Green Alliance Joins Forces with Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH

In an effort to support local agriculture, maximize environmental protection, and promote human health and wellness, the Green Alliance is partnering with the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s New Hampshire chapter (NOFA-NH).

The Green Alliance is a green business union that connects sustainable businesses with eco-conscious communities in New England; NOFA-NH advocates for and educates about organic and sustainable agriculture, family-scale farming and homesteading both rural and urban, agricultural justice, and related issues in New Hampshire.

The partnership consists of discounted services for each membership base, co-membership deals for the public, and co-promotion of the two organizations’ services

By partnering, the Green Alliance and NOFA-NH can more effectively publicize the important role played by New Hampshire’s organic farmers to the state’s economy and its citizens’ nutrition. It will also help connect organic farms to communities across the state, and to restaurants wishing to integrate organic food into their menus.

“By increasing awareness about NOFA-NH to the Green Alliance’s commercial and citizen communities, we can increase demand for local, organic food, and create additional jobs in New Hampshire’s agricultural industry,” said Sarah Brown, executive director of the Green Alliance. “At a time when far too much of our food is trucked in from thousand miles away, we want to highlight the enormous benefits of buying from local, organic farmers who produce top notch produce and meats while protecting our natural resources.”

The public can now pay just $50 to obtain a twelve month membership in the Green Alliance, and a 2011 calendar-year membership in NOFA-NH. The co-membership will entitle the public to discounts at over 90 businesses in Eastern New England, as well as discounts on NOFA-NH’s events and bulk orders, all while supporting sustainable businesses and local, organic agriculture.

“Partnering with the Green Alliance will enable us to increase our exposure among the region’s eco-conscious communities, and to the green business sector,” noted Scott Morrison, NOFA-NH co-president. “These are groups that have traditionally supported organic farming, and we’re confident our mission and message will strongly resonate with these groups.”

“The organic farmers in our association take immense pride in what they do, and supporting these farms creates jobs right here in New Hampshire,” Morrison continued. “And the advantage of local and organic farming is that it is done without the use of chemical inputs and pesticides that harm our waterways, our soil, and our health, or rely on farms in other parts of the country for our food supply.”  

Organic food offers tremendous health benefits: studies published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry both found that organic produce are significantly more nutrient-dense than produce grown utilizing modern farming practices. Additionally, recent studies have linked pesticide exposure to increased incidences of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), even at lower levels of exposure to toxic pesticides, giving parents another incentive to prioritize organically-grown food.

Co-membership in the Green Alliance and NOFA-NH is available through both organizations, including online at www.greenalliance.biz/join.

For more information:

Green Alliance: www.greenalliance.biz

Northeast Organic Farming Association – New Hampshire: www.nofanh.org