Help us build it
Back the farmers
building the standard.
Your contribution funds the standard, the verification, and the work of getting real farmer-owned food in front of shoppers. Founding contributors back the standard early and help review it.
We could raise this money another way. We won't.
A certification that belongs to farmers should be funded by farmers. The people who contribute at the start help set the standard, build the table, and leave a legacy in the future of the food system.
Protect and maintain the standard
Legal and trademark protection, Founding Cohort review sessions, and the work of keeping the standard current.
Build the verification
Audit protocols and capacity with the Certification Body, so a Certified Farmer-Owned mark is one a shopper can trust.
Reach farmers and shoppers
Founding cohort recognition, farmer outreach, and the marketing that puts real farmer-owned brands in front of the people buying them.
This is yours to build. Step up.
This program belongs to farmers. It is governed by farmers. It was designed for you. The founding cohort is the group that makes it real.
One-time donation
- Your name on the permanent Founding Cohort roll, in launch materials and on our website
- The Founding Member badge for your website, email signature, and marketing
- A Founding Cohort designation on your directory listing once your business is certified
- A seat in Founding Cohort review sessions on the Standard
- Early access to program documents and Standards Council announcements
- A thank-you gift from the Founding Cohort
One-time donation
- Everything in Founding Farmer
- Recognition as a program architect at Founding Cohort events
- Featured on the Founding Cohort page
- A seat in every Founding Cohort review session
- Nominate candidates for the Standards Council
- Review proposed fee schedule changes before the Board adopts them
For supporters at every level · gifts of $5,000 and up are especially encouraged
- Named as a founding supporter
- Early access to program documents
- A thank-you gift for gifts of $100 or more
- Gifts of $5,000 or more receive Founding Steward recognition. Gifts of $10,000 or more include a conversation with our founding team.
The Founding Cohort is open through October 11, 2027. Founding Cohort members hear from us first and have a direct line to our team. Certification itself is separate: every applicant, donor or not, is assessed in the order received against the same published Standard.
Secure checkout through Stripe · Questions? Write us at info@farmerownedproject.org
Certification fatigue is real. Let's just talk about it.
Isn't this just another certification I have to pay for?
Fair question. Here's what this isn't, first: it's not a golden ticket to Whole Foods, it doesn't eliminate slotting fees, and it won't make a buyer call you back faster. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't it.
Here's what it actually is: right now, your brand says "farmer-owned" and so does a brand a private equity firm bought three years ago that kept the farmhouse in the logo. A shopper standing in the aisle cannot tell you apart. That's not an accident, it's a strategy, and it's worked because no standard has ever said only the real thing gets the mark. This is that standard.
Does donating get me certified, or ahead in line?
No. A donation funds the work of building the standard. It does not buy certification, a discount on any fee, or a place ahead of anyone else. Every applicant, donor or not, is judged against the same published standard by an independent certification body.
What a donation does do: it pays for the standard, the verification work, and getting real farmer-owned food in front of shoppers. Founding donors are recognized for backing it early and are invited into the early review conversation, which is advisory only. Founding Cohort members hear from us first and have a direct line to our team, but registrations are passed to the Certification Body in the order received, once it is appointed.
Will this actually get me into retail?
No, and we'd rather tell you that now than have you find out later. It changes the conversation from a self-declared claim to a verified credential a buyer can act on. It doesn't replace a distributor, pay a slotting fee, or override a margin requirement. Retail is only one channel this works in. DTC, wholesale, food service, anywhere your product is sold can carry this mark if your brand qualifies.
Why should I donate now?
Because the first year sets the foundation. The Standard is published and farmers are registering now. The Founding Cohort, open through October 11, 2027, reviews the Standard's first revisions, nominates candidates for the first Standards Council, and is recognized permanently for backing it at the start.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Not yet confirmed, and we want to be upfront about that. The Farmer-Owned Project, Inc. is a Delaware nonprofit and has not yet received a tax-exempt determination from the IRS, so we do not currently represent that donations are tax-deductible.
We intend to apply for recognition under Section 501(c)(3). If the IRS grants it, recognition generally runs back to the date we were formed, so donations made now could then be deductible. If it does not, they will not be. We will write to every donor when the IRS decides. Every donation gets a written acknowledgment by email with the amount and date, for your records. Please check with your own tax advisor. Founding Cohort recognition and thank-you gifts have insubstantial value.
Still have a question that isn't answered here? instead of committing today.
Stay in the loop as this comes together.
Farmer, brand, or retailer. No commitment, no dollar amount. We'll send occasional updates on the standard, the founding cohort, and program news.
By submitting, you agree to receive email updates from The Farmer-Owned Project about the certification launch, the founding cohort, and related program news. We don't sell or share your information. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Every day we see farmers grow the value and see it taken away. They deserve more.
The Farmer-Owned Project is our way of putting the farm back in front of the food, and putting ownership back where it belongs.
We can't build it alone, and we don't want to. On October 12th we put a flag in the ground to define this category.
The soil is ready. The only question is will you plant it with us?
— Robbie & Tyler
The Farmer-Owned Project is a new independent nonprofit. Until the farmer-majority Standards Council is seated, we are stewarding the Standard in the open, and we will say so every step of the way.