Our Mission & VISION
Our Mission
Common Grain Alliance connects and supports farmers, millers, bakers, and grain artisans to build a vibrant, integrated, equitable and regenerative grain economy in the Mid-Atlantic.
Our Vision
We envision an integrated grain economy of local and regional businesses that produce nutritious, flavorful, and consistent regional grain products for the communities they serve. These businesses empower communities by granting control over their supply of staple crops, stewarding the land, creating livable jobs, and producing delicious food.
Our organization:
Expands and strengthens the network of grain-economy participants in the Mid-Atlantic, including members of communities that have been historically excluded from regional food systems.
Helps participants acquire the knowledge and skills they need through speaker series, workshops, hands-on training, and other educational opportunities.
Assists participants, especially farmers, with market access and equitable distribution of resources.
Educates consumers and policymakers on the value of local and regional grains and artisanal grain products through advocacy and marketing.
Works toward developing equitably shared resources including infrastructure, crop genetics, information, and social capital.
Works toward establishing farming and grain quality standards and certification processes that provide participants with a marketable quality rating.
Commits to actively discuss and frame our work in the context of white supremacy, racism, and exploitation in Mid-Atlantic food and agriculture systems and in the US more broadly; and importantly taking action towards equity and justice in our region.
In the press
“Alliance Aims to Grow Virginia’s Grain Economy”
Radio feature on WMRA, the NPR station based in Harrisonburg, VA, December 2019.
“Five Lessons For Making Change From 18 Impact”
CGA mentioned in an article about farm entrepreneurship on Forbes.com written by Nell Debevoise in January 2019.
“Saving Grains”
Online article in The Roanoker written by Suzanne Hodges Irby.
“With the Grains”
Feature article in Richmond Magazine written by Stephanie Ganz in October 2018.