Good Food Digest

The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment partnered with Good Business Network to co-organize this year’s Good Food Connections x Food Action Plan Summit. The event featured some of the City of Seattle’s work through multiple departments to support farmers, fishers, small businesses, distributors, community organizations building a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient local food system.

The City of Seattle recently released Seattle’s first Food Action Plan Progress Report since updating the Plan with community partners in 2024. The report is also paired with a new interactive map to help people explore a wide range of City-supported food programs and services across Seattle.

Read more at: greenspace.seattle.gov/2026/03/seattle-releases-first-food-action-plan-progress-report-and-new-interactive-map/

Community partners are central in shaping, carrying out, and reporting on the Food Action Plan. City of Seattle is grateful to the partners and community members whose leadership is helping build a more sustainable, fair, and strong local food system.

Learn more about these aspects of City of Seattle's support for our local food system via the link above:

🔸Buying with Purpose initiative helps food programs and local institutions purchase food in ways that support a more healthy, sustainable, equitable local food system.

🔸The Accounting and Business Consulting Program through helps Seattle-based businesses and nonprofits by offering up to 10 hours of personalized, one-on-one counseling at no cost on a variety of finance, operations, and long-term planning topics.

🔸The 2026 Tenant Improvement Program supports small businesses in Seattle by providing funding for signage and equipment.

A big thank you goes out to all who attended the fourth annual Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit last week! 💚

We hope you had a fruitful day of exploring new opportunities, learning about initiatives that support our local food economies, and networking over great food and drink!

If you missed it, catch the recap here: https://greenspace.seattle.gov/2026/03/seattle-food-summit-brings-more-than-300-community-partners-together-to-build-a-healthy-strong-and-fair-regional-food-system/

We’d like to extend another round of thanks to our amazing sponsors. Their support enabled us to provide greater accessibility for 370+ attendees, and helped provide the sourcing and distribution of ingredients for breakfast and lunch from 33 regional producers. We simply could not have done it without you!

🔸City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment - ensuring a clean and healthy environment for every resident of Seattle.
🔸Eat Local First - connecting consumers with locally grown food.
🔸Washington State Microenterprise Association - supporting small businesses in Washington.
🔸Cascadia Produce - a food access business partnering with local orgs to make emergency food boxes and more.
🔸WSDA Regional Markets Program - helping farms and food businesses succeed.
🔸PCC Community Markets - Seattle’s community-owned food markets.
🔸Puget Sound Food Hub - a farmer-owned cooperative providing direct access to local food.
🔸AgWest Farm Credit - their new AgVision program supports young, beginning, and small producers across seven western states with flexible financing, business education, and tailored support.
🔸Farmstand Local Foods - bridging the gap between small farms and consumers.
🔸Aash Farms - a no-till, regenerative vegetable, herb and microgreen farm in the heart of Woodinville
🔸Growing for Good - supporting local farmers and food access programs.
🔸Town & Country - a family-owned grocery chain that started in 1957 on Bainbridge Island.
🔸Dairy West - supporting dairy farm families in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Thank you for your support!

: 2.) At Dancing Sprouts Farm in Orting, WA 8.) Shonri, an AgWest Farm Credit New Producer Grant winner.

The Evergreen BizLink Resource Navigator is an online no-cost portal for small business owners to connect with local, regional, and state business services and resources throughout Washington to help their companies launch, grow, and prosper!

This free platform provides access to a dynamic directory of service providers offering a broad range of expertise and quick links to assist entrepreneurs in starting or growing a business.

Evergreen BizLink is powered by the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Commerce and several key foundation partners.

Check it out here: https://evergreenbizlink.com/

Thank you to WSMA for being a sponsor of this year’s Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit, an annual food trade conference presented by Good Business Network of Washington and City of Seattle Government.

At tomorrow's Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit we’re bringing together food producers, chefs, and industry leaders around a common table to dive into topics that affect us all, like strengthening food security, business sustainability, and supporting farmland access.

Some of our sessions and speakers include ⤵️

🔸Strengthening Food Security at the Intersection of Community and Commerce: learn about the current food access landscape from a food assistance and market analysis perspective and explore opportunities to strengthen local supply chains and markets.

With speakers: Andrew Yokom, Executive Director at Puget Sound Food Hub; Chris Teeny, General Manager & Co-owner at Farmstand Local Foods; Jeremy Vrablik, Founder of Cascadia Produce; Blair Troutman, Co-Founder and Director at Mojito Community Foundation; Stacey Crnich, CEO of GoodRoots Northwest; Amber Whittenberg, Co-Owner/President at Local Yokels/Rootstock Northwest; Cat Sieh, Director of Special Projects at Twin Sisters Mobile Market, Aakanksha Sinha, MSW, Ph,D., Co-Founder & Chief Impact Officer at Spice Waala; and Sirak Weldemichael, New Roots Program Manager at International Rescue Committee.

🔸Business Sustainability: Budgeting for Benefits & The Bottom Line: a practical
training with tools and skills for food business budgeting and taking care of workers while taking care of business. Shannon Keith, Associate Director of Consulting at FareStart, will be speaking.

🔸Supporting Farmland Access through Alternative Market Models and Collectives: a panel discussion that delves into how public agencies and farmland trusts are making farmland accessible to new and younger farmers.

With speakers: Addie Candib, Pacific Northwest Regional Director and Western Managing Director at American Farmland Trust; Melissa Borsting, Farmland Access and Conservation Program Manager at King County Department of Natural Resources; David Bulindah (not pictured), President and CEO at Wakulima USA; Ellen Scheffer, Co-Owner, Frisky Girl Farm.

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit is a local food trade conference happening March 9, presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and the City of Seattle. We hope to see you there!

At the upcoming Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit, we’re bringing together people from across our regional food communities and taking a deeper dive into how new projects and initiatives will support our local food economies.

🔸Learn about the City of Seattle’s Buying with Purpose initiative to align food purchasing with goals for equity, environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, and fair labor, as well as a speed dating-style networking opportunity that connects buyers and suppliers.

🔸Hear from innovators and leaders helping steer our city’s food systems during our five-minute lightning round Rapid Share Presentations. Topics include: a new tool facilitating waste prevention and exchange, a community-supported farm to hunger relief program, incentives for regenerative agriculture, the new Seattle International Public Market project, a new financing opportunity for healthy food projects, and Seattle initiatives addressing food & climate.

🔸During the Town Hall, engage with representatives from local, state, and federal agencies — like Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Director of Seattle Office of Economic Development Beto Yarce, Director of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development Rico Quirindongo, and Acting Director of Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment Lylianna Allala — where attendees from our regional food communities will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments to be addressed.

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit is a local food trade conference happening March 9, presented by Good Business Network of Washington and City of Seattle Government . We hope to see you there for this exciting day of conversation, education, networking, and good food!

At the fourth annual Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit, we’re bringing together farmers, fishers, artisans, chefs, buyers, and community food stakeholders for a day of networking, education, and good food!

Part of the day includes a Tasting Expo & Resource Trade Show featuring 50 local food and beverage companies! Here’s your chance to sample bites and sips from local cideries, jam makers, creameries, wine makers, caterers and celebrated chefs, and much more.

It’s a rare opportunity to connect with and celebrate so many incredible local food producers and creatives at once! 🥂

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit is a local food trade conference happening March 9, presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and City of Seattle. Enjoy a day of conversation, education, networking, and good food. We hope to see you there!

📸: Participating vendors, including 1.) Little Miss Sweets 2.) Jammin on the One 3.) Footprint Wine Tap 4.) Finnriver Farm & Cidery 5.) Cascadia Creamery.

A big thank you to Cascadia Produce, a small but mighty wholesale food access business, for being a sponsor of this year’s Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit!

“We are a small business that has a demonstrated ability to do big things."

Working in collaboration with Washington State farms, nonprofit organizations, and other small businesses, Auburn-based Cascadia Produce works to mitigate food insecurity through low-cost access to high-quality, culturally relevant food.

Their work includes a variety of food box programs and a Rejection Hub Pilot Program developed with the Good Business Network of Washington and Cedar Grove. The Rejection Hub Pilot Program rescues truckloads of usable foods that were rejected from receiving facilities. These foods are then resold at discounted prices or donated to food programs.

Find out more about Cascadia Produce and how they are working to battle food insecurity at cascadiaproduce.com and visit their booth at the Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit on March 9!

PCC, Seattle’s community-owned food market, is committed to preserving local farmlands and sourcing from Northwest producers, farmers, fishers, and ranchers — so go ahead and forage freely!

Eat at the peak of the season with local spring picks like Wild Copper River Sockeye Salmon or purple sprouting broccoli, or savor extra juicy Dekopan Citrus from organic California farms.

What started in 1953 as a food-buying club with 15 families is now the nation’s largest certified organic co-op with 16 locations around the Seattle area.

“Our mission is to ensure that good food nourishes the communities we serve while cultivating vibrant, local, organic food systems. In everything, we strive to inspire and advance the health and well-being of people, their communities and our planet.”

We’re honored to have PCC as a sponsor of this year’s Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit, a local food trade conference happening March 9, presented by GGood Business Network of Washingtonand . We hope to see you there!

A big thank you to Eat Local First for being a sponsor of this year’s Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit!

Eat Local First makes it easier to choose local food from Washington state. ELF’s first flagship tool, the Washington Food & Farm Finder, features 2,300+ listings for farms, fisheries, farmstands, markets, farm-to-table eateries, and local products — with additional CSA and Wholesale Finders to support both consumers and food buyers.

By growing partnerships statewide and sharing tools that elevate local producers, Eat Local First helps increase visibility, access, and demand for Washington-grown food.

Head to eatlocalfirst.org to access the Food & Farm Finder, and more 🌱

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit happens March 9, presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and the City of Seattle.

Head to our official website to register ➡️ https://goodbusinessnetwork.org/good-food-economy/good-food-connections/

And be sure to stop by the Eat Local First table to learn more about their tools, sign up for the Eat Local First Network, or get listed for free!

📸: 1.) At Dancing Sprouts Farm in Orting, WA 2.-4.) Local produce labeled with the Eat Local First tag.

Are you ready to take your farm or food business to the next level? The WSDA Regional Markets Program is here to help!

Whether you’re navigating regulations, looking for grant opportunities, or looking for new ways to get your products in the marketplace, their team provides one-on-one support to help with:

• Market Access: Connecting you to direct-marketing channels and local buyers.
• Technical Guidance: Assistance with regulatory hurdles and infrastructure gaps.
• Education: Workshops and peer-led training designed for your business’ scale.

WSDA Regional Markets is committed to closing the gaps in our local food system so your business can succeed.

Visit their website to learn more: agr.wa.gov/farmfoodbiz

A big thank you to WSDA Regional Markets for being a sponsor of this year's Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit! Come visit their table to learn how they can support your farm or food business.

This day-long food trade conference brings together farmers, fishers, chefs, food creatives, and community food stakeholders for lively discussions, workshops, and networking. Head to our official website for more info and to register: https://goodbusinessnetwork.org/good-food-economy/good-food-connections/

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit happens March 9, presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and the City of Seattle.

Puget Sound Food Hub is a farmer-owned cooperative providing direct access to locally produced foods. And we’re honored to have them as a sponsor of this year’s Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit!

PSFH connects restaurants, schools, programs, and institutions to a values-based supply chain based on equity, solidarity, transparency, and social responsibility. Their approach has made significant impacts in the area, especially strengthening the links between consumers and farmers.

“Our robust process not only ensures high-quality standards but also tells a compelling story from purchase to delivery. We believe in showcasing the identity of the producers so that our customers have a profound understanding of who, how, and where their food was grown.”

Come hear from Executive Director Andrew Yokom at Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit, speaking in the panel “Strengthening Food Security at the Intersection of Community and Commerce.”

Head to the official website for more info and to register: https://goodbusinessnetwork.org/good-food-economy/good-food-connections/

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit happens March 9, presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and the City of Seattle.

We are pleased to announce the fourth annual Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit happening this March 9!

This day-long food trade conference brings together farmers, fishers, chefs, food creatives, and community food stakeholders for lively discussions, workshops, and networking.

This year we’re diving into Seattle’s Food Action Plan — the city’s roadmap for an equitable, sustainable, and resilient local food system — including the Buying With Purpose initiative, which guides food purchasing decisions at local food programs and institutions. Explore workshops and panels on business sustainability, strengthening food security, supporting farmland access, and a town hall where attendees will have the chance to connect with City and state leaders about what they need to support their businesses.

There will also be a trade show and tasting expo featuring over 50+ local food & beverage producers, facilitated matchmaking between buyers and producers, and a catered lunch featuring local ingredients. 🌱

Head to the official website for more info and to register ⤵️
https://goodbusinessnetwork.org/good-food-economy/good-food-connections/

Good Food Connections + Food Action Summit is presented by the Good Business Network of Washington and the City of Seattle.