USDA Awards ZEGO $3M to Expand Organic Gluten Free Grains

Last Updated on March 28, 2024 by Colleen

San Francisco
March 14, 2024

Today the USDA awarded an Organic Market Development Grant to ZEGO, supporting its new joint business venture with Snacktivist and Montana Gluten Free to expand organic value-added grain processing and consumer access for people with medically-tailored diets.

The Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program supports the development of new and expanded organic markets to help increase the consumption of domestic organic crops. ZEGO received a $3M grant to expand and improve the organic, gluten-free, high protein grain supply chain. This includes the promotion of purity protocol high protein oats and proso millet, processed at the Montana Gluten Free (MGF) facility and grown in Montana and surrounding states.

By opening new sales channels, developing new products, and providing co-packing for values-aligned brands, this grant will help the organic supply chain better serve the over 85 million people in the US with medically tailored diets due to allergies, gluten intolerance, or diabetes—who have very limited access to organic products–and many millions more seeking to lower toxin exposure.

As part of the project, ZEGO is partnering with the woman-owned tech company Viiision to expand its Purity Verification system to all ingredients and co-packing done at the MGF facility. All food handled within the facility will be enabled with traceability to 3^rd party lab reports for gluten and toxins like pesticides, heavy metals, and glyphosate levels.

“The companies in our collaboration will provide the demand pull for the value-added grains grown by regional farmers. Our farmers can increase their income four-fold compared to conventional farming, all the while building their soil health and breaking disease cycles by expanding their rotation crop diversity.

Even more, special diet consumers will have access to more healthy organic products that meet their medical needs, and everyone’s confidence in organic food will grow with our expanded Purity Verification and traceability.

That’s just a lot of wins, and we can’t wait to get started.”
Colleen Kavanagh, co-founder of CIVC and founder of ZEGO

According to Kavanagh, their OMDG-funded project is part of their novel business model she and Joni Kindwall-Moore, founder of the brand Snacktivist developed called a Collaborative Integrated Value Chain (CIVC) that weaves together solutions for pain points in all the layers of the supply chain that prevent getting high quality, value-added food from US farmers to consumers.

“We are so appreciative that the USDA has taken this assertive action to support critical organic infrastructure that not only supports farmers and consumers but also contributes to our national food system security,” said Kindwall-Moore.
Joni Kiindwall-Moore, Co founder of CIVC and founder of Snacktivist

CIVC will also build a value chain for “clean conventional,” regeneratively grown, purity tested ingredients, funded through sources outside the OMDG grant.

Brands interested in acquiring U.S. grown, bulk, purity verified, gluten-free organic oats and millet and “clean conventional” for the gluten-free, allergy-free, and corn-free community should reach out to Kavanagh and Kindwall-Moore through sales@zegofoods.com.

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For more information visit CIVC.us, ZEGOFoods.com, Snacktivistfoods.com or contact Colleen@zegofoods.com (415) 622-8115 or Joni@snacktivistfoods.com (406) 334-1608

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