Farmer’s Own

Certified Organic Produce

Farmer’s Own is an organic produce brand owned and operated by Charlie’s Produce. At Farmer’s Own we are dedicated to supplying quality organic produce to our customers by building strong, lasting relationships with growers who are stewards of the land and their communities. Growers who pack in the Farmer’s Own Brand meet our strict criteria for excellence and consistency.

This relationship provides our growers with a reliable customer for their crops, and allows Charlie’s Produce a consistent supply of quality produce for distribution. We are proud to support an infrastructure that keeps farming viable for families and communities for years to come, and to be a partner in supplying quality organic produce to our valued customers.

Our History

Farmer’s Own Organic started in 1982 as a grower cooperative to serve the budding organic industry and to provide growers and their communities a reliable livelihood, by selling their products locally and nationally. In 1994, Charlie’s Produce purchased the label with a commitment to keeping the same traditions and values in place, propelling the organic movement forward. Farmer’s Own Organic represents the pride that growers have in providing a high quality source of organic produce to a new and rapidly growing market of organic consumers.

A Brand Moves Forward

Our Seeds of Growth

With the establishment of a grower liaison, we were able to create a system that maintains the benefit to the growers and to the consumer alike.

In the beginning we had 12 growers packing in the FO Brand and today we have over 40. These efforts have encouraged people to try farming to provide a solid income for growers who sell to us on a regular basis.

In addition to our staples like potatoes and onions we have many other unique organic items. Whether it is kiwi berries, cape gooseberries, melons, fingerling potatoes, blueberries or special pumpkins, we are the match maker between the customer and the grower.

Sustainability

A Focus on the Future

Sustainability plays a key role in the Farmers Own brand. We start by maintaining a strong relationship with our growers, working to ensure their needs are met to help create a successful crop yield.

We support our farmers through marketing, packaging and distribution of their products, allowing their focus to remain on cultivating top quality organic produce.

Through these partnerships, we’re able to support local communities and their surrounding economic health, empowering over 40 local farmers and farms to continue to grow and expand over future generations.

Supporting Organics

Setting the Bar

All produce sourced from our growers is certified organic and in compliance with the National Organic Program. Our Farmers are held to the highest standards with a focus on the overall environmental benefits of organic farming. Supporting organic farming also supports an environment that is free of pesticides and chemicals, the cultivation of healthy soil, natural habitats and water supplies, and it encourages biodiversity through a reduced carbon footprint.

Farmers Own focuses on bringing all elements of sustainability together to create a healthy social, economic, and environmentally stable business model. We continually focus on our responsibilities, starting at the source and following through to distribution to create a sustainable future for farmers.

A Select Few

Cultivating Relationships

Farmer’s Own growers range in size from 10 to over 10,000 acres, and can be found farming all along the West Coast. They grow the best organic produce available in the market, starting in the fertile lands of the Pacific Northwest and spreading down through Oregon to areas of California.

Charlie’s carefully hand selects expert growers who hold the same high standards and values to promote mutual success. The Farmer’s Own brand is passionate about purchasing good food from good people; our local farms represent the best in the industry so we strive to nurture them.

How it Works

A Farming Philosophy

Every season we begin by meeting with each of our partner growers to determine what they will be growing for us to sell and for distribution. This commitment provides the growers with security that they will have a market for their produce, and gives Charlie’s a steady supply of top quality organic produce for our customers.

Growers agree to pack in our label, and when their produce is ready to market, we pick up at the farm directly, doing whatever we can to make their lives easier. Our buyers purchase from the growers all season and work around any weather or growing issues. Our goal is to create long term relationships that provide years of benefits for both grower and consumer alike.

Distribution Network

With our 7 distribution centers, encompassing a territory between Anchorage and Los Angeles, we have the ability to ship Farmer’s Own organic products throughout the entirety of the United States. Our products can be found at many retail stores, and even at your favorite restaurants and institutions.

Charlie’s Produce Trading Company (CPTC) is the brokerage division of Charlie’s Produce. The primary role(s) of the Trading Company is the national distribution of products packed in our Farmer’s Own label, as well as all of the commodities our grower-partners have to offer.