Lauren Gwin

Community Food Systems Specialist

541-737-1569
[email protected]

Expertise: Local, regional and community food systems , Commercial food processing , Farm food safety

Programs: OSU Small Farms , Farm to School

Links: Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems , Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network

Department/Unit: Crop and Soil Science - Crops Unit

Biography

Lauren is OSU's Extension Community Food Systems Specialist and Associate Director of the Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems. Her extension, outreach, and applied research focus on public policy and regulations, small-scale processing and value chains, and markets within local and regional food systems; small farm profitability and long-term viability; and sustainable community-based food system development. She also directs the national Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network.

Content by Lauren Gwin

OSU collaboration leads to investment in resilient food systems in Oregon

Food hubs emphasize sustainable practices, fair prices and community food security.

Lauren Gwin | May 2025 | Impact story

OSU collaboration leads to investment in resilient food systems in Oregon

Food hubs emphasize sustainable practices, fair prices and community food security.

Lauren Gwin | May 2025 | Impact story

OSU builds home for organic agriculture research and outreach

OSU Extension partnered with Oregon Tilth and the Oregon Organic Coalition to develop the organic program, which is housed in the Center for Resilient Agriculture and Food Systems in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Chris Branam | Apr 10, 2025 | News story

OSU Extension Small Farms Program among nation’s best

The program works toward improving small-farm horticultural production and small-scale livestock, poultry and forage production.

Nathan Stacey, Lauren Gwin | Feb 2025 | Impact story

Meat and poultry processing regulations in Oregon: A short guide

Farmers and ranchers around Oregon raise and sell livestock and poultry for a variety of local and regional markets. Processing is a necessary but often complex link in the chain connecting farms to end consumers. Here are ...

Lauren Gwin, Rebecca Thistlethwaite | Dec 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Through unique collaboration, Extension helps Oregon nonprofit guide grants to hard-hit Oregon farmers

To date, the Oregon Community Food Systems Network with help from OSU Extension has awarded over $3 million to 222 farms across the state, to take action that will improve the resilience of the land they cultivate and their farm businesses.

Henry Carnell | Sep 12, 2024 | News story

Oregon's Farm Direct Marketing Law: Producer-processed Value-added Products — A Guide for Farmers and Market Managers

Learn the ins and outs of the Farm Direct Marketing Law, which allows farmers to turn what they grow into value-added products and sell directly to consumers without being licensed food processors.

Lauren Gwin, Kelly Streit, Sara Runkel | Feb 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Oregon State to co-lead $30 million USDA regional food business center

Oregon State University has been selected to co-lead a $30 million U.S. Department of Agriculture regional food business center that will support farmers, ranchers and other food-related businesses to access new markets and navigate federal, state and local resources. 

Sean Nealon | May 7, 2023 | News story

OSU Extension Small Farms Program will use grants to strengthen Oregon’s food systems

OSU Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems and the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network received more than $800,000 in grant money.

Kym Pokorny | Dec 21, 2021 | News story

What Can I Do with My Small Farm? Selecting an Enterprise for Small Acreages

Covers the many factors involved in making decisions related to the use of small-farm property. Discusses the small farm as a hobby, an agricultural tax deferral, and a family income. Explains how to match crop...

Amy Garrett, Chip Bubl, Garry Stephenson, Maud Powell, Lauren Gwin, Melissa Fery, Heather Stoven | Jun 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

What is a food hub?

Q: Does Oregon have food hubs? Where are they, and what services do they offer?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

A Best-Practices Guide to Open-Air Poultry Slaughter

Oregon poultry producers who meet certain conditions can slaughter chicken, turkey and other birds in an open-air setting. But they still must meet requirements for sanitation, monitoring, recordkeeping and more. These...

Lauren Gwin, Rebecca Thistlethwaite | Mar 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Oregon Community Food Systems by the Numbers: Oregon's Farmers Markets

Examines the impact of farmers markets in low-income areas of Oregon with low access to supermarkets. One in a series of fact sheets that monitors trends and changes in various dimensions of the food system. ...

Mallory Rahe, Lauren Gwin, Benjamin S. Antolin | Mar 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Economic impact of local food producers in central Oregon

Locally produced food has a big impact on the central Oregon economy. For every dollar spent on local food, 76 cents stays locally vs. 28 cents for imports. And there's room for more growth, according to 2016 study.

Lauren Gwin, Mallory Rahe, Katrina Van Dis, Jess Weiland | Apr 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

Oregon’s Home Baking Bill: Residential Kitchen Exemption for Baked Goods and Confectionary Items

Get answers to answers frequently asked questions about Oregon's Home Bakery Exemption.

Lauren Gwin | Mar 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Introduction to Community Food System Indicators

Bringing people and organizations together to maintain a healthy community food system requires a common understanding of issues and shared goals. The Community Food System Indicators provide the data to do just that.

Shannon Caplan, Lauren Gwin, Mallory Rahe | Oct 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

Breaking new ground: Farmer perspectives on organic transition

This publication explains the positive affects of organic farming, while also presenting farmer perspectives about the transition as well.

Lauren Gwin, Garry Stephenson, Chris Schreiner, Sarah Brown | Apr 2024 | Online resource

Practical Strategies to Assess and Improve Small Farm Profitability

Farm profitability, an issue for all farmers, is a particular challenge for small-scale, diversified farms selling primarily into local-direct and specialty-wholesale markets. This publication explores how these farmers can...

Lauren Gwin, Tanya Murray | Jul 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Enhancing organic agriculture in Oregon: Research, education and policy

Farmers, researchers and food system stakeholders shed light on what is needed to enhance organic agriculture in Oregon in this report.

Garry Stephenson, Lauren Gwin, Maud Powell, Amy Garrett | Nov 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

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