Earthbound Farm In the News

New York Times Notes Earthbound Farm’s Broad Product Testing Program

In its story “In E. Coli Fight, Some Strains Are Largely Ignored” (5/27/10) about the emergence of six rarer strains of toxic E. coli while government regulators focused on the notorious and easier-to-detect O157:H7, the New York Times noted Earthbound Farm’s Food Safety program for our broad product testing protocols.

“…Part of the problem is that so little is known about the rarer E. coli strains, which have been called the ‘big six’ by public health experts. (The term refers to the fact that, after the O157 strain, these six strains are the most virulent of a group of related E. coli.) Few food companies test their products for the six strains, many doctors do not look for them and only about 5 percent of medical labs are equipped to diagnose them in sick patients.

“…Earthbound Farm, the nation’s largest producer of organic salad greens, is one of the few companies that does screen for the full range of toxic E. coli, and it has found a worrisome incidence of the rarer strains. Out of 120,000 microbial tests last year, about one in 1,000 showed the presence of unwanted microbes, mostly the six strains.

“‘No one is looking for non-O157 to the level we are,’ said Will Daniels, Earthbound Farm’s senior vice president for food safety. ‘I believe it is really going to emerge as one of the areas of concern.’”

Learn more about Earthbound Farm’s commitment to safe food and our comprehensive approach to food safety.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think!

 

Earthbound Farm Wins Edison Innovation Award

Earthbound Farm has won Silver in the Energy and Sustainability category of the 2010 Edison Best New Product Awards, presented April 29, 2010 at The Capitale in New York City. The award recognized us for our 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET) plastic clamshell packaging.

We were the first in the fresh cut salad industry to introduce PCR PET packaging in July 2009. PCR plastic uses significantly less energy and water to produce than virgin plastic and generate far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste. Our use of PCR PET creates a commercial demand for recycled plastic that helps keep a valuable material out of landfills.

The Edison Awards, a peer-review honor similar to the Oscars, is voted on by members of the nonprofit Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), America's top executives and academics. The winner reflects the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, inspiring America's drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. Nominees are judged on how the product was introduced, marketplace success and staying power, technological innovation, and what kind of impact the product has had, both in the marketplace and on consumer choice.

"We are honored to be recognized by some of the country's leading product innovators with this Edison award," said Earthbound Farm President and CEO, Charles Sweat. "Although we've pushed into new territory using post-consumer recycled plastic for food packaging, we hope others will be inspired to follow suit and expand the market, keeping more and more plastic out of our landfills. It's a natural extension for us: organic farming helps us produce healthy food while protecting precious natural resources and this new packaging does the same."

Learn more about why we believe our PCR packaging is important.

 

Supreme Court Accepts Its First GM Crop Case

The US Supreme Court has decided to hear an appeal from Monsanto Co. about a court order that has prevented it from selling its genetically modified (GM) Roundup Ready alfalfa since 2007, the first time the court has agreed to consider such a case involving genetically engineered crops.

At issue in the case, Monsanto v. Geerston Seed Farms, is whether courts in California and Oregon acted properly in preventing the planting of GM alfalfa seed designed to be immune to Monsanto’s flagship herbicide, Roundup, until the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) could complete a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement that assessed the impacts of the crop on the environment and on farmers — the first time the US government has ever undertaken such analysis for any GM crop.

Here at Earthbound Farm, we believe that consumers have the right to know how their food is grown and what it contains, so they can make informed decisions about the foods they purchase and consume. We also believe that it’s imperative to understand the potential impacts of new technologies before their use becomes widespread. Right now, consumers’ only assurance that their food hasn’t been genetically modified comes from choosing organic foods. We welcome the USDA’s detailed analysis of this genetically engineered alfalfa as a first step toward that understanding, and we’ll be watching the case as it develops.

For more information:
GE Alfalfa Case to be Heard by US Supreme Court – Beyond Pesticides
Monsanto Argues Against Ban on Genetically Altered Seeds – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Supreme Court to Hear First Genetically Engineered Crop Case – The Center for Food Safety
Earthbound Farm’s Position on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Food

 

All Earthbound Farm Clamshell Salad Containers Are Now Made From Post-Consumer Plastic

Befitting our history of environmental stewardship, Earthbound Farm has announced a fresh-cut salad industry first: All of our plastic clamshell packages are now being made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET). America’s largest grower of organic produce, Earthbound Farm is celebrating our 25th anniversary with this significant move, emphasizing our commitment to protecting the environment.

Many food and nonfood containers are made from PET because it’s light, shatter-resistant, safe, and recyclable. While virgin PET is made primarily from natural gas, post-consumer recycled PET is made from plastic products, like soda or water bottles, that were previously used and then recycled. PCR PET requires significantly less energy and water to produce and generates far fewer greenhouse gases than virgin plastic.

Learn more about Earthbound Farm’s switch to PCR packaging, and all our sustainability efforts, in our Environmental Stewardship section.

Read our news release (PDF)

 

Earthbound Farm joins forces with HM Capital Partners, welcoming a fourth partner on its 25-year anniversary

We are excited to welcome a new partner, HM Capital Partners, to the journey we’ve been on for 25 years, to bring the benefits of organic food to as many people as possible.

Twenty-five years ago, Earthbound Farm started farming organically in Carmel Valley, California, with just a 2.5-acre backyard garden, an heirloom raspberry patch, and a roadside stand. Today we are the largest grower of organic produce in the country, with 150 growers of all sizes farming 35,000 acres using methods that help protect the health of our environment and our food supply in many significant ways.

We could never have achieved this without partners who had the experience and resources to help us grow and expand. In 1995, Drew & Myra Goodman were joined by Mission Ranches, and then by Tanimura & Antle in 1999, both bringing prime agricultural land into organic production and three generations of Salinas Valley farming know-how. We have now added a fourth partner, HM Capital Partners, who are investing resources and expertise to support our growth.

Partners Mission Ranches and Tanimura & Antle will continue to be key organic growers of Earthbound Farm produce, and founders Drew and Myra Goodman will continue to help guide the company. We welcome HM Capital Partners to our work and look forward to the road ahead!