Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC)

FARMERS ARE OUR NEIGHBORS...HELP NABC KEEP OUR FARMS & FARMING FAMILIES VIBRANT.

NABC is a nonprofit that works collaboratively with farmers to increase the economic viability of local agriculture in Western Washington. NABC helps farmers by (1) Creating market connections with buyers in retail grocery stores, schools, healthcare, institutions, restaurants and corporations like Microsoft (2) Providing the education & resources they need to become stronger business people (3) Creating opportunities to produce value added products (like making cheese from milk, or fermented foods from fresh produce) that increase revenue for these farmers year round (4) Providing local farms access to equipment and services that otherwise would be cost prohibitive to individual farmers (5) Increasing services to latino, veteran, socially disadvantaged and new farmers.

Farmers seek out NABC to help them create viable business plans, gain introductions to financing institutions, and network for sales for their farm businesses. Twin Brook Creamery is a great example of NABC work. Lynden dairy farmer Larry Stap changed most of his milk production away from the consolidator Dairigold to on-farm custom bottling. With NABC assistance, Larry's business plan was fine-tuned, accepted & funded. His new retail business was launched. Twin Brook Creamery glass bottled milk products are now available in over 70 retail stores in the PNW. His success enabled Larry to secure his future retirement and put a succession plan in place for his son.

As a USDA designated Rural Cooperative Development Center, NABC has worked with farmers and producers to create several viable cooperatives in Western Washington. From flowers to produce to cattle, NABC demonstrates that producers can retain their independent spirit and still work together in business for the greater success of all. The Puget Sound Food Hub Cooperative is a recent example. Since 2010, NABC worked with local farmers to gain access to institutional, restaurant, healthcare and school markets. Starting as a four farmer meet & greet to five local buyers under a freeway overpass in 2010, the PSFHC in 2017 has over $1,200,000 sales, 60 farmer-owners, 220 buyers, 2 aggregation warehouses, 3 delivery trucks and full time staff. Local farms with no access to regional markets are now delivering local foods to local eaters in several Western Washington counties, including the Seattle & Eastside markets. Your donations keep NABC invested in developing successful from-the-ground-up systems that meet the needs of both eaters and producers.

In King County, NABC is providing guidance to Cascadia Cooperative Farms - a primarily woman-owned cooperative whose owners are hoping to sell fresh eggs to Seattle area retailers, institutions and restaurants. Did you know demand out paces production of local eggs in Seattle? Yet, producing fresh eggs is not enough. Your donations to NABC enable us to help CCF sell into the most advantageous markets, develop distribution & cost efficiencies, and understand nuances of meeting market demands through production. In case you were wondering....in cooperative egg production, the chicken comes before the egg.

Through our Latino staff members NABC is helping traditionally immigrant laborers become farm owners. Outreach and inclusion through translation services, Spanish speaking educational workshops, NABC presence at Latino events, outreach through Latino radio stations and more has enabled NABC to partner wtih these future farm owners. This time investment by NABC staff will enable Latino workers to move forward on the path to realize their dreams of being farm owners.

Hard work needs hard cash to nurture successful projects. Most take multiple years to develop. Your donations to and support of NABC keeps this worthy work moving forward.

We appreciate and thank you for your support.