Delivering the week’s top organic food news
12.20.2023
100% Non-GMO

5 Major Storylines for Organic in 2024

(Image courtesy of Farmland LP.)


Grateful for You: This is our final newsletter for 2023, and we will be returning to our normal coverage on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. Thank you so much for being a subscriber and for reading our work this past year. Most importantly, thank you for caring about organic food. Wishing you all a great year ahead!

As organic continues its growth trajectory, surpassing $67 billion in annual sales, the industry is filled with both challenges and opportunities.

Here are the five major storylines that we will be watching for in 2024.

Grower Group Lawsuit — Without question, this is the single biggest story in organic, not just this year but ever since the National Organic Program went into effect in 2002.

If this lawsuit goes through and grower groups are deemed illegal, industry executives foresee chaos, and nearly every single participant in the organic sector will be impacted.

As of now, the USDA has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, but that silence will soon be coming to an end. The USDA has until early January to respond.

If you are unfamiliar with grower groups, we have covered them recently here and here.

The State of California Defining “Regenerative” — This is another enormous development that could have serious ramifications for organic.

California is seeking to legally define “regenerative” and if it does so without organic farming methods attached to it, the term “regenerative” has the potential to displace “organic” in the marketplace.

Just like shoppers erroneously prioritize “natural” over “organic,” the same could happen with “regenerative,” even though toxic chemicals, such as glyphosate, can be sprayed on a regenerative farm. Not surprisingly, major chemical companies are embracing regenerative in a very significant way.

The first of five listening sessions to define “regenerative” was just held, and the State’s Board of Food and Agriculture expects to have finalized a recommendation about its definition by next summer.

Continued Emergence of the Two Organic Add-On Labels — One of the real bright spots and areas of optimism in the industry centers around Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) and Real Organic Project (ROP).

Among other things, these two labels both prohibit hydroponics and livestock factories, and many organic companies are actively seeking out these certifications. ROC just surpassed one million acres certified, and ROP recently named a new leader for its joint venture with Naturland, something that should increase its adoption among organic brands.

As witnessed at the Regenerative Organic Certified® events in 2023 and the Real Organic Project 2023 Conference, the camaraderie and collaboration within each of these certifications is incredibly strong. A palpable sense of togetherness and community exists that is not often found in the industry today.

Both certifications will have a big impact in the year ahead.

Challenging Financing Environment — 2023 was an extremely difficult time for organic brands to raise money, and the big question heading into 2024 is whether that worsens or not.

Despite the fact that new funds from venture capitalists continue to emerge, there are some bankers who believe this capital crunch may be the ‘new norm.’

Something that we have heard, particularly at Expo East 2023, is that numerous organic brands have decided to stop expanding the number of retail doors they are at, with the goal of increasing velocity at their existing stores. Given that capital is now much more challenging to access, reaching profitability has become paramount.

U.S. Organic Trade Show — Over the last few years, there has been consternation among many organic brands for having to share the country’s largest organic trade show (Expo West) with GMO 2.0 companies.

This sentiment was exacerbated by New Hope releasing a white paper in support of GMO 2.0 technologies, in addition to the contentious GMO 2.0 panel at Expo West 2023.

In recent months, a major international trade show operator has been in communication with influential industry leaders to gauge their interest about an all-organic trade show in the U.S.

As of now, there is nothing concrete to report, but it should not be a huge surprise if something formal is announced in 2024.

Have a fantastic 2024!

Max Goldberg, Founder

This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* More controversy surrounding B Corp, as executives at Dr. Bronner’s consider dropping the certification. The LA Times has the report. — (paywall)


* NYC public school system is expanding its farm-to-school programming and improving nutrition access.


* On its website, the USDA just featured Area 2 Farms — the soil-based, indoor organic farming company.


* SIMPLi has announced that its Regenerative Organic Certified® chickpeas will now be featured on the menu at Just Salad.


* Amidst the organic dairy crisis, Organic Valley has expanded and brought in 84 new family farms into its fold.


* What do those green Costco price tags actually mean?


* Organic Cotton Accelerator launches Organic Cotton Training Curriculum for Pakistan.


* In New Zealand, organic farmers bare it all for a good cause.


* Could fungi be an alternative to pesticides and fertilizers?


* As citizens try to eliminate ‘forever chemicals,’ this government agency is fighting to keep them.


New Organic Products

New Organic Products

Suja organic shots kroger

Wellness Shots from Suja Organic

Suja Organic has just released its latest line of three wellness shots. Probiotic -- probiotics with watermelon and raspberry; Detox -- featuring tropical and floral finishes; and Antioxidant -- dragon fruit and mixed berries. Now available at Kroger.
Thrive Market regenerative organic pecan halves

Regenerative Pecan Halves from Thrive Market

New from Thrive Market are raw, organic pecan halves. Grown regeneratively and sourced directly from family farms in Mexico, the pecans have no added salt and are a good source of fiber and omega-3 fats. Each bag contains over 3 cups of pecans.
organic shelf-stable kimchi Ocean's Halo

Shelf-Stable Kimchi from Ocean's Halo

Recently introduced from Ocean's Halo is an organic, shelf-stable kimchi. This Korean dish of fermented vegetables combines traditional ingredients, such as gochugaru chilis, garlic and onion, but comes shredded, which makes it more easily used as a topping or side dish. Available at Walmart and on Instacart.
kate farms organic pediatric blended meals

Pediatric Blended Meals from Kate Farms

In early 2024, Kate Farms will introduce its first whole food pediatric blended meals, providing a convenient way to nourish people using feeding tubes. Each organic meal contains a proprietary blend of whole foods, 9 grams of easily digested pea protein and 27 vitamins and minerals. Available in a variety of flavors, including Banana & Blue and Squash & Carrot.
This Week's News Items

Weekly News Summaries

First Course
Center for Food Safety

Farmworkers and Environmental Groups File Legal Action Demanding Roundup Ban

Glyphosate's registration is illegal, says the petition filed by Center for Food Safety.

Friends of the Earth

Whole Foods Market announces Policy to Help Protect Bees and Other Pollinators

A win for healthy food shoppers and biodiversity.

Euroactiv

EU Not on Track to Meet 25% Organic Target by 2030, Study Warns

By Maria Simon Arboleas

The European Environment Agency's latest report found that current policy support is insufficient to reach the target.

The Defender

Critical Support for GE-Chestnut Tree Disappears

In welcome news, The American Chestnut Foundation announced that it will discontinue its development of the Darling 58 American chestnut due to significant performance limitations.

Second Course
Bloomberg

GMO Lab-Grown Chicken Fails to Deliver. Is Anyone Surprised?

By Deena Shanker and Priya Anand

A phenomenal piece exposing the serious problems with lab-grown chicken. -- (paywall)

Food Navigator

Springdale Ventures raises $40M for Fund II, Targets Early-Stage CPG Brands

By Deniz Ataman

Building on the success of Fund I​, Springdale Ventures intends to continue pursuing “investments in emerging consumer brands across the food, beverage, pet, health and beauty sectors.”

Yahoo!

Natural Grocers releases its 2024 Top Trends

Skinimalism and heat adaptation are two of the trends that top the list.

Third Course
ScienceDirect

Study links Organic Mediterranean Diet to Improved Male Fertility

By Veronica Corsetti, Tiziana Notari and Luigi Montano

More evidence that men cannot afford to ignore organic.

Fortune

Martie raises $7M

By Emma Hinchliffe and Joseph Abrams

The better-for-you online discount grocer closed a round led by Upfront Ventures, with participation from Day One Ventures.

The New York Times

Years After Monsanto Deal, Bayer’s Roundup Bills Keep Piling Up

By Maureen Farrell

Juries recently awarded plaintiffs more than $2 billion in damages tied to Roundup, the weedkiller that has been linked to cancer.


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This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* More controversy surrounding B Corp, as executives at Dr. Bronner’s consider dropping the certification. The LA Times has the report. — (paywall)


* NYC public school system is expanding its farm-to-school programming and improving nutrition access.


* On its website, the USDA just featured Area 2 Farms — the soil-based, indoor organic farming company.


* SIMPLi has announced that its Regenerative Organic Certified® chickpeas will now be featured on the menu at Just Salad.


* Amidst the organic dairy crisis, Organic Valley has expanded and brought in 84 new family farms into its fold.


* What do those green Costco price tags actually mean?


* Organic Cotton Accelerator launches Organic Cotton Training Curriculum for Pakistan.


* In New Zealand, organic farmers bare it all for a good cause.


* Could fungi be an alternative to pesticides and fertilizers?


* As citizens try to eliminate ‘forever chemicals,’ this government agency is fighting to keep them.


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