Title: Anne Schwartz Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1983-1999

Creator:

• Schwartz, Anne, 1954-

Call Number: Mss 1161

Quantity: 2.6 cubic feet (2 records center cartons and 2 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers, 1983-1999, of Anne Schwartz, organic farmer and activist, documenting her work developing organic standards both nationally and in Washington State, her work with numerous organic and sustainable agriculture organizations including the Organic Farmers’ Associations Council (OFAC), Organic Foods Production Association of North America (OFPANA), Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SAWG), the Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC), and the Washington Organic Certification Advisory Committee, as well as her work on environmental and livestock issues. Included are administrative records, board meeting minutes and materials, committee files, correspondence, and reports.

Note:

Forms part of the Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Collection.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss01161

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Anne Schwartz was born in 1954. Arriving in the Skagit Valley of Washington from out east in 1975, Schwartz enrolled as a pre-veterinary medicine student at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, from which she graduated in 1979. Her work on a dairy farm in Sedro-Woolley and her interest in agricultural systems, soil erosion, and involvement with food co-ops led her to pursue organic farming. In 1979 she established Blue Heron Farm, an organic farm she operated with her husband, Michael Brondi. At the same time, she began working for Cascadian Farm in Rockport as General Farm Manager.

Schwartz became involved with various sustainable agriculture organizations in the Pacific Northwest and served as board member (1979-present), executive committee member (treasurer, 1980s; secretary, 1980s-1990s), president (14 years), and vice president (current) of Tilth Producers Cooperative (now known as Tilth Producers of Washington). She started the Upper Skagit Farmers’ Market, and served as president of the market association in 1985 and 1986. During the 1980s and 1990s she was involved with the Western Alliance of Organic Certifiers (WAOC) and the Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (WSAWG). Schwartz was also involved with the Organic Farmers’ Associations Council (OFAC), a non-profit educational consortium of organic agriculture groups across the country. Originally formed at the end of 1989 as part of the Organic Foods Production Association of North America (OFPANA), OFAC became an autonomous organization early in 1991 and served both as a growers’ communication network and as a national constituency group.

Schwartz served on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (1989-1990) for the state Department of Ecology on Agricultural Pesticides and Nutrient Strategy. She also served on the Organic Advisory Board for the Washington State Department of Agriculture and was active in writing and lobbying for passage of the Organic Food Labeling Act. She served on the boards of the Washington Toxics Coalition (1988-1993), the Permaculture Institute of North America (1984-1986), and the steering committee of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coordinating Council (1990s). She was also active in both the Governmental Affairs/Legislative Council (1991-1996) and the Livestock Committee (1995-1996) of the Organic Foods Production Association of North America (OFPANA, later renamed the Organic Trade Association (OTA)). As co-chair and then chair of the Livestock Committee, she testified at NOSB meetings on behalf of livestock growers.

In addition, Schwartz became a volunteer firefighter (1982-present), and she and her husband trained as emergency medical technicians (1984-present), an essential occupation in rural Washington. Schwartz grows berries, vegetables, and many varieties of hardy bamboo at Blue Heron Farm, which also offers community supported agriculture (CSA) shares.

Schwartz is currently involved with the Organic Agriculture Systems program at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, which in 2008 became the first university in the United States to offer a major and a certificate in organic farming. She serves on the advisory board for the Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources at WSU (1989-present), and was involved with establishing a demonstration farm on campus. Her other work at WSU includes serving on the Kitchen Cabinet to the Dean of the College of Agriculture (2005-present), the organizing board for the Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach (2010-2011), and the National Board of Advisors to the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resources (CAHNRS, 2012-present). She serves as co-Vice President of Tilth Producers of Washington, which works closely with the Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network (WSFFN) and other nonprofit organizations. In January 2014, she was presented with the 2014 Steward of Sustainable Agriculture award by the Ecological Farming Association in recognition of her longstanding work on behalf of organic and sustainable agriculture.

The papers document Schwartz’s involvement in the policymaking process for environmental legislation, organic certification on the national level and Washington State, organic livestock standards, and mobilization around the effects of international trade agreements on domestic agriculture. A folder of documents from the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting and protests in 1999 documents the relationship between food activism and other political movements. Records relating to Washington Tilth Producers, an organic growers’ organization with which Schwartz has been involved for many years, are largely represented by phone logs related to its Legislative Committee (found in the OFAC series). Records for the Washington Organic Certification Advisory Committee, on which Schwartz served, consist primarily of an information packet on the Organic Labeling Act prepared for an Alliance of Organic Food Certifiers meeting, and include sample forms for inspection reports and materials registration.

The collection includes records from several sustainable agriculture and environmental organizations with which Schwartz was involved (usually as a board member), and is organized in five series: ORGANIC FARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONS COUNCIL (OFAC), ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA (OFPANA, later renamed the Organic Trade Association (OTA)), SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WORKING GROUP (SAWG), WASHINGTON TOXICS COALITION (WTC), and SUBJECT FILE.

The ORGANIC FARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONS COUNCIL (OFAC) series includes administrative files, Board of Directors meeting materials and minutes, reports, member mailings, grant files, and correspondence. A considerable segment of the correspondence from 1989-1990 concerns the effort to establish a national organic standard and the accompanying debate over allowable materials in organic production. Researchers should be aware that board and committee materials are also found throughout the correspondence files. Phone logs in this series include conversations on developing organic livestock standards.

The ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA (OFPANA) series includes meeting materials and minutes of the industry trade group (later renamed the Organic Trade Association (OTA)); records of its Legislative/Governmental Affairs Council on which Schwartz served; records of the livestock and manufacturing, processing, packaging, and labeling (MPPL) committees; files relating to organic standards and accreditation; materials list (substances allowed in organic production); and its Organic Certifiers Caucus. Included in this series are materials regarding the situation for implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, and correspondence concerning evaluation of organic inputs.

The SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WORKING GROUP (SAWG) series includes records from the National Dialogue, which was a series of meetings held around the country to encourage discussion among grassroots groups on specific policy changes on which to focus in the 1995 Farm Bill, including policy option paper drafts, a facilitator’s guide, and correspondence. Records concerning two national conferences on the National Dialogue meetings are also included. The subsequent Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture focused on guiding policies identified by Dialogue participants through the legislative and political process. Also included in these files are records relating to the formation of the Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (WSAWG), which began with a meeting in Reno, Nevada, in 1993. In addition to representatives from eight western states, two Canadian provinces (Alberta and British Columbia) were also represented.

The WASHINGTON TOXICS COALITION (WTC), on whose board Schwartz served, advocated for agricultural pesticide and household chemical reduction strategies. WTC files include board meeting materials, financial reports, background information on meeting topics, annual reports, a newsletter, and documents relating to litigation on hazardous waste siting, as well as general information the organization compiled relating to lowering reliance on hazardous chemicals.

The SUBJECT FILE series includes files on state, regional, and national issues. A small quantity of documents on the Organic Certification Advisory Committee and the Organic Labeling Act in Washington State is included, as well as meeting materials from the Alliance of Organic Food Certifiers (AOFC). Washington Department of Ecology records relating to Schwartz’s service on a Citizens Advisory Committee to develop an Agricultural Pesticides and Nutrient Management Strategy include meeting agendas, notes, evaluations, several working drafts of the group’s final paper on pesticide and nutrient strategy and ground water protection, and public meeting comments. Also included are files on certification programs in other states and in Europe, and passage of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990. The sustainable agriculture folders contain information on various organizations across the country, and include sample newsletters from several of the groups. The series also includes documentation on attempts to mobilize the sustainable agriculture community on international trade agreements and ramifications for domestic farm policy, environmental regulations, and consumer food safety issues. One folder concerns activism centered on the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Seattle in 1999, particularly Food and Agriculture Day on December 2, 1999.

Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Publications (M2014-020)

Acquisition Information

Presented by Anne Schwartz, Rockport, Washington, January 30, 2014. Accession Number: M2014-019

Processing Information

Processed by Julia Wong, April 2014.

Mss 1161	Series: Organic Farmers' Associations Council (OFAC)
Box   1 Folder   1	By-laws, 1991
Box   1 Folder   2	501(c)(3) application, 1992-1993
	Board of Directors files
Box   1 Folder   3	Executive Committee, 1991
Box   1 Folder   4-5	Meeting materials, 1990-1994
Box   1 Folder   6	Certificate of dissolution, undated
Box   1 Folder   7	Committee files (Steering and Program), 1990, undated
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   8-14	1989-1994
Box   1 Folder   15	Board mailings, 1990-1993
Box   1 Folder   16	Mailing lists, 1992-1994
Box   1 Folder   17	Member mailings, 1990-1994
Box   1 Folder   18	National, 1990-1992
Box   1 Folder   19	Financial files, 1991-1994
	Grant files
Box   1 Folder   20	Kellogg, W.K. Foundation, 1994
Box   1 Folder   21	Mott, Ruth Fund, 1992-1993
Box   1 Folder   22	Noyes, Jessie Smith Foundation, 1991-1994
Box   1 Folder   23	NOSB proposals, member comments, 1993
Box   1 Folder   24	Phone logs, 1991 Note: Includes OFAC livestock conversations and Washington Tilth Legislative Committee notes.
	Series: Organic Foods Production Association of North America (OFPANA)/Organic Trade Association	⇧
Box   1 Folder   25	Correspondence, 1988-1991
Box   1 Folder   26	General information, 1985, 1988-1992, undated
Box   1 Folder   27	Governmental Affairs Council (OFPANA/OTA), 1994-1996
Box   1 Folder   28	Growing the Organic Harvest media packet, circa 1993
Box   1 Folder   29	Legislative Council, 1991-1993
Box   1 Folder   30	NOSB Processing and Handling, Codex, 1992, undated
Box   1 Folder   31	Organic crop standards and inputs list development, 1991-1992
Box   1 Folder   32	OFPANA/IFOAM minutes, 1989 Note: Committee of National Certification Organisations.
	Quality Assurance Council
Box   1 Folder   33	Livestock Committee, 1991, 1995-1996
	Manufacturing, Processing, Packaging, and Labeling (MPPL) Committee
Box   1 Folder   34	Dairy subcommittee, undated
Box   1 Folder   35	Fruit and vegetable subcommittee, 1992-1993
Box   1 Folder   36	Meat and poultry advisory panel, 1991-1992
Box   1 Folder   37	Other subcommittee reports and papers, 1990-1992 Note: Includes reciprocity, accreditation, grower co-ops, and coffee.
Box   1 Folder   38	Materials evaluation model, Lynn Coody, 1990-1992
Box   1 Folder   39	Meeting minutes and materials, 1991-1993
Box   1 Folder   40	Organic accreditation (OFPANA-NOSB), 1991-1994
Box   1 Folder   41	Organic Certifiers Caucus, 1991-1993
Box   1 Folder   42	Technical Committee, 1991
	Series: Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SAWG)	⇧
Box   1 Folder   43	Appropriations, 1991, 1993-1994
Box   1 Folder   44	Clinton, President Bill, letter to, 1992-1993
Box   1 Folder   45	Commodities, 1990
	National Sustainable Agriculture Coordinating Council (NSACC)
Box   1 Folder   46-47	Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, 1994-1996
Box   1 Folder   48	Correspondence, 1991-1994
	National Dialogue (1995 Farm Bill)
Box   1 Folder   49	Ballot and committees, 1994
Box   1 Folder   50	Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Committee, 1994
Box   1 Folder   51	Developing the Dialogue (1995 Farm Bill), 1992-1993
Box   2 Folder   1	Facilitator's guide, 1991-1992
Box   2 Folder   2	Farmland Protection Working Group, 1994
Box   2 Folder   3	Marketing and Organics Issues Committee, 1993-1994
Box   2 Folder   4	Policy options (pre-February conference), 1994
Box   2 Folder   5	Skagit meeting, 1994 February
Box   2 Folder   6	Research and Extension Working Group, 1993-1994
Box   2 Folder   7	Trade Committee, 1994
Box   2 Folder   8	Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (WSAWG), 1993-1995
	Series: Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC)	⇧
Box   2 Folder   9	Annual reports, 1987-1990
Box   2 Folder   10	By-laws, 1988
Box   2 Folder   11-21	Board of Directors files, 1987-1994
Box   2 Folder   22	Newsletter: WTC News, 1989 Winter
	Series: Subject File	⇧
Box   2 Folder   23-24	Alliance of Organic Food Certifiers (AOFC) meeting materials, 1988-1993
	Certification programs
Box   2 Folder   25	British Columbia Association for Regenerative Agriculture (BCARA), 1986-1989
Box   2 Folder   26	California organic standards, 1989-1992
Box   2 Folder   27	European standards (Codex, IFOAM), 1991-1992
Box   2 Folder   28	International standards, 1987-1992
Box   2 Folder   29	Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA), 1988-1989
Box   2 Folder   30	Miscellaneous programs, 1988-1992
	Washington
Box   2 Folder   31	Organic Certification Advisory Committee, 1988
Box   2 Folder   32	Organic labeling law packet, 1991
Box   2 Folder   33	Codex Alimentarius, 1991-1992
Box   2 Folder   34-38	Department of Ecology, Citizens Advisory Committee, 1989-1991
Box   2 Folder   39	Final draft: “Protecting Ground Water: A Strategy for Managing Agricultural Pesticides and Nutrients” / Dayle Ann Stratton, 1991
Box   2 Folder   40	Environmental theology, 1994, 1996
Box   2 Folder   41	International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), 1991, 1993
	International trade agreements
Box   2 Folder   42	General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1990-1994
Box   2 Folder   43	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1991, 1993
Box   2 Folder   44	United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit), 1992
Box   3 Folder   1	World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting, 1999
	Lo-input sustainable agriculture (LISA)
Box   3 Folder   2	Proposals, 1987-1989
Box   3 Folder   3	Grants funded, 1987-1990
Box   3 Folder   4	Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), no spray program, 1985-1989
Box   3 Folder   5	NutriClean system, 1986-1987
Box   3 Folder   6	Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) International, 1983-1985, 1987, 1991
	Organic food
Box   3 Folder   7	Background articles, 1988-1995
Box   3 Folder   8	Marketing, 1990-1993
Box   3 Folder   9	Sources for, 1987-1989
	Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990
Box   3 Folder   10	DeFazio amendment drafts, 1990 May-August
Box   4 Folder   1	House vote summary, 1990
Box   4 Folder   2	Implementation, 1992
Box   4 Folder   3	Leahy bill (S.2108), 2nd draft, 1990 February
Box   4 Folder   4	Organic Growers and Buyers Association (OGBA), livestock standards, 1991
Box   4 Folder   5	Ozarks conference, 1999 November
	Sustainable agriculture
Box   4 Folder   6	Contacts and programs, 1985-1992
Box   4 Folder   7	State and regional organization information and newsletters, 1989-1991, 1994
Box   4 Folder   8	Tilth Producers Cooperative, 1988, 1991