Sustainability

Something that’s been on my mind lately is the volume of conversation around sustainability and climate-smart initiatives. Climate change presents an existential challenge for human civilization, and we must all work creatively together to keep its worst impacts at a minimum.

Sustainability is a colossal undertaking, challenging companies to examine every aspect of how they conduct business. And while sustainability is a much larger conversation than organic, organic should definitely be a cornerstone of the sustainability equation.

Soil Health on Organic Farms

Healthy soils are essential for resilient crop production and supporting the ecosystem. They retain water, support a diversity of organisms vital to decomposition and nutrient cycling, provide crops with essential nutrients, and store away carbon, helping to mitigate global climate change. The growing demands for food, feed, fiber, and fuel cannot be met without healthy soils.

On February 7, 2022, U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $1 billion in grants for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities through the Commodity Credit Corporation. The purpose of the new program is to support the production and marketing of “climate-smart commodities,” produced using USDA-defined climate-smart practices, through 30 to 50 pilot projects over the next five years. Organic Trade Association applied for the first pool of funding, designated for projects ranging from $5 million to $100 million.

Organic farmers are the only farmers required by law to conserve soil, water, wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife. Maintaining these natural resources is critical because organic farmers rely on nutrients in […]