About Us

Welcome to California Organic Fertilizers Inc.

COFI manufactures Organic Input Materials (OIM) that are Food Safety and National Organic Program Compliant. Our products are Listed with OMRI, WSDA and registered as OIM materials with the California Department of Food and Ag (CDFA).

Our Roots

In 1990, organic growing methods were considered by some to be a fad championed by a few aging hippies. Our founder, Tim Stemwedel, spent the first years of his agronomic career working as a Pest Control Advisor in the Imperial Desert, and knew that the organic movement was not a passing phase or fad. As an entomologist, Tim saw first-hand that insects become resistant to the poisons sprayed on them within a few generations. He experienced health problems associated with walking through fields sprayed with fumigants and insecticides.

He saw lifeless soils, and noted that the percentage of crops lost to insects remained constant no matter how much spraying took place. He knew that a change had to be made. During the next decade, Tim became a soil fertility expert and began studying organic methods and developing a line of organic inputs that were efficient, easy to apply, and that improved the appearance and yield of the crops. He developed Pre-Plant Plus, Veggie Mix, Super N, and Big Red, which remain the backbone of our dry line today.

The first conventional dealer he called on about COFI products laughed so hard he was speechless. This only served to make Tim more determined; he loaded his pickup every day with as much fertilizer as it would hold and started going directly to farms. His plan was to either sell the product or give it all away for trials before he returned home. He made it home every night, and not a single farmer would accept the product for free. These farmers, many of whom remain loyal customers, helped launch a business that would change the face of agriculture over the next ten years.


Our Mission Statement

Our mission is to develop and supply certified organic farmers with organic input materials that are fairly priced, increase crop yields, increase the quality of crops, and make organic farming an easier lifestyle choice for our customers. (We like the idea of improving the planet and achieving world peace too, but we plan on doing this one acre at a time!)

Thank You
Our dedication and commitment to produce safe, dependable, high-quality organic fertilizers is as deep as our roots in organic agriculture. We extend our gratitude to all of our customers for giving us the opportunity to serve them over the past twenty-three years and we look forward to our continued relationship.


Biographies

 

Tim Stemwedel, President
Jim Verner, Sales Manager, Northwest