Benefit Corporation Report for Year 2013
knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc.

I. Introduction

Knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. came into existence on April 2, 2012 when the New York State Department of State (Division of Corporations and State Records) issued a filing receipt noting its “Exist Date” as of April 2, 2012.  Pursuant to its Certificate of Incorporation, knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. is “a benefit corporation;”

Pursuant to the New York Business Corporation Law Sec. 1708(a), a benefit corporation must deliver to each shareholder an annual benefit report and pursuant to Sec. 1708(d) deliver a copy of the benefit report for filing to the Department of State for filing.  Pursuant to Sec. 1708(c), a benefit corporation must post its most recent benefit report on the public portion of its website.

This Benefit Report for Year 2013 for knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. has been prepared by its incorporator, Frank W. Barrie.  As of the date of the preparation of this report, knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. has no shareholders.  The incorporator, Frank W. Barrie, is the President and Secretary of the benefit corporation pursuant to organizational meeting resolutions dated August 22, 2012.

II.  Process and rationale for selecting the third party standard used to prepare the benefit report

The mission of knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. conforms to the mission statement set forth on the website knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, i.e., to promote local agriculture by encouraging consumers to eat locally grown foods, which are produced in a sustainable and healthy way, or “organically” grown, so as to preserve and support small farm economies and to ensure a healthy environment for future generations.  The Benefit Corp Information Center (www.benefitcorp.net) provides guidance on selecting a third party standard.  Utilizing this guidance, the third party standard to assess the social and environmental performance of knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com, Inc. was selected.  Food Alliance (www.foodalliance.org) provides comprehensive third-party certification for social and environmental responsibility in agriculture and the food industry.

The voluntary, third-party certification program of Food Alliance is based on these six principles:
1. Protect, conserve and enhance soil, water, wildlife habitat and biodiversity;
2. Conserve energy, reduce and recycle waste;
3. Reduce use of pesticides and other toxic or hazardous materials;
4. Maintain transparent and traceable supply chains;
5. Support safe and fair working conditions;
6.  Guarantee food product integrity, with no genetically engineered or artificial ingredients.

III.  Ways in which the benefit corporation pursued general and specific public benefit during the year and the extent to which general public benefit was created

The benefit corporation was created in order to operate the website knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com.  This website has three major directories, organized geographically, to provide information on (1) farmers markets, (2) community supported agriculture (CSA) farms, and (3) farm to table restaurants committed to the use of local foods.  Under each of these three categories, the website has a page for each state of the United States and each province of Canada, and under the dining category, there are also directories for Australia, New Zealand, China and in Europe: Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and Wales.  This information has been made available at no cost to visitors to the website thereby conferring a “general public benefit.”

The website has also posted the following specific articles/items during 2013  (also at no cost to visitors to the website):

(1) An exhibit review of Better Than A Free Lunch: Public Library’s “Lunch Hour NYC”  (1/16/2013);
(2) A news report, “Winter Farmers Markets Are Flourishing” (2/13/13)
(3) A restaurant review of The Fireplace in Brookline, MA (2/26/13);
(4) A news report, “Farm to Table Breakfasts at B and Bs” (3/14/13)
(5) A restaurant review of Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton, VA (3/19/13)
(6) A restaurant review of an all local dinner of the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts at Boston’s Granary Tavern (4/1/13)
(7) An exhibit review of Our Global Kitchen at NYC’s American Museum of Natural History (4/18/13)
(8) A restaurant review of Hunter’s Hotel in County Wicklow, Ireland (5/1/13)
(9) A restaurant review of a unique seafood dinner sponsored by Eating with the Ecosystem at Boston’s Ten Tables (5/17/13)
(10) A news report, Tip Trips Up Phony Organic Sales at Farmers Market (6/1/13)
(11) A restaurant review of Dublin’s Farm Restaurant (6/7/13)
(12) A news report, Untimely Death of Grenada Chocolate’s Founder in Accident (6/12/13)
(13) A news report, 2013 FarmAid Concert in Saratoga Spring, NY (7/8/13)
(14) A news report, Local Economies Benefit With $$$ Spent at Farmers Markets & Food Co-ops (8/5/13)
(15)  A book review of Michelle Obama’s American Grown, The STory of the WHite House Kitchen Garden (8/12/13)
(16)  A restaurant review of Origins, a greenhouse café in Cooperstown, NY (9/4/13)
(17)  A news report, Live Webcast of Farm Aid Concert from Saratoga Springs (9/18/13)
(18) A news report, 60 Best Colleges for Food Named By The Daily Meal (9/19/13)
(19) A news report, Locavore Prizes: With Local & Global Perspectives (10/1/13)
(20) A news report, Heavy Spending by Opponents of GMO Labeling Referendum in Washington State (10/6/13)
(21) A news report, Paperback Version of Michael Pollan’s New Illustrated Food Rules Available in Late October (10/17/13)
(22) A film review of Nothing Like Chocolate, a Journey to the Heart of Chocolate
(23) A news report, The ONION reviews CAGE, factory farm to table dining
(24) A restaurant review of Sweetgreen’s Manhattan location

The website has also freely provided information on the following topics:

(1) Food Co-ops;
(2) Sources for the following local foods: cheeses, honey, pasture raised meat and yogurt;
(3) Fair traded tropical foods: coffee, tea and chocolate;
(4) Employment opportunities related to “meaningful food work” by providing links to (1) www.goodfoodjobs.com, (2) Northeast Organic Farming Association, www.nofa.org; and (3) the Greenhorns, http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com; and
(5) Gardening topics including community gardens, home food preservation, container gardening, gardening tips and edible garden design/install.

The content appearing on the website knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com  is in harmony with the six principles of the Food Alliance certification program delineated above.

Small ads appearing on the website during 2013 have promoted the following organizations/entities (at no cost to these organizations/entities):
(1) Native Seeds, www.nativeseeds.org,
(2) the documentary, Brunswick, www.brunswickfilm.com,
(3) Equal Exchange, www.equalexchange.coop, and
(4) American Farmland Trust, www.farmland.org

These 4 organizations/entities reflect principles in harmony with the six principles of the Food Alliance certification program delineated above.

IV.  Any circumstances that have hindered the creation by the benefit corporation of general or specific public benefit

None.

V. Assessment of the performance of the benefit corporation
In the period January 1 through December 31, 2013, the website, knowwhereyourfoodcomesfrom.com had the following traffic from visitors:

The geographic source of visitors:

VI.  Compensation paid by the benefit corporation during the year to each director in that capacity

None

VII.  The name of each person that owns beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the benefit corporation:

The benefit corporation has not yet issued any stock.

Dated: February 18, 2014