Farmer Direct Organic, an above food brand, becomes world's largest supplier of Regenerative Organic Certified™ grains

Date:03-10-2022

Farmer Direct Organic (FDO), the leading North American manufacturer of nutrient-dense, organic pantry staples, today announced it is now the leading global supplier of Regenerative Organic Certified™(ROC) grains. This certification reinforces FDO's unwavering commitment to regenerative organic farming practices that promote soil building and are among today's most promising solutions to climate change.

FDO's products are fully traceable to the source and grown by organic family farmers across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2018, the company's products are sold in more than 2,000 retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Fresh Market and independent natural and organic food retailers and cooperatives. In addition to supplying ROC™ private label packaged grain products to major retailers, the FDO brand is certified organic, Plastic Neutral certified by rePurpose Global, and Tested Clean certified for Glyphosate and pesticides.

"We at Farmer Direct Organic are extremely proud to be the world's largest ROC™ grain supplier," said Jason Freeman, co-founder and CEO for FDO. "Our leadership position in supporting organic family farms and their crucial work building soil, reinforces our dedication to promoting regenerative organic farming practices. This way of farming is critical to the health of our planet and humans. It is intrinsic to what our company values and how we do business.

"Increasingly, retailers are asking for ROC™-certified products because their shoppers are demanding healthy products that support the true and most prolific soil builders: regenerative organic family farms," continued Freeman. "There's a lot of fear regarding climate change, but if we put our faith in regenerative organic family farms, foresters and fishers, we will be able to make the positive shift away from extractive systems to regenerative systems."

About Regenerative Organic Certified™

Regenerative Organic Certified™ (ROC) is a new certification for food, textiles and personal care ingredients. ROC™ farms and products meet the highest standards in the world for soil health, animal welfare and farmworker fairness. The certification is overseen by the 501(c)3 nonprofit Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA). ROA was formed by Patagonia, along with the Rodale Institute and Dr. Bronner's.

"We are honored to have Farmer Direct Organic supplying grains with the ROC™ distinction, as we know this certification is something consumers and retailers are increasingly looking for," said Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director for ROC™. "It extends beyond organic and other certifications, incorporating more accountability for agricultural practices that are vital for the future health and vibrancy of our planet, humans and animals. Farmer Direct Organic's incredible leadership and dedication to supplying ROC™ grains on this scale is impressive. It speaks to the company's potential for strong, continued growth in this space."

Farmer Direct Organic's Commitment to Regenerative Agriculture

Sustainability drives everything FDO does as a business. FDO is passionately committed to regenerative agriculture, supporting organic farmers in stewarding their land and building healthy soil. FDO farmers work in relationship with Earth, respecting its aliveness and constantly evolving nature. All of these practices build soil fertility, sequester greenhouse gases and allow for the growth of vibrant, whole foods. Adopting regenerative organic practices on more farms around the world creates long-term solutions to the climate crisis, factory farming and fractured rural economies.

Regenerative organic agricultural practices employed by FDO farmers include rotating crops to invigorate soil nutrition, strip-cropping and contour farming to address erosion on slopes, multi-cropping, cover-cropping, under-seeding and minimal tillage. They also include rotational grazing, biodiversity, composted manure and teas, and heritage and ancient varieties of grain.

About Farmer Direct Organic

FDO's mission is to offer healthy, organic foods sustainably grown by organic, regenerative family farmers who receive a fair price within a transparent, ethical supply chain. Purchasing Farmer Direct Organic products supports farmers who employ these farming methods.

The company currently sells ROC™ rolled oats, organic large green lentils, organic whole red lentils, organic split red lentils, organic French green lentils, organic black lentils, organic split greens peas, organic pinto beans, organic black beans, organic chickpeas and organic hemp hearts.

FDO promises to offer the cleanest products possible — packed with dietary fiber and nutrients, grown without pesticides, herbicides or GMOs — with full transparency around how our products are produced and priced. It is why FDO is certified to these standards. The company has a high ethical bar up and down our supply chain, which means FDO is dedicated to fair pay for its farmers. For more information about FDO, please visit www.fdorganic.com or follow FDO on Instagram (@farmerdirectorganic), Facebook (@FarmerDirectOrganic) and LinkedIn (farmer-direct-organic).

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