Free Range Fiction
A “pasture-raised” label claim on meat, dairy or eggs means the animal was raised on pasture, right? Spoiler alert: Not exactly, because it is not always used honestly. So, how can conscientious consumers correctly confirm pasture-raised products in the marketplace? False claims A Greener World (AGW) has long championed the benefits of pasture-raised products. Simply put, they’re better for animals, the environment, and human health. Yet the lack of any legal definition for "pasture-raised" claims has led to frequent…
Why Certify?
Organic. Cage-free. Certified grassfed. What do these food label claims really mean—and are any of them right for your business? It is fair to say that more people than ever are curious about what is in their food and how it is produced. However, as less than 2% of the North American population live and work on farms, there is often a big information gap between public understanding and the realities of modern farming. Unfortunately, this gap is often filled…
Regulated Resistance
“Eureka!” In 1928, a bit of mold drifted through a lab window and into a petri dish. Scientist Alexander Fleming noticed a “dead zone” forming where the mold inhibited bacterial growth and, as the story goes, realized in a “eureka!” moment that the mold could be used to treat infection. Miracle drugs In the century that followed, antibiotics have transformed medicine. Mass production of penicillin during World War II saved countless lives, and various classes of antibiotics have since been…
Cultivating Connections
Social media is a powerful tool and can help farmers to cultivate relationships and grow their market share. By investing a small amount of time each day into social media efforts, you can reap significant benefits—from connecting with your local community to attracting new customers. This article provides a number of practical ‘best practice’ recommendations for growing your digital ‘reach’ in a way that will align with your farm’s values, helping you to share your farm's story and connect with…
Rooted In Success
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has identified four basic principles or approaches for maintaining and improving soil health: Keep the soil covered as much as possible Disturb the soil as little as possible Keep plants growing throughout the year to feed the soil Diversify crop rotations as much as possible, including cover crops Farmers can support these principles by using cover crops, which are conservation plantings of fast-growing annuals such as rye, clovers, vetches and radishes. Green gold…
