In the summer of 2015, a small group of us farmers in Maricopa County, Arizona found ourselves working eighty hours per week, growing delicious and beautiful vegetables, yet barely able to make ends meet. Despite this hard work, we found that our individual efforts were not enough to sustain us and compete with giant, industrial, and conventional farms. Seeking support from others, we met and discussed how we could work together to improve our local food system. We needed to find a different way to do business, because it’s not sustainable the way it is. Now we’ve built trust and friendship, and Sun Produce Cooperative was formed in 2017 to keep small, local farmers on the ground, and transform the local food system in Arizona. “And that’s where you come in…”
Why local?
“When the farmer, the packer, the wholesaler, and the retailer all prosper in the same region, it creates opportunity for home-grown jobs, draws more people into agriculture, and fosters relationships between the people who buy food and the people who grow it.” Localized food supply chains are transparent, and allow us to celebrate food grown with integrity. Not to mention, when food is harvested fresh and doesn’t travel so far, it is nutrient-packed and tastes delicious!
*by Kathleen Merrigan, The Atlantic
Why a cooperative? Small-scale food producers, working independently, have a tough time earning enough from sales to stay afloat in a competitive market. As farmers, we are working our fields everyday, growing and harvesting the freshest food possible. Many can’t afford to visit potential customers and seek out new markets because they are so busy in the field. Farmer cooperatives keep farmers growing the food we love because they can pool resources and share expenses. Together, they are stronger. Sun Produce is a growing group of local, small farmers practicing sustainable agriculture practices in central, southern and northern Arizona. Its members also include local food distributors, wholesalers, mobile farmers markets, farmers markets, schools, restaurants, community service organizations and individuals committed to increasing access to healthy local food while supporting the viability of smaller-acreage growers. For more information on becoming a co-op member, contact sunproducecoop@gmail.com
Producer Members:
• Agritopia Farm, Gilbert
• Arrandale Farms, Phoenix
• BAR B Produce, Maricopa
• Bare Sprouts, Tempe
• Blue Sky Organic Farms, Litchfield Park
• Brickhouse Bakers, Superior
• Coffee Pot Farms, Dilkon
• Crooked Sky Farms, Phoenix & Virden, NM
• J&J Poms, Waddell
• Justice Brothers’ Ranch, Waddell
• Maya's Farm, Phoenix
• Orchard Community Learning Center, Phoenix
• Pinnacle Farms, Laveen & Waddell
• RhibaFarms, San Tan Valley
Distributor members include:
• Pivot Produce
Buyer Members include:
• Clark Park Community Garden, Tempe
• Creighton Community Foundation, Phoenix
• Lake Havasu Farmers Market
• Metro Tech High School, Phoenix
• Prescott Valley Farms Market
• Superior Farm to Fantastic Farmers Market
• Tracy Dempsey Originals, Tempe
Food and Agricultural Marketing Expert members (FAME) include:
• Carol Diemer, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension – AZ Health Zone
• Marina Gallardo, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension – AZ Health Zone
• Cindy Gentry, Maricopa County Dept. of Public Health
• Chris George, Third Acre Farm
• Rachel Gomez Acosta, Concordia Charter School
• Stewart Jacobson, AZ Dept. of Agriculture
• Anthony Kamson, Kamson Financial
• Maricopa County Cooperative Extension – AZ Health Zone
• John Penry, Penry Consulting
• Kate Radosevic, Arizona Food Bank Network
• Tearsa Saffell, Creighton Community Foundation
• Richard Starling, AZ Cooperative Initiative / AZ Community Land Trust
Partners and additional farms supporting the co-op include:
• Aguiar Farm, Paulden
• Arizona Farm to School Network
• Blooming Reed Farm, Paulden
• Blue Watermelon Project
• Crow’s Dairy, Buckeye
• Experience Nutrition
• Hypha Farm, Phoenix
• Nourish Phoenix (formerly ICM)
• Local First Arizona
• Maricopa Community Colleges
• Maricopa County Cooperative Extension
• The Mollen Foundation
• Pinnacle Prevention
• Unlimited Potential
• Vitalyst Health Foundation
• Whipstone Farm, Paulden
Through Orchard Community Learning Service:
• Green Valley Pecans
Through Pivot Produce
• Arivaca Community Garden
• Aravaipa Farms
• Beck’s Best Eggs
• Briggs and Eggers Orchard
• BKW Farms
• Dreamflower Garden
• Forever Yong Farm
• San Xavier Farm Co-op
• University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agricultural Center
• Wild Jaguar Project
Where you can find SPC products:
• Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
• AREA Farms
• Best Farmers Market
• Chadwick’s Urban Market
• Clark Park Community Garden
• Concordia Charter School
• Creighton Community Foundation
• Downtown Mesa Farmers Market
• Escalante Community Garden
• Farm Express by Activate Food Arizona
• FnB
• Garden of Feedin’ – Lake Havasu
• Grand Avenue Pizza Company
• Honor Health Shea Campus
• Lake Havasu Farmers Market
• Orchard Community Learning Center / Spaces of Opportunity
• Persepshen
• Phoenix Food Co-op
• Pomegranate Café
• Project Roots
• Rover Farm Fresh
• Superior Farm to Fantastic Farmers Market
• The Churchill
• Tracy Dempsey Originals
