Good Food Digest

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 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!

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!

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.