From the Heartland to the Grocery Aisle:

Reclaiming Our Food Story From Big Ag

Our Story

On paper, Jake Davis and Lauren Tavar seem like uncommon allies. One is a farmer from the heartland; the other is a professional, suburban mom navigating the grocery aisles of the East Coast.

They first crossed paths in 2018 while working on federal food policy. What began as a professional collaboration grew into a shared realization: the corporate "Big Ag" machine survives by keeping us all divided and in the dark. They founded UpRoot to bridge the gap between the farmers who want to nourish their neighbors, the consumers who want to feed their families healthy food, and everyone in between.

  • Jake Davis

    Co-Founder & President 

    Jake Davis has spent his life navigating the intersection of American agriculture and food system reform. Growing up on a diversified farm in Southwest Missouri, he witnessed firsthand the rise of industrial agriculture and its devastating impact on the independence of rural communities.

    With over twenty years of experience in the movement, Jake has served as a strategic advisor for national non-profits and political campaigns. Today, he balances his movement work with the daily realities of maintaining a diversified farm with his wife, Chelsea. Jake is dedicated to reforming our food system so that every American family has healthy food on the table and certainty that it was produced by an independent farmer who treated the land, animals, and their neighbors with respect.

  • Lauren Tavar

    Co-Founder and Vice President

    Lauren Tavar has seen the impacts of our dysfunctional food system through the lens of policy, advocacy, and philanthropy, but most importantly, as a parent. As a mother to three increasingly hungry boys, she has come to realize that no matter how hard one tries, you cannot opt out of a system you did not create.

    Nearly a decade ago, Lauren found herself on a farm tour as a fellow in the United States Senate, and her work to transform the food system began. Over the years, she has continued to work in this space as a policy advisor, lobbyist, grantmaker, and the resident family meal planner. Lauren is driven by her desire to see current and future generations nourished by our food system, not in spite of it–all while giving the respect and dignity owed to the farmers, animals, and land behind it. 

Our Core Values

  • Storytelling Power: Facts alone don't make change; people do. We use research and communications strategies to help everyday heroes share their stories with more people.

  • Rural-Urban Solidarity: When it comes to food, independent farmers and suburban parents share a common dream of health and resilience. We work to bridge the cultural divide driven by Big Ag that keeps us from standing together. 

  • Systemic Reform: We aren't interested in surface-level band-aids. We demand big, structural changes that prioritize health and stewardship over corporate greed.