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Knowing what makes food organic can reframe how you think about what you eat

By Sam Pomichter - March 30, 2020

If youve been to a grocery store in the past few years, youve probably heard of organically produced food. Organic food, once confined to small health food stores run by gleefully high middle-aged hippies, now has its own aisles in grocery stores and dedicated areas of produce sections. But what exactly is organic food? How are the production processes of organic food different from normally produced goods? Why does organic food cost more? Does organic food have scientifically substantiated health benefits relative to regular food? These questions, though many dont know the answers to them, can not only change the way you shop but the way you think about the food you eat.

Organic refers to the farming processes in place to produce the food in question. Organic farming practices are those that attempt to create soil and water of enhanced quality, reduce the pollution created from farming, provide safe and beneficial habitats for livestock, enable the natural tendencies of livestock and promote self-sustaining practices among the resources utilized on a given farm. In fact, most categories of food can be produced through organic means. If farmers fail to uphold all of these standards, then they will not be given the token United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal on their products.

The farming practices represented by organic farming aim to eliminate cruelty toward the environment and the organisms utilized for food production. Organic farming practices exclude many materials and practices utilized by factory farm producers, including the usage of synthetic and inorganic fertilizers, sewage as fertilizer, most synthetic pesticides, using UV rays to eliminate pests and bacteria, genetic engineering to improve crop yield and the utilization of antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock. Organic farming practices, adhering to USDA guidelines, definitely promote a more ethical treatment of livestock through enabling animals to graze pastures for extended periods and providing them with organically produced food.

All this sounds great, but are there health benefits associated with consuming organic foods? Scientific evidence of the health benefits of eating organic has been budding in recent years because of its increasing prevalence in the eyes of shoppers. There are hundreds of studies that suggest organically produced foods carry some to moderately more amounts of essential nutrients relative to normally produced foods, depending on what nutrients are in question.

But nutritional enhancement, although important, is not the main justification for eating organic food from a health perspective; its what organically produced foods dont have that make them healthy. Cadmium is a heavy metal sometimes present in soils treated with inorganic fertilizers. Cadmium, being a heavy metal, is also a carcinogen. Organically produced crops have been shown to have less heavy metal content than inorganically produced crops. Heavy metals can amount to more oxidative stress in the body and continued exposure can lead to the development of chronic illnesses. Pesticide residue is commonly found on inorganically grown produce, whereas organically grown produce has 30 percent less pesticide residue than inorganically grown produce. It is unclear how these deviations in heavy metal content and pesticide residue impact the health of consumers, but there could be health implications with the continual ingestion of small amounts of toxins.

I generally try to buy and garden organic products; its a lifestyle choice I made because of my beliefs regarding the ethical treatment of animals and the necessity for farming to positively benefit the environment. Understandably, the price of organically produced food is a barrier for a lot of potential consumers, with organic food costing 10 percent to 30 percent more than nonorganic food. Growing and buying organic is not always a viable option for people of lower incomes, but if expanded further, the standards in place for the cultivation of organic produce could end up benefiting those currently without access to organic food. This could reduce the cost of production through a more developed industry, which may cut the cost on the consumer end as well.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) generally act against the tenets of organic farming, but their uses could also be vital in helping drive down the cost of food because they garner higher crop yields. As far as we know, there are no confirmed health benefits from avoiding consuming genetically modified food. If patents on GMO seeds were eliminated and they were more readily available for commercial use, but grown in the environments akin to organic produce, the price of sustainable and ethical food would be much lower.

Factory farming companies and local farms alike should look toward organic farming practices to produce more high-quality food. But as of right now, for those who have the money, I urge all of you to purchase organic. In doing so, you will promote ethical practices in the produce and livestock industries and support local farms. Check out the local and organic section in your supermarket, familiarize yourself with local farms and visit locally owned health food stores. Considering most organic and local goods are sold in tandem, buying organic goes beyond the kitchen and can help your community.

Sam Pomichter is a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience.

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Organic food is a better, but much more expensive option - Binghamton University Pipe Dream

Assuming the organic manufacturing process is able to sustain premium pricing levels. organic soybean producers using reduced-tillage production methods can achieve similar revenue, finds an ongoing experiment.

It used cover crops to reduce tillage - the thousands of years old approach of preparing soil by plowing or overturning soil - in organic field crop production systems. Since organic food is now a gigantic $130 billion industry the scholars wanted to see if domestic organic soybeans could be competitive with their modern scientific counterparts. To become competitive among a wider socio-economic demographic, organic farmers need to reduce costs and they can't do that when they limit themselves to older pesticides that require more applications and intensive labor. Aquaponics are also threatening to erode their business, since organic industry trade groups contending that chemicals their lobbyists choose to use in soil are better than using no soil at all have been unconvincing to the public.

The scientists compared regular soybean production after a cover crop mixture interseeded into corn, to reduced-tillage soybeans after a roller-crimped cereal rye cover crop after a corn silage forage crop.

A roller-crimper for cereal rye in the organic no-till soybean system. Photo:John Wallace/Penn State

In that process, there was 50 percent less 'soil disturbance', which is desired by people who worry about soil conservation over food. So the environmental halo remains in place, but though reduced-tillage meant reduced input costs it will be $46 per acre less profitable because of lower yields. Since soybean revenue is just over $500 an acre and farming operates on razor-thin margins a loss of 10 percent is a lot of money, so prices would need to remain high if the corn-soybean-spelt organic cropping system is going to work.

Since organic soybeans are not yet viable how do organic foods use them in everything? They have a bit of a cheat. Though domestic organic food has some fraud that is mostly at local farmer's markets where small groups are exempt from any standards. Organic imports have no criteria at all. Studies by independent groups have found endemic fraud in imported organic food. Not as systematic as olive oil but still common. India and Turkey are happy to sell Americans 'organic' soybeans that are not organic, since they know they can't really be caught and it makes no difference. The food is identical and no activist groups want to damage their allies by doing surprise spot testing of organic food.

So if fewer rotors for crops makes organic shoppers feel better, this could work as long as they continue to pay a premium. But I predict that 'no soil damage at all' aquaponics will overrun the conventional organic marketing groups that remain stuck in the past.

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Reduced Till Organic Soybeans Could Be Viable, But Prices Need To Be At Least 10% Higher - Science 2.0

As the need for medical equipment grows across New York City, so does the need to keep workers using that equipment fed.

Jared and Kyle Lyons started Served Natural in February to create and delivery healthy meals in New York City. Now, they're delivering 750-1,000 meals to hospitals in the tri-state area each day.

"I think the biggest problem is one: a lot of restaurants aren't open, and two: especially with night shifts, no one is delivering at two in the morning, there's absolutely nothing available," says Jared Lyons.

Temporary hospital in Central Park set to hold 68 coronavirus patients

The duo says after someone called to donate 100 meals a few weeks ago, they set up donations through their website.

They've matched each meal donated so far

"While the whole world may be talking about PPE, feeding our staff is is important too, we've got to make sure that they're strong and they have the ability to come back and do the job that they've been doing," says Khari Edwards, vice president of external affairs at Brookdale Hospital.

LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond

Served Natural has also created a GoFundMe with a goal of donating 25,000 meals to medical staff.

"It shows that we're not forgotten ... what it means is that the community cares, that people understand what we're going through more so than ever," says Edwards.

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Organic food delivery service donating thousands of meals to hospital staff - News 12 Bronx

Strawberries top the EWG's Dirty Dozen list for 2020.

If organic food is in your budget, you may want to think twice about purchasing conventional strawberries, spinach and kale. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a U.S. based advocacy and research group, released its 2020 Dirty Dozen list this week, an annual shoppers guide for fresh produce evaluating which fruits and vegetables are most contaminated by pesticides, and therefore potentially carcinogenic.

More than 90 percent of samples of strawberries, apples, cherries, spinach, nectarines, and kale that EWG tested were positive for residues of two or more pesticides and multiple samples of kale showed eighteen different pesticides. In fact, on average, the EWG found thatkaleandspinachsamples had 1.1 to 1.8 times as much pesticide residue by weight than any other crop tested.

And yes, these products are sold in supermarkets across America, where the USDA deems them safe to eat. Some background: The USDA does not test for all pesticides used in crop production, including glyphosate (also known as Roundup), which is the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S., the EWG says. High levels can be found in several grains and beans, such as oats and chickpeas, due to its increasing use as a pre-harvest drying agent. Not ideal.

Organic kale is the way to go if you want to avoid pesticides.

If youre eager to phase pesticides out of your diet, keep the EWGs newest dirty dozen list in mind (or on your shopping list) next time you grocery shop. Remember that some local farms and producers dont have an official organic certification, but also are proudly pesticide-free, so you can always ask about your produces origins at farmers markets if youre concerned about the foods on the list:

Avocado tops the Clean Fifteen list

Along with the annual Dirty Dozen, the EWG also puts together a Clean Fifteen list, that is, a list of items you dont have to worry about purchasing conventionally. The fifteen items on the list were found to contain the lowest amount of pesticide residue and almost 70 percent of Clean Fifteen fruit and vegetable samples had no pesticide residues. The top of the list is the cleanest, with fewer than 2 percent of avocado and sweet corn samples showing any detectable pesticides:

Splurge on strawberries, save on avocados, and you should be well on your way to cleaner eating.

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Heres Why You Should Only Buy Organic Strawberries, Spinach And Kale - Forbes

These are unprecedented times. One thing is for sure with the widespread acceptance that coronavirus originated in an exotic meat market in China, there has been a massive consumer rethink around food.

This shift is impacting the type of food that is consumed, where it is obtained, how and where it is prepared and how it is produced and stored.

The overarching theme? Fear of contagion and oftentimes human contact.

A self-driving food delivery robot might appear in a post-pandemic world in which consumers want to ... [+] avoid human contact.

Here are some predictions of how coronavirus will change the way we eat, based on recent surveys and forecasting.

Home cooking will make a resurgence

Yelps Coronavirus Impact Report reveals that consumers want food with minimal human touch points. A recent survey by Technomic confirms that 32 per cent of adults plan to eat at restaurants less often due to COVID-19 concerns. With many restaurants closed and supermarket shelves bare, and with heightened concerns around food safety, home cooking is making a comeback. This trend is likely to continue for some time, post pandemic, due to hesitation around public gathering as revealed in the results of a survey conducted by Variety in which 47 per cent of respondents agreed that the idea of going to a major public event will scare me for a long time. This transition to home cooking could also result in an increase in sales of cooking staples, meal kits and accompaniments to meals.

Healthy and Organic Eating will become increasingly important

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. There is likely to be an increase in demand for organic food, vegan, vegetarian and other healthy foods as a result of the pandemic. Coronavirus poses a significant risk to those with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease as well as those who are overweight and obese. The value of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables in the management of these conditions is well documented. The March performance of organic food companies such as Nourish Organics, which experienced an increase in sales of approximately 30 per cent and the surge in demand for organic vegetable box delivery in the United Kingdom are evidence of this trend.

Food Safety will come under a tighter lens

There is currently no evidence that coronavirus is transmitted via food, yet this has not been reflected in consumers dining and shopping decisions. According to a recent survey by The Packer, grocery shoppers have changed their shopping habits due to fears of catching coronavirus from food. Survey respondents indicated that they are buying less fresh produce in grocery stores and more canned foods due to fears around food safety. Studies have also shown that consumers want food that is pre-packaged. Even among those who understand that they cannot catch coronavirus from food, there is an elevated fear around food safety that has even extended to home kitchens.

There will be reduced demand for exotic, risqu foods

The Wuhan seafood market, where coronavirus is thought to have originated was a popular centre for wildlife such as snakes, porcupines, deer and racoon dogs, many of which were slaughtered in front of customers, according to reports.

Since the onset of the coronavirus in 2019, 20,000 wildlife farms in China have been shut down or quarantined and a strict ban is being implemented on the farming and consumption of exotic animals.

Although there is some disagreement around which animal transferred the virus to humans, it is an accepted fact that outbreaks are more likely when exotic animals from different environments, with viruses that are specific to those environments, are kept in close proximity.

This will most certainly translate in decreased demand for exotic animals.

There will be greater focus on eating local

Yelps Coronavirus Impact Report reveals that consumers are more likely to want to know the source of their food, making them increasingly desirous of food from community-supported agriculture (increase in demand of 430 per cent) and farms (increase in demand of 149 per cent). A heightened awareness around food safety and a desire for more nutritious food will also increase demand for eating local. On the supply side, the interruption of global supply chains and closure of borders due to COVID-19 will impact foreign food production and reduce imports.

Other trends? Until the mayhem dies down, there might continue to be some hoarding and stockpiling of items such as fruit snacks, energy drinks, dried beans, pretzels and frozen fruit.

Consumers will also want to limit their exposure to crowds for quite some time, which will increase the demand for online purchasing of food, curb side pick up, take out and delivery. According to Yelp, the demand for delivery has increased 135 times with coronavirus, but this will be tempered by food safety concerns and the relaxation of shelter in place orders.

With all these changes, it appears at least for the time being, that the biggest losers in the food business will be restaurants, food stands and vendors, unless they are able to pivot and offer meals with minimal human touch points.

Business owners will have to make a conscious effort to meet the needs of the new pandemic mindset.

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Five Ways That Coronavirus Will Change The Way We Eat - Forbes

Rise in inclination for readymade and convenient food products, increase in spending capacity of people, and growth in demand for organic food increases the demand for organic snacks, thereby accelerating the organic snacks market growth. Organic Snacks Market by Product Type (Nutrition Bars, Candy Bars, Salty Snacks, Nuts, and Others), Distribution Channel (Retail Stores, Supermarket/Hypermarket, Convenience Stores, and E - commerce), and Generation (Millennial (18 - 34), Generation X (34 - 50), and Baby Boomers (51 - 69))

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled,"Organic Snacks Marketby Product Type, Distribution Channel, and Generation: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018 - 2025,"the global organic snacks market was valued at $8,783.2 million in 2017, and is expected to garner $24,035.2 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 13.6% from 2018 to 2025. Snacks are small servings of food eaten between main meals.

Organic snacks are food prepared using ingredients that comply with the standards of organic farming. Organic food is also Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)-free and are free of artificial additives and can be better digested by the human body.

It includes snacks such as potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, and bakery products such as bagel, biscuits, doughnuts, cheese snacks, nut bars, pretzels, crackers, pita chips, and confectionery such as chocolates, candies, candy bars, and other snacks. As consumers tastes have expanded in an increasingly globalized world, many consumers are experimenting with organic foods to satiate their desire for unique taste experience and to align with their increased focus on healthy lifestyles.

As a result, organic foods have gained a lot of popularity over the last decade as they are considered safe and a rather healthy option by many consumers.

The growth of the organic snacks industry is driven by increase in disposable income of people along with rise in the living standards of consumers around the globe.

Furthermore, hectic lifestyle and increase in the need for convenience and ready to eat food drive the growth of the market and help increase the organic snacks market size. Furthermore, growth in adoption of organic farming practices in various developed region is one of the top impacting factors driving the growth of the organic snack food market.

Growth of the retail network in emerging economies, such as India, China, and Brazil, has led to increased availability of organic snacks, thus supplementing the organic snacks market growth. However, high cost of production hampers the widespread adoption and act as the major restraint for the global market.

On the contrary, rise in disposable income and increase in willingness of people for buying premium and environment-friendly products in the emerging nations are expected to provide opportunities for the market growth in the coming years.

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Salty snacks segment garnered the highest share in the organic snacks market by product type. The rise in popularity of innovative products with different types of flavor and ingredients attracts consumer toward salty snacks and thus contributing to the market growth.

Apart from this, changing lifestyles, food consumption habits, rise in disposable incomes, and increase in food convenience are the major factors impacting the growth of the organic snacks market.

Based on distribution channel, the retail stores segment dominated the organic snacks market in 2017 and is expected to retain its dominance throughout the organic snacks market analysis period due to the fact that these retail stores are located near residential areas and require less efforts purchasing goods. In retail stores, customers can check and compare products before buying and can own them immediately.

This ease of purchase adds to the popularity of this segment, thus acting as a key driver of the global organic snacks market.

By generation, the baby boomers generation is expected to experience the fastest CAGR through the organic snacks market forecast period. This high growth is due to increase in knowledge about health and fitness coupled with the improvements in the retail distribution channels that makes acquiring packaged food such as organic snacks easy.

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Key Findings of the organic snacks market:

In terms of value, North America contributed around two-thirds of the global market share in the organic snacks market in 2017. The key players profiled in the report include Pure Organic, PRANA, Made in Nature, Kadac Pty Ltd, Navitas Naturals, Hormel Foods, Hain Celestial, Conagra Brands, General Mills, and Woodstock Farms Manufacturing.

The other market players (not profiled in this report) include SunOpta, Simple Squares, YummyEarth, Inc., Utz Quality Food, LLC, Eat Real, Creative Snacks Co., NurturMe, Annies Homegrown Inc, Navitas Organics, Clif Bar & Company, My Super Foods, Sprout, Peeled Snacks, Beanitos Inc., Late July Snacks LLC, 8 Rabbits, Cussons Australia Pty Ltd, Kraft Heinz, Kewpie Corporations, Louisville Vegan Jerky Co., and Organic Food Bar.

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Current research: At 13.6% CAGR, Organic Snacks Market is expected to garner $24035.2 million by 2025 - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

Since the coronavirus pandemic started in America, one scene has been commonempty grocery store shelves as families flock to stores preparing to settle in for the long haul and shelter in place.

As shoppers stack carts with rice, bread, meat, and beans, have they thought of the farmers that produce our food? Farmers that today are in the fields, in the coronavirus crosshairs, often without sick pay or health insurance, planting and harvesting our nations food supply.

The total economic cost of the coronavirus outbreak on local and regional food systems, such as farmers markets, farm-to-school programs, restaurants and food hubs, could total US$1.3 billion between March and May of this year, according to a new analysis by researchers at Colorado State University, the University of Missouri, and a former official within USDAs Local Food Research and Development Division.

And as consumers rush to save their favorite restaurant or neighborhood bar during this crisismany, removed from the realities of rural America and farming, have been unaware that an important sector of small businessesfarmershave been in crisis for years.

In 2019 U.S. farm bankruptcies hit an eight-year high. Much of this can be attributed to the failings of industrial agricultureprolonged low commodity prices, ever-mounting farm debt, animal disease, consolidation, and the impact of climate change causing record flooding in the Midwest and fires in the West.

The COVID-19 crisis could be the nail in the coffin for already struggling farms, especially farms that sell healthy, perishable foods like fruits and vegetables, and that sell into their local communities as restaurants, schools, and farmers markets shutter. All at a time when local food systems and healthy food is more important to resilient communities than ever before.

What can we do to help our farming community?

In the short-term, help get as many of your food dollars directly to farmers by:

1. Signing up for a CSA. This influx of cash now helps farmers buy seeds and tools at the beginning of their season, and allows you to be a stakeholder in a local farm. If you have the means, consider donating a CSA share to a family in need.

2. Shopping at a farmers market. In many states, farmers markets have been deemed essential businesses, and are innovating with drive-through pickups and other modifications to keep you safe.

3. Ordering direct online. Many farmers offer delivery of organic produce and pastured meats, and more farmers are adding this service in the wake of the pandemic.

And be sure to fight to make sure farmers, and not just the corn and soybean farms that receive the bulk of traditional U.S. farm subsidies, are included in any coronavirus stimulus packages.

But also use this crisis as a wakeup call. Were you scared about feeding your family as you saw those empty shelves? How will we feed our society in the future as farms fail and consolidate? Do you value the food you put on your table? Then its time to start valuing the farmers that produce it.

We need a wholesale shift in the way we produce food in our country and around the world. A shift away from demanding only the cheapest food possibleat the expense of our health, our environment, and our farmersto regenerative agriculture, rooted in empowered and profitable farmers, serving the health of local communities.

This crisis, unfortunately, is only a glimpse of what is to come. Farmers continue to grapple with extreme weather from our climate crisis, and if we continue farming with our current practices, the United Nations says we have 60 years of farmable topsoil remaining. To secure the future of our food supply, we need a drastic shift to regenerative, organic farming practices, a shift to resilient local food systems, and a shift to prioritizing healthy, nutrient dense food direct from our farmers.

Photo courtesy of Johnie Gall, Bad Cactus Creative

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Remember Your Farmers During the COVID-19 Crisis. We'll Need Them the Next Time Around. - Food Tank

Vertical farming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.2% during the forecast period.

Globally, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is forecast to record the fastest growth in the vertical farming market in the coming years. The major factor contributing toward this rapid advance would be the rapid reduction in the fertile agricultural land in this region.

In densely populated countries, such as India and China, the available farming land is witnessing a massive reduction, owing to the burgeoning population level. Furthermore, the increase in the per capita income in these countries is causing rapid progress in the market.

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On the basis of growth mechanism, the vertical farming market is categorized into hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics. Amongst these, the hydroponics category accounted for the largest market share, in terms of revenue, historically.

The aquaponics category is expected to register the highest CAGR in the future. This is attributed to this growth mechanisms useful characteristic of combining aquaculture and hydroponics together, in order to develop a closed-loop system, which allows for the efficient production of different types of crops.

Among the biggest opportunities for the vertical farming market players are the increasing utilization of internet of things (IoT) sensors for the production of crops. The vertical farming industry is shifting toward the implementation of complex sensors for the automated production of crops, in order to increase the yield and also reduce the wastage of water during the farming process.

The information collected from the sensors is used for analysis, thereby leading to improved production cycles and processes.

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Due to the increasing awareness amongst the people about the various health benefits of organic foods and shift in the focus toward reliable and climate-friendly production methods, the vertical farming market is set to flourish in the coming years. In addition to this, the increasing support for organic farming by governments across the world is also driving its adoption.

The expanding global demand for unseasonal fruits and vegetables is also contributing toward the rapid surge in the usage of this agricultural technique.

Therefore, the market, due to the decreasing farming area and ballooning demand for organic food items, is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years.

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Increasing adoption of Organic Foods is major driver of vertical farming market - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

It is estimated that there were 1 billion cattle and 767 million pigs worldwide in 2019. And there were 996 million chickens in 2018. The number of chickens alone is three times larger than the global human population. Animal source foods like meat, eggs, milk, yoghurt, and cheese comprise an important part of our daily diets, and the consumption is expected to continue to grow.

Industrial-scale farming systems enable mass production of cheap animal foods at low cost. However, poorly managed livestock systems have raised various environmental and health concerns. Factory farms, in which 99 percent of farmed animals in the United States are estimated to live, produce tremendous amounts of animal waste that can contain contaminants such as plant nutrients, pathogens, antibiotics, and other chemicals.

But many innovative livestock farmers around the world are driving change by moving away from conventional farming. Instead of raising animals in confinement systems, the farmers provide animals with access to the outdoors and facilities to express their natural behaviorsfor pigs to root and for chickens to peck. On pasture-based farms, animals are raised on grassland all year round, and the paddocks are rotated to prevent overgrazing. Farmers who produce 100 percent grass-fed beef raise and finish their cattle on grassland, letting the ruminants eat what they are designed to eat for their entire life.

According Allan Savory, a Zimbabwean ecologist and rancher, mimicking nature using livestock is the only option for us to reverse desertification and climate change. According to Savory and other proponents of regenerative agriculture, carefully planned rotational cattle grazing can allow grassland to rest and grow, and this process accelerates the storage of atmospheric carbon into the soil and plants.

Many farmers on this list have switched from industrial to sustainable livestock production systems showing they can protect the environment, promote animal welfare, and improve incomes. And the farmers also try to go beyond their own farms to spread the innovations and empower other farmers, community members, and consumers.

To celebrate their work, Food Tank highlights 28 innovative livestock farmers who are shaping the future of livestock production.

1. Aloha House (Philippines): Keith Mikkelson

Keith Mikkelson is the Executive Director of Aloha House, a ranch and an organic farm in Puerto Princesa on the island of Palawan in the Philippines. The food produced on the farm caters to the local community and Aloha Orphanage housed on the farm. Mikkelson raises cattle, goats, hogs, and chickens on his small-scale, diverse farm in the tropics, and these animals are part of the natural farming process. Mikkelson makes use of animal power, manure, and other animal byproducts to grow vegetables, make fertilizers, and turn other wastes like forage crop residues into useful materials including biochar. He has shared his knowledge and experiences in livestock-farm integration, feed production, and cost-saving strategies through his writings and lectures.

2. Bean Hollow Grassfed (United States): Betsy Dietel and Mike Sands

Bean Hollow Grassfed is a family owned farm in Flint Hill, Virginia. Mike Sands and Betsy Dietel operate the farm, and their son Will Sands and his spouse Giada Bertonelli joined the team in 2018. The farm works to bolster biodiversity on the farm. The farm puts their cattle and sheep together to work symbiotically. These two species prefer to graze on different vegetation and can work together to control diseases and parasites. Multi-species grazing can also increase productivity and improve pasture. The farm does not sell its products online to promote local food purchase. The family encourages people to visit the farm in person to pick up the food and learn how it is produced.

3. Belcampo (United States): Anya Fernald

Anya Fernald is the Co-founder and CEO of Belcampo Meat Co, an organic and animal welfare certified farm in Northern California. Belcampo grows cattle, pigs, broilers, and layers, and the farm has built its own alternative meat supply chain from the farm to retail shops and restaurants. This vertically integrated chain can enhance transparency and traceability. Animals are butchered and processed on a small scale at the Belcampos whole animal butchery designed by Temple Grandin, an American animal behavior and welfare expert. In addition, at the Belcampos retail shop, customers are given opportunities to talk to their butchers and learn about the meat they are purchasing. Through this process, Belcampo is trying to link customers to butchers.

4. Big Picture Beef (United States): Ridge Shinn

Ridge Shinn launched Big Picture Beef in 2016 in Hardwick, Massachusetts to provide the Northeast United States with locally grown 100 percent grass-fed beef. Shinn partners with local family farms to assist them to produce beef sustainably and ensure a more stable income through expanded sales channels. The partner farmers raise their cattle according to the Big Picture Beefs protocol. Then, the farmers transfer their stocks to the Big Picture Beefs finishing farms where graziers fatten the cattle for market using regenerative grazing techniques. It ensures that the cattle have never eaten corn and grains at a conventional feedlot.

5. Browns Ranch (United States): Gabe Brown

Gabe Brown raises cattle, sheep, hogs, and broiler and layer chickens at his Browns Ranch in Bismarck, North Dakota. Brown uses different cropping strategies and no-till farming techniques to protect and improve the quality of soil. He has unified cash crops, cover crops, and his cattle in an integrated crop-livestock system. Various cover crops and cash crop residues after harvest serve to feed cattle, which are managed according to Allan Savorys Holistic Management principles. In turn, the cattle improve soil health through grazing and manure. Brown has written a book on regenerative agriculture and is a partner of Understanding Ag, a regenerative agricultural consulting firm.

6. Central Grazing Company (United States): ReGina Cruse and Jacqueline Smith

In 2015, ReGina Cruse and Jacqueline Smith founded the Central Grazing Company in Lawrence, Kansas to grow sheep on pasture for meat and leather. Smith started to produce leather items, when she learned about the complexity of the leather supply chain, which involves multiple rounds of selling and buying until products finally reach consumers. The farm collaborates closely with local businesses to process hides in order to support local economies and build a more traceable supply chain. Cruse and Smith guarantee fair pricing to their partners including smallholder farmers, which provides financial incentives to keep up their work.

7. Centre Songhai (Benin): Godfrey Nzamujo

Centre Songhai was founded by Godfrey Nzamujo in 1985 in Proto-Novo, Benin. It is a zero-waste farm which integrates plant, animal, and fish production components. The farm recycles all by-products or wastes produced from one production component to use it in another component. For example, livestock manure is converted into compost for plant production and biogas for cooking and lighting. The Centre also trains young people to make them capable of implementing the Songhai model throughout the African continent for food security and sustainable development. The Songhai model has been replicated in many African countries, including Nigeria and Uganda amongst others.

8. Chews Agriculture (Singapore): Edvin Lim

Edvin Lim is the director of Chews Agriculture in Singapore, one of the first Southeast Asian egg producers that joined the Certified Humane program in 2019. In 2014, Chews started investing in the facility and techniques required to raise laying hens in a more livable environment in which they can express their natural behaviors. To establish a more sustainable farming operation, Chews will provide poultry waste to an engineering services provider called Acropower for electricity generation. In return, Acropower will provide cheaper electricity to the farm. In addition, Chews has gained a sustainability-linked loan from DBS, an initiative by the Singaporean multinational bank to encourage enterprises to implement sustainable business practices. The farm will adhere to the Humane Farm Animal Care standards to secure lower interest rates; in addition, the farm plans to use the loan to build a new, more spacious cage-free facility.

9. Ecofarms (Brazil): Bruno Andrade

Ecofarms is operated by Bruno Andrade in Brazil, one of three ranchers who created Pecuaria Neutra to promote the production of greenhouse gas neutral livestock. He is the fourth generation of rancher in his family, but he has shifted to a more sustainable livestock production. The beef he produces is branded as Gran Beef, and it is certified by Rainforest Alliance, which has a set of sustainable livestock production standards. Working with Pecuaria Neutras Neutral Livestock Project, Andrade works to preserve the woodland that covers more than 40 percent of his farm and plant more trees.

10. Enonkishu Conservancy (Kenya): Lippa and Tarquin Wood

Based on principles of Holistic Management, Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya strives to manage the Kenyan rangeland more sustainably and find a balance among livestock production, wildlife conservation, and Maasai communities livelihood and heritage. The Woods founded Mara Training Centre to provide training for the community to develop various skills in sustainable rangeland management, soil and water regeneration, and value chain development.

11. Fazenda Triqueda (Brazil): Leonardo Resende

Leonardo Resende operates Fazenda Triquesda in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Resende raises Brangus in a silvopasture, which integrates livestock with forests to offset greenhouse gas emissions from cattle and to preserve water and soil. Resende co-founded Pecuaria Neutra and implemented the Neutral Livestock Project to promote regenerative livestock management practices and silvopastoral livestock production systems. The organizations certification programs examine soil health and greenhouse gas emissions from cattle, particularly enteric methane.

12. Fordhall Farm (United Kingdom): Ben Hollins

Fordhall Farm is a community-owned farm operated by a tenant farmer Ben Hollins in Shropshire, England. More than 8,000 memberslandlordspurchased through the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, which Hollins initiated alongside his sister Charlotte Hollins to prevent the farm from being sold for development. Hollins rears cattle, sheep, and pigs on the farm. They raise cattle and sheep using a permaculture-based outdoor grazing system called foggage farming that was developed by his father. In this system, animals live in the pasture all year round, including the winter season. In addition, Fordhalls Care Farming and Growing Confidence programs offer vulnerable youth and adults bountiful opportunities including livestock feeding and husbandry to develop their social skills, confidence, and a feeling of belonging to the community.

13. Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch (United States): Frank Reese

Frank Reese of Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch in Kansas raises heritage chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. The breeds raised by Reese, such as Plymouth Barred Rock and Cornish, were once common but have now given way to more commercial breeds. Reese has been working to save such breeds from extinction by raising them according to the American Livestock Conservancy standards and bringing them back to todays marketplace.

14. Keggfarms (India): Vinod Kapur

Keggfarms Pvt. Ltd. in Gurgaon, India is a poultry breeding farm as well as a social enterprise founded by Vinod Kapur. Kapurs goal is to help poor rural communities by increasing household income, providing nutrition security, and empowering the women who take care of the chickens. Keggfarms developed a hybrid breed called Kuroiler, which can be consumed for both eggs and meat. Kuroiler is characterized by higher productivity and adaptability to the rural Indian environment; therefore, this breed requires less labour and resources to raise. Kapur has also established a distribution model pertinent to the rural areas so they can efficiently supply Kuroiler breeding stock throughout Indian villages.

15. Koddfarms Homestead (Nigeria)

Koddfarms is a farm in a wooded area in Ogun, Nigeria that rears cattle, pigs, and chickens; it is also a Savory Hub. The farm is dedicated to producing organic food and regenerating land through holistic management. Animals on the farm are naturally bred and raised in an open, chemical-free environment full of greenery. Koddfarms Training Center teaches soil and water regeneration to livestock producers and works for community development and empowerment.

16. Markegard Family Grass-fed (United States): Doniga Markegard

Markegard Family Grass-fed is a family farm located in California that produces grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured pork, and dairy products. In addition to practicing regenerative farming and holistic grazing, Doniga Markegard, co-owner of the farm, takes action to support farmers movements for policy and advocacy. The farm is also one of Holistic Management Internationals learning sites for farmers, providing courses with renowned experts on permaculture, keyline design for watershed stewardship, and raw milk production.

17. Niman Ranch Pork Company (United States): Paul Willis

Paul Willis, a fourth-generation hog farmer from Thornton, Iowa, is dedicated to preserving traditional hog farming, improving animal welfare, and practicing land stewardship. Willis established Niman Ranch Pork Company, a pork production division of Niman Ranch, after meeting Bill Niman, a cattle rancher and the founder of Niman Ranch, in 1995. Willis started buying hogs from family farmers who were being squeezed from the commodity market by factory farms to make family farming more viable. Willis worked together with animal welfare experts to write a detailed protocol for the farmers to follow. Confining hogs is forbidden, and the hogs should be raised without using antibiotics and growth promoting hormones. He also incentivizes the farmers to improve the eating quality of the pork they produce.

18. Polyface Farm (United States): Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin and his family raise cattle, pigs, rabbits, chickens, and turkeys at Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia. Salatin moves cattle with the help of electric fencing to prevent overgrazing, allowing the grass to go through its lifecycle while the cattle are away. After the cattle, he moves chickens to different paddocks daily using mobile chicken coops, which provide the birds with shelter. Each animal has a role in the ecosystem of his farm. For instance, pigs like to root with their nose, which Salatin calls the pigness of the pig, and he relies on that instinct to aerate the mixture of deep bedding and cattle manure and urine so that aerobic microbes produce a compost pile. Salatin readily shares his knowledge and experience with others through his writing and public speaking, and his practices have been replicated by numerous farmers.

19. Ridgedale Farm (Sweden): Yohanna Amselem and Richard Perkins

Ridgedale Farm in Vstra mtervik, Sweden is operated by Richard Perkins and Yohanna Amselem. The farm produces pasture-raised chicken eggs and meat from cattle, hogs, chickens, and turkeys. Perkins and Amselem sell their products through REKO-Ring, a new distribution model popular in Northern European countries that directly connects farmers and consumers using Facebook groups. The farm also offers online courses as well as on-farm training jointly with co-teachers and guest speakers. Included is an upcoming class with Joel Salatin this year. Farmers and other interested individuals can learn about permaculture, regenerative farming, agroforestry systems, pasture-based livestock, holistic management, and the farms poultry slaughter facility. Perkins is also an author of a book on regenerative agriculture.

20. Savory Institute (United States): Allan Savory

Allan Savory is an ecologist and livestock farmer from Zimbabwe, who serves as the co-founder and president of the Savory Institute located in Boulder, Colorado. He has developed and promoted Holistic Management, a planning process to help farmers take care of soil health and make better decisions on when and where their cattle should graze on their land. Such planned grazing allows plants to recover and restart their lifecycle after having been exposed to cattle. The Savory Institute and leading scientists have also collaboratively developedEcological Outcome Verification (EOV), an evaluation scheme that informs farmers if their regenerative practices have actually resulted in the intended outcomes, namely the improved health of the soil and the ecosystem. The organization further utilizes the scheme to more directly connect regenerative farmers with brands and retailers through their Land-to-Market initiative.

21. Southern Blue Regenerative (Australia): Glen and Lucinda Chapman

In addition to raising sheep and cattle at Southern Blue Regenerative in New South Wales, Australia, Glen and Lucinda Chapman are dedicated to providing farmers with educational opportunities and helping them improve their own farm operations. Glen Chapman is an Accredited Savory Institute Holistic Management Educator and offers workshops and training programs on various topics including holistic planned grazing, soil health, biodynamic farming, and management skills. For individuals interested in learning about regenerative farming practices outside Australia, he runs international tours in the United States and Central and South America to visit farms and agricultural organizations such as the Polyface Farm and Rodale Institute.

22. Stepney City Farm (United Kingdom)

Stepney City Farm is an urban farm in East London, England. The farm started as a community farm called Stepping Stones Farm in 1979, and a charity has since taken over. One of the past projects implemented on the farm is The Pig Idea, where campaigners gathered unused food waste from London to feed eight pigs to demonstrate that food waste could be used as feed for pigs for environmental and financial sustainability. While the farm is a learning place for students and adults, it also runs a well-being program for seniors over 60 where they get to interact with animals like rabbits, goats, and sheep. Meat from pigs, goats, and sheep are also sold once a year at the farm.

23. The Calf at Foot Dairy (United Kingdom): Fiona Provan

Fiona Provan is the founder of The Calf at Foot Dairy in Suffolk, England. Provan puts each dairy cows health and well-being as the first priority. In the conventional dairy industry, calves are taken away soon after birth to maximize the amount of milk provided for human consumption. Alternatively, Provan allows her dairy cows to stay with their calves until the calf reaches 9 to 10 months old so that they can naturally wean.

24. The Way We Were Farm (India): Sanjay Bhalla

Sanjay Bhalla founded The Way We Were Farm in Noida, near New Delhi, India. Bhalla produces A2 milk (A1 and A2 milk contain different types of beta-casein milk protein) from Gir cows, a traditional desi cow breed in India. Bhalla endeavors to increase both public awareness and the consumption of A2 milk and hopes to promote the continued growth of traditional cattle breeds in India. Bhalla also merges cattle rearing with organic farming on his farm, thus mimicking the traditional ways of farming.

25. TK Ranch (Canada): Dylan and Colleen Biggs

TK Ranch has been producing grass-fed beef and lamb, pasture-raised heritage pork and poultry meat in the Northern Fescue Grasslands, an endangered ecosystem in Alberta, Canada, for more than 60 years. Due to its location, the farm is dedicated to preserving the prairie and providing habitats for wildlife in the area, while establishing a sustainable model for agriculture. In addition, the farm is well recognized for its low stress animal handling techniques for better herd management. Dylan Biggs has taught the techniques and other best practices through seminars and clinics to help others improve their communication and handling skills.

26. Tona Farm (India)

Tona Organic Farm in Tona Village in West Bengal, India was established in 2003 as an initiative of Bio-Diverse Farming Pvt. Ltd and is co-owned by farmers from the village. The farm is committed to providing organic food, including meat products free of antibiotics, at affordable prices while creating a healthy farm ecosystem. Zero greenhouse gas emissions and 100 percent waste recycling are among the goals that the farm works to achieve. Animal waste is converted into fertilizer for plants, and medicinal herbs are used to feed the animals. In addition, by offering industrial training and consultancy to village farmers, the farm aims to lead the community to self-reliance.

27. Walden Farm (China): Qiang Lin

Walden Farm is situated on the top of a hill in Northern Sichuan, China. Founded based on Taoism, they see farming as how they build a harmonious relationship with nature. Pigs, chickens, and goats have access to the forest where the goat has the role of maintaining the forest. Furthermore, the farm transforms pig waste into biogas using an anaerobic digester and uses it as cooking gas in the farms kitchen.

28. White Oak Pastures (United States): Will Harris

White Oak Pastures is a zero-waste farm located in Bluffton, Georgia and a Savory Hub committed to regenerating grasslands with help from properly managed livestock. Will Harris raised cattle conventionally using hormones, pesticides, and herbicides, but he made a dramatic shift to his farm in 1995 to grow cattle, goat, sheep, hogs, and chickens more naturally. At the White Oak Pastures on-farm abattoirs designed by Temple Grandinanimals are processed slowly and every part of the animal is used after slaughtering, including blood, bone, viscera, and fat. On-farm slaughter prevents animals from experiencing unnecessary stress during transport. Moreover, the farm is open for interested farmers and consumers who want to see how it uses the holistic planned grazing model and learn how to make useful items like candles and soaps using animal parts.

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28 Innovative Livestock Farmers Who are Shaping the Future of Protein - Food Tank

Marnie Dresser never thought shed want to sign up for a CSA again. I tried it once and it felt like too much pressure, she says. I just wanted to go to the farmers market. Dresser is an English professor in Wisconsin and lives in a town so small that its store shelves didnt even empty of toilet paper as soon as the other places, as she describes it. But as spring break at the college where she teaches got extended and cases of COVID-19 continued to spread across the country, a CSA in which farmers sell shares of their produce before the season starts (often in the winter or spring, when money is tight for farmers but expenses for the upcoming growing season are high) and customers receive produce boxes throughout the CSA season started to sound more appealing.

Im kind of a worst-case-scenario thinker, Dresser says; she couldnt help but imagine all the ways that the novel coronavirus might affect society. I wanted to support a local business because I feel beyond lucky that my job still exists at the moment. And I wanted to ensure our food supply.

Shell start getting her first CSA box in mid-April from a business called My Fine Homestead. Dresser signed up for a years supply of vegetables, eggs, and meat. Theres so many unknowns and it felt really good to have something within my control I could do to help, Dresser explains, adding, It was very much pandemic-driven.

While restaurants and other small businesses throughout the country are temporarily closing, CSA-like food subscriptions or one-off box deliveries of local food are skyrocketing in demand. Though some grocery stores are adding precautions, such as limiting the number of customers in the store, marking spots on the floor to keep people waiting in line six-feet apart, and cleaning registers, they are some of the last places where large numbers of people regularly gather as the nation faces guidance to stay home. Many shoppers (and grocery employees) are worried they might come into contact with COVID-19 while doing their shopping, and are limiting trips to the store. Despite the fact that there have been no major disruptions to the food supply, there are regular shortages of flour, eggs, chicken, ground beef, and toilet paper, among other staples. Food subscriptions that offer home delivery or a prepaid pickup option are an easy way to get fresh food while limiting social contact.

Though Gathering Together, a farm in Oregon, doesnt start its CSA until June, company marketing specialist Sarah Reffett says that they wanted to do something in the meantime to bring fresh produce to their usual customers and make up financial losses from closed farmers markets and restaurants, a major source of income. Unlike the CSA, which requires a multi-months commitment, the VSA (which stands for vitality supported agriculture, as Gathering Together is calling it) can be ordered weekly and picked up or delivered right to customers front doors, depending on location. The first day we put it up, the website actually crashed, Reffett says.

In addition to starting earlier in the year, many pre-existing CSAs are starting programs that allow customers to get home delivery or sign up for a shorter period of time one or a few weeks instead of a season or a year, as is more typical. Often these coronavirus-related CSA programs are given new names to differentiate them from the typical offering.

Growing Washington is calling its offering an emergency CSA. Usually CSA customers could expect their boxes to be full of hyperlocal, organic produce and add-ons like coffee or meats. Now, in the emergency CSA, instead of members choosing what goes in the box, there will be a set supply for everyone. The only choice? Whether the box of produce is small or large, says employee Gabrielle Santerre. Growing Washington may have to source from larger farms than usual to meet the increased demand. (Its own farms production is still limited this early in the year.) Its primary focus is to keep our farm afloat and provide food for people in need, Santerre says. Despite the restrictions, Growing Washington had to stop accepting new orders 48 hours after launching the emergency CSA through an email blast. We capped it at about 1,300 shares, Santerre says. Typically in the first weeks of the CSA there might be 100 or 200 people, with more added throughout the season as word spreads. Growing Washington never had so much demand so quickly. Its taken everyone by surprise. I feel like Ive lived two lifetimes in the last week, Santerre says.

Usually, Growing Washington delivers CSA boxes to pickup locations throughout the Seattle metropolitan area. Because so many customers are staying in their homes, the farm decided to try something new. Hosts can now sign up to be a pay it forward location; CSA drop-offs will still occur as usual, but the host will individually deliver boxes to people who need it nearby. We dont do door-to-door delivery, but wanted it to be available, Santerre says, and shes been pleasantly surprised by the many hosts who have agreed. People want to feel like they can do something in these times, she says. Were a little nervous, but hopefully they follow through.

At Oregons Gathering Together, Reffett says that because its the off-season they have a limited staff, and she expects there to be some streamlining in the future for getting deliveries packed and out the door. The whole thing took off so quickly and were still figuring out the logistics of it all and whats the best way of getting this person their order effectively, Reffett says. Gathering Together has always offered customers the option of donating additional money to help reduce the price of CSAs for families who need financial assistance, and the fund is extremely popular. Shes seen donations of $5, $40, and even $200 with weekly orders.

Its interesting to see how everybody is pivoting, says Meesha Halm, a San Francisco-based food writer and author of Sous Vide Made Simple. Its such a shame all those food-delivery kit companies went under last year, because theyd be making a killing right now. Halm has been restricting her trips to the grocery store to essential runs, though its a hard habit to break. Im used to darting out and getting what I want, but the risks outweigh the benefit for me, Halm says. She has four people in her household, including someone who is immunocompromised. So every little bit of spinach and fresh produce is precious, she says. When a local fish company, Four Star Seafood, started offering delivery in her area, it was a no brainer to sign up for delivery. I got my first order yesterday and there was no box or excessive packagingjust a guy showing up with bags of fresh fish, Halm says. Shes also put in an order for mushrooms with Far West Fungi. Ordering from businesses like these, Halm says, is a win-win for my family.

Though businesses that take on box deliveries have to manage the logistics of getting these products to customers, its led to a boom time for some small food suppliers that might otherwise be struggling as restaurants and farmers markets close. Groce Family Farm, a sustainable meat producer based in southern Indiana just an hour away from Louisville, Kentucky, relied on local restaurants for 60 percent of its business. Farmers markets are still open (the last two weeks Groce Family Farm has had record-breaking sales), though vendors are spaced far apart, and owner Luke Groce went from doing farmers markets himself to bringing people on to grab orders from the coolers for customers and another to handle money. We dont do coins anymore and just round to the nearest dollar, Groce says.

Groce started getting messages from people interested in his usual CSA two weeks ago and decided to put a number of large home delivery boxes for sale on his website. Theyre between $150 to $200 in value, Groce says, full retail price with the delivery fee included for the Louisville metro area. They sold 75 boxes in a flash. One way I put it is that in eight days, I did eight weeks of sales, and thats with restaurants not ordering, Groce says. It more than made up for the loss in sales from our regular customers. Hes heard similar stories from farmers across the country who offer home delivery. Throughout the United States, people are stocking up their freezers.

Though it varies from business to business and its unclear how long the sudden interest in home delivery will last, for the moment, these companies are among the few to be benefiting from the new normal sweeping the world. Its strange, with so many people being both fearful for their health and all this economic wreckage, to be profiting in a way we almost never have, Groce says. Well see what the new normal is, but I think that were doing okay. Thats no small thing for a farmer in America today.

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With COVID-19, CSAs Are Trending as Way to Shop - Eater