Lady Moon Farms, a Chambersburg, Pa.-based grower, and organic grower-shipper Happy Dirt of Durham, N.C., have formed a strategic partnership designed to expand their reach and impact within the organic produce industry, according to a news release.
Under the new partnership, Happy Dirt will assist Lady Moon Farms in business development and sales efforts to strategically grow areas of its business that have historically been under-represented, whether regionally or by store type, the release said. The partnership will allow Lady Moon Farms to focus on its long-term goals of sustainable growth.
“We are extremely excited and honored to partner with Lady Moon Farms on their new sales and business development,” said Pat Bayor, vice president of sales and purchasing for Happy Dirt. “Lady Moon has been a leader in organic farming and quality on the East Coast since 1988, and their values and mission align closely with ours. We look forward to helping them continue their growth and reach new markets.”
The new arrangement will not affect Lady Moon Farms’ existing customers, nor its relationships developed through other networks, the release said.
While Lady Moon Farms has grown to support more regions along the East Coast, the company still operates as a small family-owned farm.
“Happy Dirt’s core values and ethos closely align with those of Lady Moon Farms,” Anaïs Beddard, vice president of Lady Moon Farms, said about the choice to partner with Happy Dirt. “They put a significant amount of value on the local organic food movement, while recognizing none of it is possible without family farmers. Sharing these beliefs will make for a mutually beneficial partnership for both organizations.”
Happy Dirt grows over 60 different commodities annually in collaboration with its 16 small to midsized farmer-owners and farmer-partners. The partnership with Lady Moon Farms will enable Happy Dirt to offer year-round organic programs across the East Coast and beyond, the release said.
“We have known Happy Dirt since they were called Eastern Carolina Organics,” Beddard said. “Over the past five years, we’ve developed a strong relationship. We’ve gotten to know their team well and have witnessed each other’s growth. This partnership represents a significant opportunity to build on that foundation and sustainably reach new heights.”
The companies say the partnership underscores their dedication to the regional organic food movement and the vital role of family farmers in sustaining it.
“I first met the amazing folks behind Lady Moon Farms back in 2004, when we were just getting our hands dirty building an organic produce supply chain in North Carolina,” said Sandi Kronick, co-founder and CEO of Happy Dirt. “It’s been inspiring to see how they have grown in impact and acreage over the years, while not compromising their integrity and commitment to the values of true, homegrown organic farming.”
Kronick added that Lady Moon Farms’ successful generational transition is a critical achievement in the face of the growing challenges of organic land loss and farmer transitions.
“As Happy Dirt expands its farmer network beyond North Carolina, we couldn’t ask for a better fit than the great folks and amazing product from Lady Moon,” she said.
Related: 2024 Women in Produce: Sandi Kronick
