Welcome to A Greener World!

The way we farm and feed ourselves is a hot topic right now—and so it should be. While many of us have access to an abundance of so-called “cheap” food, it turns out that it’s not as “cheap” as we might think. All the evidence suggests that industrial farming is damaging our health, animals, and the planet we share. Hardly a day goes by without a food- or farming-related headline—whether it’s “Pink Slime” in our meals, obesity and diet-related ill health, the abuse of antibiotics in meat production, or belching cattle warming the planet.

But with so many voices telling us how to farm or what we can and cannot eat, it’s sometimes hard to know what to do—and not to feel guilty or under attack for not doing enough. Things get worse when the most powerful or extreme voices are the only ones we hear, because the so-called solutions they offer tend to favor their own narrow interests or agenda, causing greater polarization or, even worse, apathy. For example, it’s increasingly accepted that “business as usual” livestock production is no longer an option, despite what the major meat corporations say. Yet the uncompromising “no meat” messaging from some groups is excluding many meat-loving Americans and farmers, when they’re the very people we need to get involved in the debate. The point is we need everyone at the table when it comes to fixing our broken food system—meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike.

With so much confusion and negativity around our food systems, A Greener World was established as a beacon of positive change. Our goal is simple: We want to help people make the right food choices for the issues that matter to them when they’re shopping or dining out. Choosing the right foods is one of the most important—and yet easiest—everyday activities we can all take to address a range of important issues, from improving our health to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Our portfolio of leading farm certifications and logos offer a market-based solution, designed to have positive and measurable impacts on the things that matter to you, like your health, wildlife and the environment, society, and animals. By choosing food with one of our logos, you’ll not only be supporting farmers that share your values, but you’ll be helping to encourage more farmers to jump on board.

So what sets us apart from other organizations out there that are talking about food and farming? For starters, we’re not here to patronize or dictate. The fact that more people are starting to care about what they eat and how it’s produced is a good thing, and to be encouraged. But any advice on how we farm and feed ourselves must be based on the best independent science, not the dogmatic beliefs or priorities of those with no knowledge of the realities of farming or the slick campaigns of powerful corporations with a vested interest to maintain the status quo.

We’re pretty sure most people already have a gut feeling that things have to change, and that we all need to start making better food choices. But that doesn’t mean having to give up all meat, eggs and dairy! Our goal is to build a movement that involves everyone—including those who are not yet at the table or maybe feel excluded from the food debate so far. We want to meet people where they are and offer simple, practical and tasty ways to become part of the solution! After all, if each of us makes a small change, the resulting impact will be far greater than if we do it alone.

We also want to give farmers an equal—and not opposing—voice. After all, farmers are not the bad guys here: they’ve simply been responding to market demand for ever-greater quantities of cheap food—and getting less and less return for their efforts. And many now feel under attack for simply trying to make ends meet. As a true farming-based organization, we don’t just talk the talk: we walk the walk! Our vision for truly sustainable agriculture isn’t based on unrealistic pie-in-the-sky demands or “business as usual” greenwashing. Instead, we offer practical, whole-farm solutions, based on sound science, that achieve real results on the ground. How do we know? Because countless pioneering farmers and ranchers are already putting our farm standards into practice on millions of acres right across the U.S. and Canada, and they are thriving as a result. We’re working hard to get more farmers on board, and to start reconnecting urban and rural communities on a mutual understanding of respect and trust.

We want you to be a part of this movement. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you do: if you’ve read this far then you’re already part of the team! If we can all start by making more positive food choices, and supporting the kind of farming we care about, we’ll not only live longer, healthier lives, but future generations will have a planet to inhabit, too.

So explore our website and find out more about the challenges we all face—and see just how easily YOU can be part of the solution. Find us on Facebook and tell us what matters to you. And if you like what you see, please spread the word by sharing this post with your friends and family. Together we really can make this A Greener World!