- was founded in 2001 by a small group of renegades
- supports and promotes local organic and biodynamic farms and businesses
- is structured by its founders to stay small, local, informal, independent, non-governmental, and non-bureaucratic
- is a steering committee of unpaid volunteers who have equal voting power
- is supported by non-tax-deductable donations and maintains open books
Mendocino Renegade...
- aims to create an inexpensive, credible program of labeling local organically produced products for the benefit of producers (farmers / ranchers), processors (retailers, wholesalers, restaurants), and consumers.
- offers reasonable cost to local producers and processors with minimal paperwork
- assures organic claims
- is manageable for the "certifier"
- minimizes the role of government and politics in organic agriculture