Deschutes & Columbia Distributing Join Forces to Raise More than $16,000 for Salmon-Safe

18 May 2015 – Portland, Oregon – Salmon-Safe, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to restoring Pacific Northwest salmon watersheds, today announced receiving a $16,600 donation from the Deschutes Brewery and Columbia Distributing Beer Machines Party held in Portland last month. The party, which was held during the annual Craft Brewers Conference, featured steam-punk style beer machines built by local artists. The donation was comprised of artist sales of the beer machines, with a matching donation from Deschutes Brewery.

“For us as brewers, we’ve been long-time supporters of Salmon-Safe and their work with hop growers to increase environmental sustainability,” said Angela Jasus, field marketing manager at Deschutes Brewery. “Partnering with them for a fantastic event like this one was a perfect fit and we were happy to be able to further support the important conservation work that they are doing.”

Deschutes Brewery was the first brewer to source Salmon-Safe certified hops and continues to be a national champion of environmentally certified hops, as well as many other environmental causes. The money raised from the Beer Machines event will be devoted to transitioning more Willamette Valley and Yakima hop growers to salmon-safe practices that protect water quality and wildlife habitat. This is important work for Salmon-Safe because 90 percent of U.S. hops are sourced from two northwest salmon watersheds.

Dan Kent, co-founder and executive director for Salmon Safe, said, “The opportunity to join with Deschutes for Beer Machines was about elevating the visibility of environmentally certified Willamette Valley and Yakima hops to a national audience of craft brewers. And it was an epic party too.”

For more information visit www.salmonsafe.org/benefit.

About Salmon Safe

Founded by Pacific Rivers Council, Salmon-Safe is now an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Portland Oregon. The organization’s mission is to transform land management practices so Pacific salmon can thrive in West Coast watersheds. More than a decade after first certifying farms in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Salmon-Safe has become one of the nation’s leading regional eco labels with more than 60,000 acres of farm and urban lands certified in Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia. The Salmon-Safe retail campaign has been featured in 300 supermarkets and natural food stores, delivering important marketplace benefits to participating landowners. www.salmonsafe.org