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ORGANIC ADVOCATE AWARD Ashland Food Co-op manager honored for commitment to organic produce Haynes named winner of Organic Advocate Award Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Sep. 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Sep. 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM » Social News Although organic food claims only 4 percent of the market in the U.S., almost half of Americans try to include some in their diet. In food-conscious Ashland these numbers are much higher, with the Ashland Food Cooperative now past 10,000 members. The Co-op isn’t all organic, but its gloriously colorful produce section tries to be, especially in season, when local farmers grow almost everything it needs, says produce section manager Barry Haynes, who recently earned the Organic Advocate Award at the Oregon Organic Coalition’s 2015 Awards for Excellence. “Organic food is not a hard sell in Ashland,” says Haynes, who has worked at the Co-op for two decades. “I’m very grateful to live in this community, which is so supportive of everything organic. It’s a big factor in the success of the Co-op.” Keying into the demand, every market in Ashland now has some organic food — as do most across the nation, he adds. Haynes was honored at a celebratory luncheon in Portland, along with five others, by more than 80 representatives of Oregon’s farming, retail, academic, political and food production communities. The annual event is part of Organically Grown in Oregon Week, which this year ran Sept. 13-19. He was cited in the award for his innovation in organic practices, service to the organic industry, expansion of organic business opportunities and overall achievement in Oregon’s organic industry. Haynes came to the Co-op 20 years ago from Ohio, looking for a great spot to raise children — and one with strong organic values, he says. When he arrived, the Co-op had just moved to its present spot, where it had built the new store. A goal, he notes, has been to train employees in the handling of organic produce, to make sure it’s not commingled with conventionally grown produce and to clearly label what’s organic and where it comes from. He also maintains an array of organic produce in the “Co-op Basics Program,“ keeping "everyday low prices” for staples, such as Fuji apples, bananas, salad greens, onions, potatoes, oranges, carrots and others. What’s so important about organic produce? “It’s more healthful for you,” he says. “It comes from soil that’s more healthy. It’s better for the ecosystem. You don’t have to drill for petrochemicals to grow it, you reduce the carbon footprint dramatically. The amount of carbon used for conventional farming is huge. You hire more labor for this kind of agriculture — and it’s being looked at differently, depending on the culture you live in, especially in the east and Midwest.” More and more acres of food are certified organic, he adds, and the resistance to organic food is becoming smaller. The Ashland Co-op, which is actually owned by its more than 10,000 “owners,” is the only food outlet in Southern Oregon whose organic food is certified organic annually. This is done by Oregon Tilth. The Co-op buys from as many local, organic farms as possible — most of which are also regulars at the local growers markets. “With organic, I certainly think you can taste the difference, especially in bananas, apples, most fruit and root crops, because the root crops live inside the soil and have just been pulled out,” he says. “This goes back to the soil health. Living soil is not soaked in herbicides and pesticides. Any sprays that go on organic crops have to be certified as naturally occurring substances.” Organic agriculture, says Haynes, is the most regulated form of agriculture in the world, with every grower having to be inspected annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he notes, an inspection farmers have to pay for. Organic farmers are treated fairly by the government, he says, but what they really need is a good lobbying force to ensure that organic growers' voices are heard when decisions about what we eat are made. For a $100 joining fee, Co-op members get bimonthly discount coupons, annual patronage dividends, a vote on board members and other benefits. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Sep. 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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