History

Like a seed, the WFA started small

When a group of local growers in Hartland, Devon decided, in 1999, to apply for certification so that they could put an “organic” symbol on their produce, they realised that because they were all selling only small quantities, they could not afford the fees.

Then someone said: “Hey, we are only selling in our local area. Everyone round here knows we grow our stuff without harmful chemicals etc. Why don’t we create our own symbol?”

So the WFA was born

The name, “Wholesome Food Association” was coined by Sky McCain, a member of the original group. Sky was Managing Director of the WFA for many years and today is Secretary to the organisation. He is a retired IT professional with a lifelong love of the Earth and a keen interest in growing, gardening, walking and the great outdoors.

And then it grew

The original symbol - with a picture of a garden fork - was officially unveiled in September 1999.

The idea caught on, and it was decided to offer the symbol to other groups and growers who found themselves in the same situation. Enquiries came in from all over the UK, most with the same story, “we want to sell our organic produce but we are too small to afford full organic certification.”

With a little help from its friends

At that point, administrative assistance from the International Society for Ecology & Culture (ISEC) was given to launch the WFA as a national organisation. Phil Chandler, while working for ISEC, took on the project, created the structure, and contributed to the guidelines. Phil created the first website, redesigned the symbol and served as Managing Director for two years. He later handed the reins to Sky, but remains a Director and is still available for special projects.

In 2006, Matt Adams, of the Good Gardeners Association, joined the WFA as a Director.

In August of that year, the WFA, in conjunction with the Good Gardeners Association and supported by the Soil Association and organic farmer Robert Mann from Somerset, held its first national conference at the Green and Away outdoor conference centre in Gloucestershire.

The WFA is registered as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, which means that it has no shareholders and exists solely for the benefit of its affiliates. All administrative work is done on a voluntary basis.

Today

In 2010, Sky and his wife, writer Marian Van Eyk McCain (who had been Secretary to the organisation) decided to scale down their WFA activities to pursue other interests, and Tess Giles Marshall was appointed Managing Director to the WFA in June 2010, with Sky remaining as Secretary.

Tess is a freelance human resources consultant and personal development teacher by trade, with a love of gardening and the natural world. She has a keen interest in the potential of each individual and of local groups to effect positive change at this time of environmental crisis for our planet.

The future

Sky says

We believe that smallholders and small and family farmers have a vital role to play in the localisation of our food supplies and the regeneration of rural economies. We offer a means for growers and manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to local and sustainable food production, for which there is a proven, growing demand.

Tess says

We are convinced that emphasising the human values of trust and responsibility at a local level is hugely beneficial in terms of local food production and consumption. We believe that there are also less tangible benefits which create a ripple effect in strengthening local communities in both social and economic ways.