Kiss The Ground的动态

What will it take to scale #SustainableAgriculture in the US? A convergence of several things, including: retailer support of #sustainable brands. Kudos to Whole Foods Market for leading the charge. Will others follow suit? In discussions around expanding #organic, #regenerative, or other sustainable methods of production, much has been said about producers. ???? ???? How can we convince farmers to farm more sustainably? --> Well, you have to PAY THEM. Given this.... ?? How can we convince more brands to pay farmers for their organic or regenerative efforts? --> When there's consumer demand for organic and regenerative. ----> Essentially: when more consumers buy more sustainable products. Ok! But... ??♂? ??♀? How will consumers find more sustainable products and/or brands to buy? --> When retailers highlight organic, regenerative, and other sustainably products on their shelves. ?? Studies show that consumers make purchasing decisions in 3 seconds OR LESS. --> A retailer's endorsement of a product or brand could make a world of difference in this tiny window of opportunity. What other retailers highlight sustainable brands? And why aren't more retailers doing this? * https://lnkd.in/g85AqsqY

???????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????????-???????- Riverford Organic Farmers Whew - September was quite something huh? We had team travel to New York, Spain, Sweden, Edinburgh and more. There’s nothing better than being home. In fact, there is one thing… being home and having a delicious organic veg box delivered to your door (you knew it was coming). This week Ruby Harlow is taking a long and loving look at?Riverford Organic, an organisation oh so high on our list for all the best reasons - some being: ?? Cut delivery emission by 29% since their FY18 baseline, aiming for all electric fleet by 2025. ?? Created UK woodlands and invested in agroforestry systems! ?? Reduced plastic use per delivery by 42% since their FY18 baseline.? ?? 70% veg is UK grown and meat is 100% British. ?? 100% green energy since 2007. ?? 100% employee owned business. ?? Vegucation!?Launched a partnership with Chefs in Schools to train 255 school chefs and reach 40,000 children! ?? Newsletter link in comments! ?? Jenny Nova rounds up three products she's been loving - Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Dr. Bronner's (the team really can't get enough), About Blanks. ?? We feature 5 consumer x climate events coming up - The Conduit, Seismic, Work on Climate, OnePointFive (opf.degree), Altruistiq, Creative Time and more. ---- ?? New here? Following the Footprints is a volunteer-led and independent platform, by sustainability professionals for sustainability professionals. We dig into how consumer goods businesses are innovating to be more sustainable through interviews, weekly newsletters, events, databases and more.

Talking about regenerative food systems without talking about the middle is like forgetting the filing in a sandwich. ?? And guess what? Those middle actors - distributors, suppliers, processors, and wholesalers - are absolutely vital to making regenerative agriculture work. These businesses – particularly in the fruit and veg sector - balance the needs of farmers and retailers, juggling procurement standards and seasonal supply shifts. Margins are tight, costs are up, and many feel stuck. They want to lead but fear yet fear creating competitive disadvantages for themselves when doing so. With Forum for the Future, I nerded out on this topic and designed a series of workshops for these UK fruit and vegetable middle actors, giving them the space to explore their possible role in the regenerative transition and consider how this could look in practice. ? Check out the blog post for more on the insights from these workshops. ? Need something practical? Download the full PDF resource that includes: ??The collective vision of a regenerative fruit and vegetable future as determined by middle actors. ??Possible future roles they could play. ??The challenges they currently face. ??A business planning process template to integrate the above. ??Key questions to consider in order to identify what needs to change within their business practices. As our food system faces continual disruption and change, the role of middle actors will evolve, and those who are proactive will help lead the transformation. Adapting to the shifting context, stepping up to the challenge, and embracing collaboration are key. No single business can deliver regenerative agriculture alone. It's through co-creation, bold ambition, and shared responsibility that we'll deliver the lasting change needed to reshape our food system. I'm curious - have you seen any exciting examples of bold action in this middle space? Would love to hear what’s working, what's not, lessons learned. Links to the resources in the comments.

Many people may not know this but Amway’s first product that launched in 1959, Liquid Organic Cleaner, was one of the world’s first biodegradable cleaners (pictured below). Since the beginning, a commitment to progressing regenerative farming practices, carbon-reduced operations and consciously created products has been top of mind for us. Our Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Will Templeton, shared more about our sustainability practices in an article for Food and Beverage Magazine, including: - Operating in four farms worldwide that adhere to strict sustainable farming methods and even regenerative agricultural practices. - Partnering with a network of audited farms that are held to similar high standards for crops that our farms are unable to grow because of local conditions. - Showcasing the traceability of our products. The botanicals used in our products can be traced from seed to supplement. After all, health and wellness is rooted in healthy people, healthy plants and a healthy home. Will’s full article: https://lnkd.in/e7J9_nNU

Unlocking a Sustainable Future for Kiwifruit with @Zespri! ?? We’re proud to share this great article by Forbes, where Jiunn Shih, Zespri's Chief Marketing, Innovation, and Sustainability Officer, delves into their collective pursuit of a sustainable future. In a world where purpose-driven companies are shaping the future, Zespri International stands tall as a global kiwifruit powerhouse committed to sustainability and innovation! As a co-operative owned by New Zealand-based kiwifruit growers, Zespri commands a significant presence in the industry, managing one-third of the global kiwifruit volume across 50 countries. ?? Zespri's purpose-driven focus is rooted in the powerful Māori proverb, "My strength is not as an individual but as a collective." ?? This philosophy fuels their mission to create a platform where visionary ideas converge through collaboration, teamwork, and community. ? Read more about Zespri's commitment to sustainability and innovation here: https://lnkd.in/gp57wKuX #Zespri #SustainableFuture #Kiwifruit #Tirofruit #ClimateAction

Consumers aren't familiar with #Regenerative agriculture. Does it matter? Without consumer support, can the regenerative movement move forward? I'll let you in on a "Big Corporate" (not so) secret: We care A LOT about 2 things: ?? Retailer ("customer") needs and ?? Shopper ("consumer") wants. We dedicate a lot of resources to better understand these two things, and to try to predict how they'll change in the future. When a study (like the one linked below) suggests: ?? Most consumers don't know about regenerative and, most importantly, ?? Most consumers don't want to pay more for it, We pay attention. However.... We also pay attention when Retailers... ? Set ambitious climate goals and ? List "regenerative agriculture" as a path to achieving those goals and/or ? Articulate a desire to partner with brands that use "regenerative" practices and/or ? Set supplier requirements around greater supply chain #sustainability. We want Retailers to be our biggest fans. Retailer support opens doors. When they say "regenerative," we say "tell me more." Of course, consumer support is important too. Retailers, like brands, are driven by clear consumer demand. But, even without a clear consumer demand for regenerative, Retailers are still moving regenerative forward. Which means... so are Brands. And I consider that a victory worth celebrating. * What do you think? * #SustainableAgriculture https://lnkd.in/gU2hMrcG

***Understanding the Economics of Regenerative Agriculture for Food & Beverage Companies*** Measuring the cost of regenerative programs is paramount for ensuring economic sustainability and making informed decisions about investing in regenerative programs alltogether. Cost savings play a pivotal role in demonstrating the economic efficiency gained through regenerative practices. Reduced dependency on external inputs like fertilizers and pesticides leads to tangible cost savings. By evaluating the reduction in costs, companies can further underscore the economic benefits of adopting regenerative agriculture. These savings not only contribute to the financial bottom line but also promote responsible resource management and environmental stewardship. Return on Investment (ROI) serves as a crucial metric for assessing the financial returns compared to the investment made in implementing regenerative practices. A positive ROI signifies economic sustainability and validates the financial viability of the regenerative program. By quantifying the returns, companies can gauge the effectiveness of their sustainability efforts and make strategic decisions on scaling and expanding these initiatives. Moreover, food and beverage companies should play a crucial role in regenerative program adoption by incentivizing farmers to transition to regenerative practices. By offering financial incentives and technical support, companies can encourage farmers to adopt regenerative methods. Incentivizing this shift in practice not only benefits farmers by enhancing their livelihoods but also contributes to the overall sustainability and resilience of the agricultural supply chain. #regenerative #regenag #sustainability #growerengagement #cropsupply

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 2 weeks since Regenerative Food Systems Investment Europe - my mind is still buzzing from all of the inspirational panels and conversations. Many many thanks to Sarah Day Levesque and Rachel Ringle for cultivating such a welcoming, action-oriented community. ???? I was happy to lead a workshop to share the in-progress outputs from the Regenerative Agriculture Working Group convened by Proof and Trailhead Capital. Farmers and founders are facing increased regulatory and investor pressure to report on their impact, without adequate measurement support. We had an insightful discussion on regenerative impact measurement filled with questions and feedback from farmers, founders, funders, and researchers. It was an amazing chance to hear from people like Loekie Schreefel, who is leading research on regenerative impact measurement at Wageningen University & Research, and Casper Zulim de Swarte from the WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development. My key takeaways on regenerative impact measurement from RFSI include: 1. Importance of both practice and outcome metrics 2. Need to balance standardization and customization 3. Making the connection to systems change 4. Providing support to farmers and founders 5. Linking financial and impact outcomes Read my full RFSI Europe recap and download the workshop slides here: https://lnkd.in/gprkj78N One of my favorite quotes from RFSI was by Anouk Schoors of The Nest Family Office: “The more we insist on how complex the thing is, the more people will say ‘oh, it’s not for me, I don’t have the money, I don’t have the time.’ You need to have a big vision… then it’s a very practical approach of small steps in a day.” Small steps might look like: ?? learning where your food comes from ?? shopping at a local farmers market ?? asking farmers about the kind of support they need ?? listening to educational podcasts like ReGen Brands with Anthony Corsaro (AC) and Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food with Koen van Seijen I am eager to continue the momentum from RFSI - don’t hesitate to reach out to join the working group, get involved with the Proof Sustainability Community of founders and funders, or just to talk about all things RegenAg. ????

As Sarela Herrada and I have built SIMPLi over the last 4 years, something we’ve thought about every single day is how to best market regenerative organic - this old farming tradition, rooted in indigenous practices - but largely unknown to the common consumer. That’s why, when Douglas Brown asked me to share insights for his upcoming feature in New Hope Network on marketing and educating around regenerative agriculture, I jumped at the chance to pass along our lessons learned. As Douglas put it, “regenerative doesn’t lend itself to simple slogans” - that means that brands have to find ways to welcome consumers into the movement we’re building. For us, it boils down to a few simple things that all brands - not just regenerative - know to be true. 1) The product has to be undeniably delicious - that’s what earns us the right to talk about our mission? 2) Don’t shy away from who you are - if it’s not authentic, consumers won’t buy in? 3) There’s strength in numbers - having a community of brands all building consumer awareness and education collectively accelerates this incredible movement These pillars have worked for us as we gain trust with our consumers, share the story of regenerative organic and our incredible farmers behind every product, and see growth not just as one brand, but as a category. We are lucky to have some incredible brands that we’re in community with - including Lundberg Family Farms and Patagonia Provisions - on this journey together . To learn more, check out Douglas’s full story below. If you’re a fellow regenerative organic brand, thank you for the incredible work you're doing for a brighter and healthier food system. If you’re new to the space, we hope these insights help you build with intention and impact. CC: Paul Lightfoot, Brita Lundberg, Elizabeth Whitlow and Kristine Root?

Check out these great examples from Maine of how to create future ready food!