Veritable Vegetable

Beginning in the early 1970’s, VV became part of a movement that sought to bring low-cost, nutritious food to neighborhood co-ops and community storefronts. These collectives, called The People’s Food System, extended throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and provided a large-scale alternative to the existing corporate food system. During this time, an increasing number of farmers rediscovered organic farming and developed new organic production techniques. Many growers struggled to survive in the face of agribusiness and suburban development. VV established relationships with many of these growers and began distributing produce beyond the original People’s Food System, simultaneously seeking to promote sustainable farming practices and policies, and extend knowledge about organic food and agricultural issues. Through the years, VV has been an integral part of change in the sustainable food system movement by stimulating an increased demand for fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, developing certification standards, working to pass food and agriculture legislation, helping to unify the produce community, and supplying healthy, fresh foods to communities all over California and beyond.

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