Certified Transitional program expands as Kashi increases ingredient sourcing, Bunge offers transitional corn ingredients

Kashi’s Cinnamon French Toast is made from Certified Transitional Ingredients

Certified Transitional program helps farmers earn a premium for crops during the three-year transition to organic

A program to help farmers switch to organic production continues to grow as cereal maker Kashi is purchasing more Certified Transitional ingredients and grain processor Bunge North America is now offering transitional corn ingredients.

Since launching the Certified Transitional program in 2016, Kashi has increased the number of Certified Transitional ingredients it purchases from 860 acres to 4272 acres—a 400 percent increase. Participating farmers have received more than $1 million to support their transition from conventional to organic.

Kashi worked with Quality Assurance International to develop the industry’s first Certified Transitional program, which recognizes crops in transition from conventional to organic, making it easier for farmers to switch to organic farming.

Kashi sources Certified Transitional ingredients including wheat, dates, almonds, sorghum, rice, corn milled products, and almond meal and butter. Kashi uses the ingredients in Dark Cocoa Karma Shredded Wheat Biscuits and Cinnamon French Toast cereals and six Chewy Nut Butter Bars. Each product features a Certified Transitional logo.

Bunge is purchasing Certified Transitional corn from Nebraska farmers, and processing it into corn flour, grits and meal at the company’s milling facility in Crete, Nebraska.

The ingredients are being used in cereals, snacks, and baked goods. Kashi is using Bunge’s Certified Transitional corn ingredients.

Mark Stavro, Bunge’s senior director of marketing, sees a lot of interest from farmers in the Certified Transitional program.

“Farmers currently transitioning to organic are very enthusiastic about the Certified Transitional program, and based on conversations with others, we believe the number of participating farmers will increase significantly,” he says.

Tina Owens, Kashi’s director of sustainability & strategic sourcing, encourages other companies to participate in the Certified Transitional program.

“We want to invite other brands and move this forward to help the whole industry.”