Piedmont Progressive Farmers Co-op

Piedmont Progressive Farmers Cooperative (PPFC) is a nonprofit cooperative organization founded in 2016 and comprised of black farmers in the Caswell County area of NC. We joined forces with the group through our Equitable Food Sourcing Initiative in an effort to support emerging black farmers by connecting them to new market opportunities.

PPFC’s mission is to “promote sustainable and diverse farming through education, training, technical assistance and marketing.” They highlight the difficulties that small and underserved farmers face in finding profitable markets in Virginia and the Carolinas (Piedmont region), and aim to support these producers and their communities. So far, the organization has primarily aggregated eggs produced in the Piedmont region, with plans in place to move to other foods.

Every farm in the co-op must meet certification standards to ensure they are offering healthy, quality products. They do not utilize commercial fertilizers and all their animals are on pasture. They source pastured, free range, all-natural brown eggs from the farms in their network, advocating for the humane treatment of laying hens and expect their suppliers to uphold the same standards. PPFC also believes that animals should not be fed animal byproducts and given hormones or certain medications.

PPFC member farms also raise proteins such as poultry, beef, pork, mutton, dairy and meat goats, and a variety of produce. They are known for selling sweet corn and muscadine grapes to Weaver Street Market food cooperative in NC. PPFG meets weekly for farm and production planning, focus on farmer development and the support of PPFC’s sustainable and ethical practices. They work with other organizations in the area with shared values to effectively use their resources to improve the economic prospects of farmers in the region.

4P Foods looks forward to cultivating a strong relationship with Piedmont Progressive Farmers Cooperative with the shared mission of helping small local and regional farms bring their products from their pastures to your plate.

Photos courtesy of Piedmont Progressive Farmers Cooperative.