Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

What Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association does

MOFGA is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1971 and headquartered at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity, Maine, recognized as the oldest and largest statewide organic organization in the United States. The organization operates a multi-pillar program spanning organic certification (USDA-accredited, through MOFGA Certification Services at mofgacertification.org), farmer technical assistance and beginning-farmer resources, consumer education on organic practices, and public policy advocacy — with PFAS contamination response emerging as a defining issue since 2021. The organization serves four primary constituent segments: organic farmers seeking certification and technical support, home gardeners and homesteaders, consumers seeking organic food, and an advocacy community engaged in state and federal policy work.

MOFGA sustains operations through six distinct revenue streams: membership dues (offered at variable contribution levels), tax-deductible donations, the annual three-day Common Ground Country Fair (the organization's flagship program, with 64,162 attendees in 2023 and 600+ educational events), online and on-site retail through the MOFGA Store (store.mofga.org), fee-based organic certification services for farms and producers, and tuition/fee-based workshops and training programs. The organization publishes The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener quarterly newspaper, maintains the Maine Heritage Orchard for historic apple variety preservation, and operates the Common Ground Education Center as its primary training facility. Technology footprint is limited to standard web platforms for member services, event ticketing, and e-commerce — no proprietary technology stack or software products are documented.

MOFGA is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Sarah Alexander, with a leadership team including a Deputy Director and specialized staff in organic crop conservation, low-impact forestry, climate-smart agriculture, landscape coordination, and community engagement. The organization has recently positioned itself at the forefront of federal PFAS-in-sludge regulation, filing a Notice of Intent to Sue the EPA in May 2024 alongside Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and joining a related federal lawsuit on July 23, 2024. Strategic priorities for the next planning cycle are formalized in the Impact Plan 2025-2030, and the 50th annual Common Ground Country Fair is scheduled for September 25-27, 2026.

Name

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Legal name

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Website

https://mofga.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) is a 1971-founded nonprofit in Unity, Maine that delivers USDA-accredited organic certification, farmer technical assistance, and policy advocacy. It serves organic farmers, home gardeners, and consumers in the Northeast US and operates the annual Common Ground Country Fair drawing 64,000+ attendees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Agriculture Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)

Keywords

• Organic agriculture certification
• Farmer education services
• Agricultural policy advocacy
• Sustainable farming support
• Community agriculture events

Headquarters

HQ city

Unity

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MOFGA generates revenue through membership dues. The organization states that membership support enables their work creating a healthy and fair food system. Members receive quarterly newspaper (The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener), exclusive offers, and other benefits.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to fund programs and advocacy work. Donations support specific initiatives including PFAS emergency relief and general operations.
3. Common Ground Country Fair: The annual three-day Common Ground Country Fair generates revenue through ticket sales. The Fair is a major community gathering with over 64,000 attendees in 2023.
4. Online Store (MOFGA Store): The organization operates an online retail store at store.mofga.org selling merchandise, publications, and related products. Also available at the Fair store.
5. Organic Certification Services: MOFGA provides organic certification services through mofgacertification.org for farmers and producers seeking organic certification.
6. Events and Training Programs: The organization offers workshops, training programs, and educational events throughout the year including climate forums, farm tours, and technical assistance programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MOFGA is a nonprofit membership organization that supports organic agriculture in Maine through accredited organic certification services, farmer training and technical assistance, public policy advocacy, community education, and signature community events. Its primary revenue-generating services are organic certification (via MOFGA Certification Services), annual membership dues, the Common Ground Country Fair, donations, and a small online retail store selling merchandise and publications.

Product overview

MOFGA operates as a comprehensive organic agriculture organization offering multiple interconnected programs and services rather than a unified product platform. The core offerings include organic certification services, the annual Common Ground Country Fair, farmer support programs (technical assistance, financial resources, beginning farmer programs), community education resources covering organic practices, PFAS emergency relief funding, and advocacy efforts. Supporting resources include The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener quarterly newspaper, the Common Ground Education Center facility, the Maine Heritage Orchard preservation program, and an e-commerce store. MOFGA functions as a membership-based nonprofit with educational, advocacy, and certification missions serving Maine's organic farming community since 1971.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Certification Program Accredited organic certification services for Maine farmers and food producers, enabling them to market their products as certified organic. Delivered through MOFGA Certification Services via mofgacertification.org.
• Common Ground Country Fair MOFGA's annual three-day ticketed celebration of rural living and organic agriculture in Unity, Maine, featuring 600+ educational events, exhibitions, vendor marketplace, and the Common Kitchen. The 2023 fair drew 64,162 attendees and 2,000+ volunteers.
• MOFGA Membership Annual membership program available at variable contribution levels, providing supporters with the quarterly Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener newspaper, exclusive offers, and member benefits.
• MOFGA Online Store Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling MOFGA-branded merchandise, publications, and related products, accessible online year-round and in-person at the annual Fair.
• Educational Workshops and Training Programs Year-round in-person and virtual educational programming covering organic gardening, crop production, livestock, orcharding, lawncare, low-impact forestry, organic pest management, and climate-resilient farming for farmers, gardeners, and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64,162 attendees at 2023 Common Ground Country Fair
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024MOFGA joined PEER in filing a Notice of Intent to sue the EPA for failure to regulate PFAS in sludge under the Clean Water Act. PEER submitted their NOI in February 2024 and is working with MOFGA as the suit moves forward. PEER supports the work of other organizations and shines light on improper government actions.
• Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA Vermont)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024MOFGA and NOFA Vermont co-hosted a series of virtual solutions-focused workshops in March 2024 led by agricultural professionals covering climate change adaptation topics for farmers.
• Maine Farmland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MOFGA partnered with Maine Farmland Trust in 2021 to create the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund to support farmers facing PFAS contamination. The two organizations collaborated on farmer support programs and advocacy for policy changes to address PFAS contamination on Maine farmland.
• Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOFGA co-sponsors workshops and programs with DACF under the Maine Soil Health Project, which aims to maximize living roots, soil cover, and biodiversity while minimizing soil disturbance.
• University of Maine Cooperative ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOFGA co-sponsors educational programming with UMaine Extension as part of the Maine Soil Health Project and other agricultural education initiatives.
• Lee Auto MallsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLee Auto Malls, a third-generation family-owned auto dealer with 13 locations in Maine, supports MOFGA through the Bumper Crop Partnership - a unique marketing approach that supports causes they care about rather than traditional advertising.
• Preble StreetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreble Street, a Portland-based social service agency, operates the Preble Street Food Security Hub in South Portland. MOFGA is connected through community stories highlighting food security initiatives.
• FoodPrintminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoodPrint, a national podcast, featured MOFGA staff Sarah Alexander (Executive Director) and Caleb Goossen (Organic Crop and Conservation Specialist) in an episode titled 'PFAS: The Forever Chemicals in Your Food' raising awareness of MOFGA's PFAS work.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oregon Tilth: Organic certification and education nonprofit serving primarily Oregon and the Pacific Northwest; directly comparable combination of USDA-accredited certification services and farmer/gardener education programs.
• NOFA New York: Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York provides organic certification, farmer education, and policy advocacy — same peer-network model as MOFGA operating in an adjacent Northeast state.
• NOFA New Hampshire: New Hampshire chapter of the NOFA network running organic certification, farmer training, and community education programs analogous to MOFGA's portfolio.
• NOFA Massachusetts: State chapter of the NOFA network offering organic certification, education programs, and advocacy in Massachusetts; structurally and operationally comparable to MOFGA.
• NOFA Vermont: Statewide organic farming association serving Vermont with organic certification, education, and advocacy — directly parallel to MOFGA's structure in Maine. Co-hosted the 2024 climate adaptation workshops with MOFGA.

Broad incumbents

• Organic Farmers Association: National membership organization that, like MOFGA, advocates for organic farmers in federal policy and represents organic farmer interests — broader geographic mandate but overlapping advocacy and member-service functions.
• Rodale Institute: National organic agriculture research and education organization; comparable on the education and research dimensions of MOFGA's mission though not a certifier and more research-oriented.
• California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF): One of the largest USDA-accredited organic certifiers in the U.S., also providing advocacy and foundation programs; broader scale but overlapping certification and policy-advocacy mission with MOFGA Certification Services.
• USDA National Organic Program: Federal regulatory body that sets and enforces organic standards; not a competitor but the framework under which MOFGA Certification Services operates as an accredited certifier.

Regional players

• Maine Farmland Trust: Maine-based farmland preservation nonprofit; co-created the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund with MOFGA in 2021 and shares a regional mission focused on protecting Maine farms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MOFGA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaineOrganicFarmersAndGardenersAssociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association