Articles - Winter 2007 - return to index
Organically Grown
A company that continues to learn and grow In 1978, a group of idealistic Willamette Valley organic farmers formed a nonprofit cooperative to serve as a clearinghouse for information and to provide collective buying power.
In 1983 the cooperative became the for-profit Organically Grown Company, which has blossomed into the largest wholesaler of organic produce in the Pacific Northwest.
David Lively, marketing director for Organically Grown, recalls that in the early days, many of the company’s growers enrolled in the Farm Business Management program, which was one of the earliest programs offered through Lane Community College’s Business Development Center and Employee Training department (BizCenter). The Farm Business Management curriculum has been upgraded to take into account the changes over the years in the farming industry and the new technologies being utilized to increase productivity and quality. "From the very first, our people were tapping into whatever business acumen our community offered," says Lively. "And one of the best resources over the years has been Lane's Business Development Center located in downtown Eugene. We've tried to absorb everything the center has offered."
The BizCenter has also provided Organically Grown with outstanding networking opportunities, says Lively. The company has utilized BizCenter faculty as consultants and coaches to develop Organically Grown’s first full-scale business plan and to facilitate the company's strategic planning process. Lively and other Organically Grown staff have participated in The Business Group at the BizCenter, which meets on an ongoing basis throughout the year. "It's a diverse group in terms of the size, maturity and types of businesses involved," says Lively. He notes that over the years, Organically Grown staff members have also given back to The Business Group, making recent presentations on strategic planning and on the company’s sustainability initiative.
