Top 5 - Organic News to Help You Grow #369

1. Strengthening Organic Enforcement—Top Six Questions About Uncertified Operations and Imports

The Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Final Rule, published in January 2023, reached its implementation date on March 19, 2024. The rule introduced significant updates and changes to the USDA organic regulations. In this article, CCOF addresses some frequently asked questions about what happens now if businesses missed the March 19 implementation deadline. Read More

2. Daily Harvest Aims to Transition More Farms to Regenerative Organic

Food companies and farmers alike often see regenerative and/or organic farming as a risky venture, so despite both phrases being common in food vernacular now, actual practices aren’t widespread. “Everyone understands philosophically that these approaches are not new and are necessary for change,” says Daily Harvest CEO Ricky Silver. “The real challenge to get [projects] scaled and to get real investment behind them is to prove that they have a more immediate impact both in soil health and nutrient density.” Read More

3. Why the Industry Remains Optimistic About Organic

Grower-shippers of organic produce appear to be surviving, if not thriving, despite such challenges as inflationary pressures, supply shortages, and skyrocketing labor costs. Domex Superfresh Growers, based in Yakima, Washington, expects flat growth on organic apples, flat or slight growth in cherries, an 18 percent increase for pears, and continued growth in organic blueberries as the firm expands its acreage. Read More 

4. The USDA Has a Plan to Help Organic Farmers

As a young brand, Little Sesame has spent the past few years doing what most startups do: looking for capital. The three-year-old Washington, DC-based consumer packaged goods company, which spins fresh hummus from organic chickpeas and counts Whole Foods as an investor, raised $3 million early this year from venture groups. Then, in late March, something unexpected happened. Read More

5. Seasonal Kickoff for Regional Organic Tomatoes in Germany

The Germany-based Organic Fruit Vegetable Producers Association announces the start of the harvest for domestic and regional tomatoes from organic greenhouse cultivation. Consumers can now purchase regional fresh tomatoes, marking the transition from imported goods to domestic fruit-vegetable production. Read More