After 20 trips around the sun, we’re still gaining momentum.

Local food has been the vehicle carrying producers, customers and the larger community through the past two decades of Rogue Flavor. All of you who have grown along with us share this 20th anniversary milestone. Rogue Flavor, after all, is more than a brand; it’s the belief that together we’re better.

Along this journey of building our local food system, we realized our efforts are really building community. In the process of raising local food’s profile by tending distribution networks and marketplaces, we’re actually tending to producer and consumer relationships.

In the past two years alone, we’ve spoken with thousands of people about the state of the local food system. These interactions arose from 2023’s Rogue Valley Food Solutions Summit, when we relaunched the Jackson and Josephine County Community Food Assessments. The nitty-gritty around logistics, distribution, farmland access and other issues drew people to the forums we hosted.

Our efforts will culminate in an action plan that identifies gaps and challenges and makes recommendations over the next 10 years for increasing regional food access and improving infrastructure and economic conditions. To ensure our food and farm systems’ resilience, we must consider long-term strategies around climate adaptation, regenerative practices and making room for traditional ecological practices. We can learn from those already dedicated to doing this work, including our local indigenous gardens network.

The previous Community Food Assessments a decade ago created our organization, the Rogue Valley Food System Network, which operates under a council of regional stakeholders. RVFSN adopted the Rogue Flavor Guide from its originator, THRIVE, and committed to carrying on its mission. We offer Rogue Flavor all year, on paper and online.

The 20th annual Guide to fresh, wholesome and sustainably produced foods is a testament to how far we’ve come — and how far we have to go. Our collective movement’s speed, strength and endurance come through our individual strides: farmer, rancher, brewer, vintner, grocer, entrepreneur, restaurateur, educator, shopper and eater.

Look around our website and learn how you can get involved. Subscribe to our monthly online newsletter for updates.

We express gratitude for the local businesses and individuals who contributed photos to this year’s Guide. For more information or to be in next year’s Guide, email Abigail at abigail@rvfoodsystem.org.

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