May/June

Educating consumers is key to driving demand for regenerative foods

Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit focused on accelerating the global transition to regenerative agriculture In order to drive demand for foods produced using regenerative agriculture, consumers must be educated about the value of such foods and food retailers need to take a leadership role in working with brands to bring regenerative foods to market. […]

Organic standards need continuous improvement to meet consumer expectations and build trust

Consumers need a go-to source of reliable information about organics Building consumer trust in organics and continuously improving organic standards were key themes at the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week event held at the end of March in Washington, DC. Darci Vetter, global head for policy and government relations at the Nature Conservancy, presented findings from Edelman’s Trust Barometer, […]

Conflict, input availability, and drought conditions posing significant risk to organic markets

U.S. organic corn and soybean production expands significantly By Mercaris Markets have turned decidedly bullish for all three major organic crops since September 2021 as supply outlooks have become increasingly uncertain. Despite all prices moving generally higher, the ability of these markets to maintain their current price levels will hinge on a variety of factors […]

GMO sugarcane: “Bad for the environment, soil, and human health”

Brazil ramps up production of GMO sugarcane despite success of regenerative agriculture methods; Non-GMO Project Verified sugar options are available Brazil is increasing production of genetically modified sugarcane this year but a leading producer of regenerative organic sugarcane says GMO sugar is bad for the environment and will only provide short-term solution to pest problems. […]

Montana lentil farmers go against the grain to build thriving organic business

Timeless Seeds’s “lentil underground” continues to grow, producing nutrient-dense specialty crops while regenerating Montana’s soils and rural communities David Oien doesn’t seem like a renegade. He’s a friendly, down-to-earth, third-generation Montana farmer. But David and his fellow farmers at Timeless Seeds are renegades. In Montana, a state dominated by conventional wheat, David and Timeless Seeds went […]