Delivering the week’s top organic food news
9.25.2024
100% Non-GMO

Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly partners with Regenerative Organic Certified®


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Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) has just signed a partnership with Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly initiative (CPF), and it is the featured certification on the CPF shop’s homepage, coinciding with Climate Week currently taking place in New York City.

Making healthy food available to all consumers has always been a key objective for our industry, and ROC has taken a significant step to accomplish this goal by getting its brands in front of millions of people.

“We couldn’t be more happy that ROC is the featured Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly certification,” said Elizabeth Whitlow, founding executive director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA), the organization that oversees the certification. “Unlike ever before, consumers will be able to find, discover and purchase ROC products all in one place, and we will be able to reach an enormous audience.”

Leading brands share in the excitement, and well over 200 ROC products — and growing — can now be found in the CPF shop.

“We’re thrilled that Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program is acknowledging that ROC is the gold standard in agriculture,” put forth Jen Berliner, head of sales & marketing at Patagonia Provisions. “If we really want to scale regenerative organic in a way that can impact the food system, ROC products need to be available where people are already buying food. And that certainly includes Amazon.”

Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, committing to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 — 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement. The Pledge now has more than 470 signatories, including brands such as Best Buy, IBM, Siemens, Verizon and Visa.

In conjunction with this, it also launched the Climate Pledge Friendly program on its website to help customers identify products with sustainability features.

Products that are part of the CPF program are certified by one (or more) of over 50 sustainability certifications, which include vetted and reputable third-party certifications such as ROC, USDA Organic, EU Organic, Soil Association, Cradle to Cradle, Fair Trade Certified, NATRUE and MADE SAFE.

Getting selected as one of the approved certifications is no easy feat.

“We use a science-based approach that prioritizes the most relevant sustainability and environmental issues related to the entire life cycle of a product,” said Nneka Leiba, Amazon’s global lead for selection science, who helps to identify which certifications should be in the program.

amazon climate pledge. friendly organic ROC ROA regenerative organic certified

ADDRESSING THE SUPPLY SIDE OF THE EQUATION

While this partnership with Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program will unquestionably help drive demand, ROC also has to drive supply.

Not only does this mean convincing farmers that there is a market for ROC products but also coming up with the funding to grow these crops.

More entities are appearing to help address this need, such as Mad Capital, but oftentimes, companies have to get creative.

In Canada, Nature’s Path partnered with Canadian Organic Growers and other brands to found a first-of-its kind regenerative organic oats program, which provides important technical outreach and targeted financial assistance to organic oat growers across Canada through a $300,000 investment.

This innovative program, now in its third year, supports 24 regenerative organic oat farmers to farm approximately 10,000 oat acres using regenerative organic practices across the grain-growing prairies. The oats in Nature’s Path just released Regenerative Organic Certified® flavored oatmeal products have been sourced through a farm enrolled in the program.

However, since a large percentage of regenerative organic crops are grown in developing countries, small farmers there need support as well — yet often struggle finding it.

Grow Ahead, a digital crowdfunding platform that helps fund farmer-led climate resiliency projects around the world, is launching a Week of Action from October 7-11, featuring four live webinars that will focus on initiatives in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mexico and Brazil.

“The Week of Action will raise funds for regenerative organic and agroforestry projects that are having positive impacts on the effects of climate change and food insecurity in the Global South,” said Ryan Zinn, president of Grow Ahead.

With regenerative organic agriculture becoming more important with each passing day, achieving scale is a priority.

“Those of us involved in this movement know that we have no choice but to get big quickly and reach as many people as possible, from the farmer to the consumer. We are very grateful for this partnership with Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program,” said ROA’s Elizabeth Whitlow.

With gratitude,

Max Goldberg, Founder

This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* On Monday in Washington, D.C., Senator Ron Johnson hosted a bi-partisan roundtable called “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion” — a forum of leading doctors and health experts who discussed, among other things, how toxic chemicals and synthetic ingredients are making our country sick. Organic received very important call-outs.


* Patagonia’s non-profit arm just gave $1 million to help Rodale Institute revolutionize California’s farms.


* Netflix star Antonia Gentry has a new fashion collaboration with Copenhagen-based brand Organic Basics.


* Lisa Bronner, author and spokesperson for Dr. Bronner’s, on her 5 takeaways from a Washington, D.C. trip to lobby for stronger regulations around cosmetics.


* Organic ingredient supplier CIRANDA has just released its first-ever Impact Report, which highlights how it is advancing transparency, sustainability and community enrichment across the globe.


* In Peru, La Grama’s Biodynamic project for its organic ginger.


* Fieldnotes Organic Vodka was chosen as the official house vodka for Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.


* A new $24M facility to help feed organic meals to underserved communities in California’s Sonoma and Marin counties.


* Hudson Valley Sustainable Fashion Week’s second annual Organic Runway Show will take place on September 27th at Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook, NY…..Real Organic Project-certified Full Belly Farm is hosting the 33rd Hoes Down Harvest Festival on October 5th in Guinda, California…..The International Non-GMO Summit in Germany on October 7-8th…..The 2024 People’s Food Summit is on October 16th.


New Organic Products

New Organic Products

Nature's Path ROC regenerative organic certified flavored oatmeal chocolate cocoa berries and cream non-gmo

Regenerative Organic Certified® Flavored Oatmeal from Nature's Path

Nature's Path has announced the launch of a Regenerative Organic Certified® Flavored Oatmeal line in two flavors -- Berries & Cream (infused with freeze-dried raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, along with chia seeds) and Dark Chocolate & Cocoa (made with Fair Trade cocoa nibs). Non-GMO, vegan, low sodium and six single-serve packets per box. Available on the company's website and Amazon, as well as at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts.
organic Korean chilli paste from Mekhala chili

Korean Chilli Paste from Mekhala

The Korean Chilli Paste from Mekhala is a combination of spicy and sweet, made with miso and dried chillies. It can be used in traditional Korean dishes, such as bibimbap (rice bowl) or ssam (lettuce wrap), as well as a marinade, braise or condiment. USDA and EU certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, no oils and no refined sugar.
charcutnuvo ROC regenerative organic certified beef sausages grass-fed non-gmo

Regenerative Organic Certified® Beef Sausages from Charcutnuvo

Charcutnuvo has just introduced a line of Regenerative Organic Certified® Beef Sausages that come in five varieties -- Smoked Bratwurst, Fresh Polish Sausage, Andouille Sausage, Beef Frankfurters and Mini Beef Franks. Grass-fed & grass-finished, no sugar added and gluten-free. Available on the company's website, nationwide at Natural Grocers, and soon at select Whole Foods Market stores and other retailers across the country.
USDA certified organic THC gummy blueberry breeze from Cornbread

Blueberry Breeze THC Gummy from Cornbread

Cornbread is the only brand in America to offer THC Gummies with USDA organic certification. Available in Blueberry Breeze and utilizing a patent-pending process, each gummy contains 10mg of THC and 10mg of CBD, ensuring a potent and balanced experience. For those over 21, the product is legal to ship nationwide because it is made from hemp and contains less than 0.3% THC by weight.
This Week's News Items

Weekly News Summaries

First Course
NBC News

Sen. Cory Booker calls for Toxins to be Removed from School Lunches

By Lisa Fletcher and Andrea Nejman

The Safe School Meals Act targets "toxic ingredients" on school trays across America, proposing standards that would keep kids safe from poisons that can't be seen on the plate.

Investigate Midwest

Number of U.S. Organic Farms drops by 5%

By Mónica Cordero

According to the latest Census of Agriculture data, the number of U.S. organic farms has declined by nearly 5% over the past five years, from 18,166 in 2017 to 17,321 in 2022.

Center for Food Safety

Center for Food Safety Sues EPA to Compel Withheld Pesticide Formulation Documents

The complaint alleges that the EPA is unlawfully withholding public records on pesticide decision-making.

Second Course
Food Dive

Danone offers to buy Lifeway Foods for $283M

By Christoher Doering

The proposal to buy the organic kefir producer for $25 a share comes as Lifeway’s leadership remains embroiled in a bitter family dispute and the manufacturer faces shareholder calls to sell itself.

Perishable News

Schools in the EU Mandate Organic Fruit

A new EU requirement for the 2024/2025 school fruit program is that all schools in all countries receive a minimum of four organic products during school fruit weeks.

Daily Mail Online

Gen Z ushers in 'Organic Living,' TikTok Influencers fuel Trend for Eco-Friendly Diet

By Alanah Khosla

According to a new study, younger generations are choosing organic produce with the hopes of boosting their health and happiness, as well as serving the environment.

Brownfield Ag News

Organic and Non-GMO Farmers Facing Bankruptcy Clawback

By Jared White

More than 90 farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and other states recently received “clawback” letters surrounding the 2022 bankruptcy of Iowa-based Global Processing, Incorporated.

Third Course
Beyond Pesticides

Study: Organic Farming Provides the Highest Benefit to Bees

A new study out of Germany found that organic farming practices lead directly to lower parasite load and higher colony growth.

The Olive Press

Fruit Mafia in Spain Sold Fake Organic Produce Across Europe for at Least Six Months

By Walter Finch

To pull off the scam, they involved corrupt laboratories to provide false test results and forged documents to support their claims.

The New Lede

EPA denies Duty to Regulate PFAS in Sewage Sludge Spread on Farmland

By Shannon Kelleher

A lawsuit filed by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, on behalf of a group of Texas farmers and ranchers, wants to hold the EPA accountable.

Food Navigator

Are Food and Beverage Pop-Ups Worth It?

By Deniz Ataman

Tracking the return on investment of pop-ups involves juggling multiple metrics, but food and beverages brands have a distinct advantage in leveraging sensory experiences to build lasting loyalty among consumers both in-person and digitally, experts say.


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This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* On Monday in Washington, D.C., Senator Ron Johnson hosted a bi-partisan roundtable called “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion” — a forum of leading doctors and health experts who discussed, among other things, how toxic chemicals and synthetic ingredients are making our country sick. Organic received very important call-outs.


* Patagonia’s non-profit arm just gave $1 million to help Rodale Institute revolutionize California’s farms.


* Netflix star Antonia Gentry has a new fashion collaboration with Copenhagen-based brand Organic Basics.


* Lisa Bronner, author and spokesperson for Dr. Bronner’s, on her 5 takeaways from a Washington, D.C. trip to lobby for stronger regulations around cosmetics.


* Organic ingredient supplier CIRANDA has just released its first-ever Impact Report, which highlights how it is advancing transparency, sustainability and community enrichment across the globe.


* In Peru, La Grama’s Biodynamic project for its organic ginger.


* Fieldnotes Organic Vodka was chosen as the official house vodka for Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.


* A new $24M facility to help feed organic meals to underserved communities in California’s Sonoma and Marin counties.


* Hudson Valley Sustainable Fashion Week’s second annual Organic Runway Show will take place on September 27th at Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook, NY…..Real Organic Project-certified Full Belly Farm is hosting the 33rd Hoes Down Harvest Festival on October 5th in Guinda, California…..The International Non-GMO Summit in Germany on October 7-8th…..The 2024 People’s Food Summit is on October 16th.


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