{"id":3187,"date":"2025-10-07T22:16:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T22:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/about.openfoodnetwork.net\/?p=3187"},"modified":"2025-10-07T22:16:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T22:16:48","slug":"2025-fall-newsletter-from-ofn-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/about.openfoodnetwork.net\/?p=3187","title":{"rendered":"2025 Fall Newsletter from OFN USA"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sept. 23, 2025, 10 a.m.<\/h3>\n

2025 Fall Newsletter from OFN USA<\/h1>\n

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The Latest from Open Food Network USA<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Leaves aren\u2019t the only thing changing this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hey OFN Community! We know you\u2019re wrapping up a long hot summer that feels like some days it won\u2019t end \u2600\ufe0f; but cooler weather and cooler features are right around the corner. Get involved in our going-ons and see how OFN can change next season for you \ud83c\udf42<\/p>\n

NOW LET\u2019S DIG IN \u26cf\ufe0f<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This infrequent newsletter has it all:<\/p>\n

A get together, a plea for your contributions, an ethical clothing line, 3 upcoming conferences to know about, an ethical and open source payment method coming to our platform, one podcast interview with OFN UK\u2019s Nick Weir, and some cool places to hang out like Hylo and our Monday Funday office hours where the lovely Kent works his magic.<\/p>\n

PHEW that was a mouthful – now lets get into it!<\/p>\n

A little note from the Team\ud83d\udcdc:<\/p>\n

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Hey! We\u2019re glad you\u2019re here. This newsletters got a lot of good information, but if you feel you need more help or just want to chat 1:1 \u2014 we have office hours too! Every Monday at 9am PST join us over at <\/em>http:\/\/meet.openfoodnetwork.net\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

more of a chat kind of person? We got <\/em>Hylo <\/em><\/a>for that – post your questions, look to see what resources are available, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n

Please let us know how we can help – we do what we do because of you!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Monthly User Meet Ups are Growing – Join now!<\/h2>\n

Calling all food hubs, shopfront managers, farm hands, and dreamers \ud83d\udce3 This is a dedicated time to get together, learn, and discuss relevant topics that impact your operation with others in the same boat.<\/p>\n

Need a feature to help your business thrive online? Want to learn how other farmers are making their online shop front successful and pain free to use for customers and shop managers alike? Or wondering if OFN can be apart of your next grant to help secure funding?<\/p>\n

Join our next call October 6th \ud83d\udcc5<\/p>\n

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Register Here<\/a><\/div>\n
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Feel Like You\u2019re Forgetting Something? It Might Be Your Seasonal or Yearly Contribution \ud83d\udccc<\/h2>\n

Did we mention we also made it easier? \ud83e\udee3<\/h3>\n

Haven\u2019t paid for your last season or year yet? Caught up in the summer rush and forget? Here\u2019s your chance to check it off your to-do list! Make sure you contribute your fair share and help us keep making great features to support our changing food system.<\/p>\n

We know you loved our hand typed monthly emails begging for your love and contributions but we also know you love quick and convenient sometimes so we\u2019re gonna be sending our monthly contribution reminder emails directly from QuickBooks now with a direct link in the email to contribute immediately.<\/p>\n

That means:<\/p>\n

\u2728Automation and timely reminders<\/p>\n

\u2728More Payment Options (bank draft, credit\/debit card, PayPal, Venmo, OFN Donation Shop)<\/p>\n

\u2728Simplicity and convenience in your monthly contribution<\/p>\n

Our alter ego may appear as quickbooks@notification.intuit.com<\/a> but it\u2019s still us behind the mask \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n

Donate & Contribute<\/a><\/div>\n
Pay Your Share<\/a><\/div>\n

We\u2019ll contact you at the end of every month and suggest a fair contribution based on this formula:<\/p>\n

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Doesn\u2019t this make so much more sense?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Shop OFN Merch<\/h2>\n

Did you know you can also contribute to OFN when you score some OFN swag? Every hat or t-shirt sold from our swag shop<\/a> (run by a unionized cooperative, of course) puts $5 in our bank account while keeping you stylish.<\/p>\n

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You know you want a cool hat – we can tell.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Swag Shop<\/a><\/div>\n
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Have You Explored Our Resources?<\/h1>\n

As<\/em> always, make sure you check the OFN User Guide<\/a> for an overview, and reach out via email, visit Kent and Emily during office hours Mondays, or make a visit to Hylo <\/a>to ask any questions!<\/p>\n

Keys to unlimited knowledge below:<\/p>\n

OFN User Guide<\/a><\/div>\n
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Conferences and Events<\/h1>\n

ECO Farm\u2019s 2026 Conference<\/h2>\n
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January 21-24, 2026<\/p>\n

The 46th annual conference is at the Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds Pacific Grove, CA.\ud83d\ude9c<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe EcoFarm Conference is one of the largest and longest-running gatherings of sustainable and organic farmers, ranchers, and food system advocates in the U.S. Held annually in California.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Registration opens in August \ud83d\udcc6<\/p>\n

EcoFarm Website<\/a><\/div>\n
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Farming Into The Future 2026 Conference by Future Harvest<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Pivot, Care, Grow: Farmers and Communities Building Together<\/h3>\n
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January 22-23rd, 2026<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur annual conference is the Mid-Atlantic\u2019s premier opportunity for farm-related organizations and product vendors to connect directly with farmers, food system professionals, homesteaders and ag-tivists in our foodshed. Our event attracts small- to mid-scale growers working with fruit and vegetables, flowers, poultry, small ruminants, and more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The 2025 conference will take place at the Silver Spring Civic Building in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.<\/span><\/p>\n

Registration isn\u2019t open yet but mark your calendars.<\/span><\/p>\n

Future Harvest Website<\/a><\/div>\n
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PASA 35th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference<\/h2>\n
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February 5-6, 2026<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur annual conference draws a diverse audience of rural and urban farmers, educators, advocates, entrepreneurs, community groups, artisans, researchers, policymakers, home cooks and gardeners, youth, and others for sharing and learning on sustainable agriculture and food system topics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You can also submit<\/a> your farm innovation for feature at the conference!<\/p>\n

PASA Website<\/a><\/div>\n
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Global Commons News<\/h1>\n
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Open Food Network France also known as Coop Circuits<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We are happy to announce that Open Food Network is receiving NLnet funding for #NGI<\/strong><\/a> #Taler <\/strong><\/a>to offer an ethical and open source payment method on our platforms. And it’s CoopCircuits, the French entity of the Open Food Network, who applied for this beautiful evolution of our marketing management tool in #circuitcourt!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe project aims to develop and publish an open source Ruby gem to integrate #GNUTaler<\/strong><\/a> in Ruby-based e-commerce applications, starting with Open Food Network.<\/p>\n

Open Food Network is currently taking care of Stripe and PayPal for online payment. Taler’s addition introduces a low-cost, non-extractive payment option, in line with user values. The gem will be published on rubygems.org<\/strong><\/a> and designed to be reused in other Ruby apps such as Spree and Solidus. The project includes testing with pilot users, comprehensive documentation and developer engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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OFN\u2019s Nick Weir on the Accidental Gods Podcast \ud83c\udf99\ufe0f<\/h2>\n

#264 The Power of (good) Food with Nick Weir of the Open Food Network<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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One of OFN\u2019s best sat down with the Accidental Gods Podcast to discuss what OFN is all about; values, goals, hardships, how it all began, and where OFN is going, and much more.<\/p>\n

The readable transcript is linked below, with options to listen or watch the podcast episode.<\/p>\n

A little preview about Nick:<\/p>\n

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Nick Weir helped to set up the Open Food Network UK. Nick has a background in IT account management, but, as you\u2019ll hear, he is also a long-term grower who co-founded the Stroudco Food Hub and Stroud Community Agriculture and is deeply passionate about the role of innovative food systems in creating a kinder, more interconnected society, and the ways in which the Network can model a new way of working which empowers people to bring more of themselves to their work.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We highly recommend you take a moment to read\/listen \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffd<\/p>\n

Episode #264 Listen or Read Here<\/a><\/div>\n

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Add OFN Donations To Your Shopfront \u2665\ufe0f<\/h2>\n
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Set it up, notify your customers, and let it do its thing helping us fund a better food system \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Join us this month by adding a donation \u201cproduct\u201d to your shopfront. Some customers love to pitch in, and this is an easy way for them to do it. Contact us to add an OFN donation to your shop\u2019s options or if you need any help setting up a donation for a local cause or your own enterprise!<\/p>\n

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Hey, Change Makers, Help us out:<\/strong><\/h1>\n

There are lots of ways you can support us all year round, moolah or nah we appreciate every type of contribution! But money works better to pay for server fees of course. Here’s how to help:<\/p>\n