Lauren Gwin, who helped found the Oregon State University Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems in 2013, has been named the organization’s director.

She’ll continue to help strengthen regional and local food systems, help businesses such as farms and processors, and get food to residents and markets — farmers markets, too.

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While doing her job, Gwin said she’d focus on values such as sustainability, equity and collaboration.

Gwin said she loves getting out in the field throughout Oregon and working closely with innovative farmers, ranchers and non-profit staff.

“It’s amazing to see the ways they’re solving problems,” added Gwin, an associate professor and OSU Extension community food systems specialist.

Her job allows her to connect programs and residents, encouraging partnerships outside of OSU that can combine applied research, education efforts and old-fashioned know-how.

Gwin joined OSU in 2008 and was excited to come to Oregon because the state had an incredible variety of crops, a lot of small farm activity and heavy interest from consumers.

Before arriving in Corvallis, Ore., she had formed the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, which now is part of the Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems.

At OSU, Gwin also created a food hub network to spur cooperation.

“The center is a place where we’ve been able to nurture new programs that are innovative and reach new stakeholders,” Gwin said.

When Gwin talks about small farms, she’s really talking about a state of mind. “There’s a lot of different ways to be a small farm,” Gwin said.

That spectrum includes organic growers, ranchers directly selling to restaurants, small acreage landowners and others.

But all are valid and all farmers deserve support so they can succeed.

The center also works with mid-scale and large farms in Oregon.

It has about 20 OSU faculty and staff members under its umbrella.

Four more faculty – two in soil science and two in crop science — will be hired soon thanks to funding from the Oregon Legislature.

Gwin said state and federal support, policies and programs for small farms and food systems have improved greatly in the last decade.

But challenges remain, including evolving markets and climate change-related problems such as drought and heat waves. Gwin also mentioned the difficulty of operating in rural communities, which she said needed more investments such as better internet connectivity to make things easier for businesses and organizations.

Gwin fills the position formerly held by Garry Stephenson, who retired earlier this year.

Stephenson’s work at OSU focused for more than 30 years on supporting farmers markets, sustainable farming methods, beginning farmer education, and the production and policy needs of organic farmers.

“Lauren’s in-depth knowledge of Oregon’s vibrant local, community-based food systems and her trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders make her ideally suited to lead SFCFS,” said Staci Simonich, Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

“Her passion for bringing research-based solutions to complex challenges with an eye towards equity will help the Center continue to have even greater impact on Oregon’s vital small farms and community food systems,” Simonich added.