FOLLOW YOUR FOOD

Ron Amerine loves raising chickens. And it's not just because he's a second-generation poultry farmer who's been caring for flocks since he was old enough to help his dad (which he has) or because he can't imagine doing anything else (which he can't). It's because he and his family get to work at something that makes them proud.

Ron is a strong advocate of sustainable farming, believing — correctly — that by treating animals with compassion and the environment with care, he's ensuring not only that his livelihood is sustained, but that the futures of his children and grandchildren are as well.

On his 30-acre farm on California's central coast, Ron happily refuses to give in to expediency or shortcuts. His flocks are never given antibiotics, added hormones or growth enhancers. Instead, they're free to roam in open spaces and sunshine and behave like, well, chickens.

The Critical Link.

Farmers are a critical link for how food gets to our plate — we honor and respect their work, recognizing that they play a unique role in our food system. They are some of the hardest working folks we know, rising before the sun and adjusting their work pattern according to the weather — no easy feat when we think about climatic variations!

Strengthening the Connection.

We aspire to build strong relationships with our farmers — getting to know who they are, what matters to them, and therefore why this matters to the food that we make. We want to strengthen the connection between farmer and consumer.