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.
History
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.
Quality Certification Services
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.
Education and Outreach
Farmers Markets/EBT
In late 2010, FOG launched its Alachua County Farmers Markets EBT Project. EBT, or Electronic Benefit Transfer, cards are given by the government to members of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for the purpose of purchasing food and non-alcoholic beverages. Before the launch of FOG's EBT Project, there were not many places in Alachua county for people with these federal food benefits to purchase groceries besides standard supermarkets. FOG wanted to implement a method for those with food assistance to purchase fresh, local merchandise at Alachua county farmers' markets. As a result of FOG's EBT program, EBT cards can now be swiped at a FOG vendor booth stationed at various farmers markets for tokens that can be used within the market to purchase meat, produce, and edible plants. This project makes products at the farmers markets available to members of the food assistance program, offering these people more nutritious food options. In addition, the EBT project boosts the local economy by supporting Gainesville farmers and promotes local sustainable agriculture. The FOG booth is also an educational hub, offering resources on gardening, cooking, community events, and more.
From February 2011 through September 2011, the FOG EBT Project offered double value coupons to those using their EBT cards at the Gainesville farmers markets, giving users $2 for every $1 swiped from their card. The funding for this aspect of the project was provided mostly by Alachua county. The double value promotion substantially increased awareness of the program and brought even more money into the local agriculture community.