Seal the Seasons, the Triangle startup that works with farmers to freeze and then deliver to stores local produce, is partnering with the American Farmland Trust in another bid to help save family farms.
On Wednesday, Seal the Seasons and American Farmland Trust agreed to boost the “No Farms No Food” campaign. The privately held startup says it will work with American Farmland Trust to “share the story” of the Trust’s efforts.
Seal the Seasons
The partnership fits in with the mission of Seal the Seasons to help farmers.
“We have to acknowledge our impact on the planet and build a food system that works for farmers and alongside nature at the same time,” said Patrick Mateer, the founder of Seal the Seasons.
“We see supply chains and their most important component, farmland, as the most vital part of the food system. Our goal at Seal the Seasons is to move the focus back towards local sourcing that aligns with our family farms, our economy, and our planet.”
He noted that the partnership “will be instrumental in bringing farmer’s stories to the forefront so we can protect farmland and improve farming practices from their perspective.”
The Chapel Hill startup recently announced plans to expand their product line of locally grown produce to consumers in nearby communities to four new regions, expanding from the Carolinas to the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and Pacific Southwest.
A deal with WholeFoods announced in February expands Seal the Seasons’ footprint to the Midwest.
Seal the Seasons works to “bring local family farm produce–delicious blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and broccoli–to a frozen aisle near you.”
It flash-freezes the produce.
Chapel Hill startup Seal the Seasons to take fresh produce to much of US
John Piotti, CEO of the American Farmland Trust, said the partnership is part of the Trust’s efforts to help deal with such issues as loss of farmland, an aging farmer population and climate change.
“Our future depends on having enough farmland and farmers to both feed us and restore our planet. And this requires a community of advocates that embrace the holistic vision of the future: one that acknowledges farmland as irreplaceable infrastructure we cannot afford to lose; that sees farming practices that improve soil health as necessary for that land to serve us in perpetuity; and that views farmers as the stewards of that land, worthy of our fervent support –because at heart, what these farmers do is for all of us,” Piotti said
“This partnership will help consumers understand the threats to American farmland and further AFT’s mission of saving the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land. We are grateful for Seal the Season’s support.”
For more information, check out this blog at Farmland.org.
