About Us
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OrCAN was founded in 2017 as a volunteer-run effort laser focused on state-level policy advocacy at the intersection of climate change and agriculture. Today, we are building an inclusive and collaborative producer driven network, providing educational programming for farm service providers, and continuing to advance institutionalized support for soil health that works for a farmer's bottom line.
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With a state-wide bird’s eye view on the landscape of soil health on farms and ranches in Oregon, we work with producers, researchers, farm service providers, non-profits, and policy makers. We connect and support over 1000 Oregonians to promote soil health and climate resilience across the state.
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We are active members of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network, Oregon's Natural Climate Solutions Coalition, the National Healthy Soils Policy Network, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Oregon Climate Action Commission’s Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee.
Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to convene an inclusive network to promote soil health and climate resilience across Oregon through collaboration, education, and advocacy.
Our Vision Statement
We envision a future where healthy soils are the foundation of thriving food systems in Oregon–reconnecting healthy ecosystems, economies, and communities.
Organizational Values
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To help the communities in our network thrive, we commit to these core values:
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Equity: We work to dismantle patterns of racism and oppression, honoring producers’ self-determination.
Justice & Inclusion: We commit to shifting power and resources to producers who have been disempowered within institutions and political systems, particularly BIPOC producers, and to uplifting their voices. We aspire to be inclusive and embrace complex differences in perspectives and people.
Stewardship: We recognize that we are all caretakers of our ecosystems, and that as stewards of the land producers have a key role to play in solutions to climate change.
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Connection & Community: We lead with collaboration and a shared determination that a better future is both possible and necessary.
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Accountability: We take proactive action to evaluate our work and hold ourselves accountable, and invite our partners and network members to help hold us accountable to our values.
Land Acknowledgement​
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As we work to promote soil health and climate resilience, we are committed to honoring the leadership, knowledge, and sovereignty of Indigenous communities across Oregon.
We acknowledge that all of our work takes place on the ancestral lands of Oregon’s Tribal nations. We recognize the leadership of Indigenous communities in land stewardship and soil health practices, and we are committed to honoring these contributions through intentional relationship-building, collaboration, and representation in our work.