharing knowledge and resources to create a healthy and just food system. These projects span from involvement in local farmers' markets to the implementation of organic community and personal gardens in low-income areas.
Florida Organic Growers adopted the name Quality Certification Services (QCS) for its organic certification initiative in 1996 to reflect its widespread clientele. QCS is aimed towards economizing organic certification and fostering diversity, as shown by its 400 member farms.
As of 2001, FOG's Quality Certification Services can USDA certify farming, wildcrafting, livestock, processing, packing and handling operations. These products can be deemed as Certified Organic, Certified Transitional, Certified Hormone, Antibiotic Free, or Organic Aquaculture. These categories help farmers differentiate their products and allow consumers to make informed purchases.
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