Dan Simons

Co-Owner Dan Simons took to DC’s government halls on Friday, testifying at a hearing on plastic straws and stirrers. Speaking before the DC Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Simons encouraged the council to pass the bill that prohibits the sale, use, or provision of non-compostable straws and stirring implements by food service entities, beginning January 1, 2019 with one change: replace the word “compostable” with “biodegradable.” At Founding Farmers, we made the switch to biodegradable straws over a year ago.

As a farmer-owned company, our sustainability efforts have always been an important part of our mission, which includes mindful management of our trash. Our efforts have led to LEED certifications, 3 Star Green Restaurant Association certifications, and numerous awards, including our most recent Near-Zero Waste Award, one of our two recent GRA wins.

Founding Farmers, its sibling restaurants Farmers & Distillers and Farmers Fishers Bakers, and parent company Farmers Restaurant Group, just launched a campaign to eliminate single-use plastic straws across the DMV. Our Last Straw is building a coalition of restaurants, bars, cafes, and hotels working on a shared mission to eliminate plastic drinking straws due to their impact on our environment and our health.

As we head towards the opening of our Founding Farmers King of Prussia later this fall, Co-Owner Dan Simons is already talking restaurant trends with our soon-to-be guests. On September 8th, Simons joined Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Leslie Richards and a handful of other experts in a lively discussion about the future of suburban areas, such as the King of Prussia district.