JAMBAR Organic Energy Bars Now Available Nationwide via Sysco Marketplace
Organic, Woman-Owned Brand Now Available for Foodservice Operators Across the U.S.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (June 4, 2025) – JAMBAR®, the organic energy bar company founded by Jennifer Maxwell, creator of the original PowerBar®, today announced that all five flavors of JAMBAR are now available through Sysco Marketplace, the digital commerce platform launched by Sysco in 2024. This expanded distribution enables JAMBAR to reach foodservice customers across the contiguous U.S.—from campus dining halls and hotel chains to corporate pantries and wellness programs.
“Now, every Sysco customer in the lower 48 can easily order JAMBARs,” said Peter Pelanek, vice president of sales at JAMBAR. “This partnership brings our certified organic, artisan-made bars to a wider audience—streamlining access and boosting brand visibility and sales.”
Sysco Marketplace connects buyers to more than 40,000 curated third-party products, complementing Sysco’s traditional broadline offerings. The platform is designed to enhance the customer experience by offering a one-stop-shop solution that supports emerging and diverse-owned brands like JAMBAR. By leveraging its scale, Sysco is able to elevate innovative suppliers and meet the evolving needs of its customers.
Born from Innovation, Fueled by Purpose
JAMBAR delivers great-tasting, nutrient-rich bars made with certified organic, whole-food ingredients—no seed oils or processed sugars. Each bar contains 10g of protein and is a good source of fiber. With five vibrant flavors—Chocolate Cha Cha, Malt Nut Melody, Jammin’ Jazzleberry, Musical Mango, and Tropical Trio—the bars include gluten-free and plant-based options, and provide easy-to-digest fuel for athletes and active individuals.
“JAMBAR was created for everyone—from kids to weekend warriors to elite athletes. Our partnership with Sysco Marketplace allows people access to healthy choices when they’re away from home,” said Maxwell, who is also a food scientist, athlete, and musician.
“By tapping into Sysco’s vast network of foodservice customers, we can now bring our clean, organic energy bars to schools, hospitals, hotels, offices, and beyond—making it easier than ever for people to access better nutrition on the go.”
Half of Profits to Music & Movement: Fueling Bodies and Communities
JAMBAR is more than just an energy bar—it’s a vehicle for positive change. As a mission-driven, woman-owned company, JAMBAR donates 50% of its after-tax profits to nonprofit organizations that support music education, performance programs, and active living initiatives across the country.
This unique business model is rooted in founder Jennifer Maxwell’s lifelong passions for both physical activity and music—two forces she believes are essential to personal and community well-being. Whether it’s funding youth music programs, sponsoring athletic events, or supporting wellness nonprofits, JAMBAR reinvests in efforts that get people moving and connecting.
About JAMBAR
In 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good about the ingredients they put in their bodies, as well as the positive impact they can have on their local communities. JAMBARs are made in the U.S. and crafted in small batches in the company's own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in California. JAMBARs are now available in popular sports specialty shops, leading independent natural foods and mainstream grocery stores, online at Amazon.com, and now, through Sysco Marketplace. Learn more at www.jambar.com and follow JAMBAR on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Adventure CPG Opens Investment to the Public on Wefunder
LOS ANGELES (May 22, 2025) — Adventure CPG, the mission-driven national distributor committed to making natural and organic products more accessible, has launched its community investment campaign on Wefunder, offering the public a chance to invest in the next evolution of food distribution—one built on care, transparency, and shared success.
Founded by Torah Torres, a seasoned leader in the natural products space, Adventure CPG was created to honor what this industry has always stood for: delivering better food to more people. Rather than “disrupting,” the company is modernizing and rebuilding with intention—preserving what matters while improving how it all works.
“We’re not just here to fix what’s broken—we’re here to build something better, together,” said Torres, CEO and Founder. “Adventure CPG was built to care—for brands, for retailers, for the communities they serve. We believe that’s what real progress looks like.”
A New Model Rooted in Shared Values
Adventure CPG is structured as the first zero-margin, membership-based national distributor, designed to deliver cost-effective, scalable logistics without compromising values. From blockchain-backed transparency to a streamlined national supply chain launching this summer, the company is applying modern tools to age-old principles: fairness, clarity, and trust.
The company is already partnered with over 40+ mission-aligned brands, with warehousing and logistics capabilities ready to support dry, refrigerated, and frozen goods nationwide.
This Wefunder campaign allows everyday people—not just institutions—to invest in the future of food. The offering reflects the company’s belief that ownership and opportunity should be as distributed as the products it moves.
“Partnering with Adventure CPG is a game-changer,” said Chris Reed, Founder of Reed’s Ginger Beer. “This is the first time I’ve felt like a distributor actually aligns with the values we built our brand on—support, clarity, and a real commitment to mutual growth.”
Investing in What Comes Next
This soft-launch campaign is now welcoming early investments from friends, family, and those who share the mission of building a smarter, more equitable food system.
“I invested in Adventure CPG because this isn’t just logistics—it’s leadership,” said Cara Nordin, an early supporter and natural products advocate. “They’re creating something that reflects the best of what this industry can be.”
To learn more or invest in Adventure CPG, visit: Wefunder
For more information, visit AdventureCPG.com and follow on LinkedIn.
About Adventure CPG
Adventure CPG is a mission-led, zero-margin national distributor designed to serve the next generation of natural, organic, and specialty food brands. Built around a membership model and powered by blockchain-backed logistics, ACPG delivers transparent, affordable, and scalable distribution rooted in care—for the past, present, and future of the food system.
About Wefunder
Wefunder is a leading investment crowdfunding platform that allows anyone to invest in startups they believe in. By democratizing early-stage capital, Wefunder enables companies like Adventure CPG to raise money from the communities they serve—while offering investors a stake in the future they want to help build.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
The Irony of MAHA
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promises to promote health don’t align with staff cuts & Trump administration actions
By Steven Hoffman
I met Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. once, in 2001, when he was speaking at a sustainability conference. At the time, I was publisher of the LOHAS Journal, covering the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability market. At the event, I gave Kennedy a copy of our magazine and expressed my admiration for his work as a leading environmentalist with Riverkeeper, a group that helped clean up the Hudson River, and for being an outspoken advocate for removing toxic chemicals from our food.
Today, Kennedy has built a large following based on these views, with the acronym Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, as the rallying cry for his base, many of whom are leaders in the natural health movement.
Since my interaction with him in 2001, however, Kennedy has also become synonymous with the anti-vaccine movement. This single voter issue, based in large part on misinformation and mistrust, drove a significant number of natural health advocates to back Kennedy when he declared in 2023 as an independent third-party candidate for president. When he ended his candidacy and endorsed Donald Trump in August, many of these natural health voters went with him in hopes that he could change the food and healthcare system for the better as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the new administration.
Unfortunately, Kennedy’s rhetoric is often profoundly at odds with his actions, and with the actions of the wider Trump administration. To cite just one example, while Kennedy says he seeks to improve Americans’ health by bettering their diet, the administration he serves is gutting programs that provide local and organic produce to schools and low-income residents. Likewise, promises to make Americans “healthy again” is at odds with the administration’s roll-back of regulations designed to limit pollution.
Then there are Kennedy’s ideas about vaccines.
Vaccines and vitamins
About the time I met Kennedy, it was reported that the U.S. had eliminated measles due to widespread vaccination efforts. Since then, the anti-vax movement has picked up steam, encouraged in part by Kennedy’s anti-vaccine comments over the years. Now, in 2025, under his watch as head of HHS, the disease has reappeared in the U.S., spreading from a community in Texas to more than 700 cases throughout the U.S. and two reported deaths. Moreover, Kennedy was an anti-vax advocate during a deadly measles outbreak in Samoa in 2019, which killed 83 people in a population of 200,000.
Frankly, no amount of vitamin A—a nutrient Kennedy touted in a March 4 interview on Fox News as a treatment for measles—will stop its spread. Yet, a week after the interview, when he touted the “very good” results of treating measles with vitamin A-rich cod liver oil, demand for the product skyrocketed in Texas, Yahoo News reported. Now, a number of measles patients in Texas are showing signs of vitamin A toxicity, according to the New York Times, which noted that children being treated for measles at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, included “a handful of unvaccinated children who were given so much vitamin A that they had signs of liver damage.”
Kennedy’s conflation of anti-vaccine messaging and unsubstantiated claims about using nutritional supplements as a cure for highly infectious diseases does a major disservice to the dietary supplement industry, the health care industry—and to consumers.
In fact, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) was so concerned about how the credibility of nutritional supplements might be affected that it issued a statement on March 26: “While vitamin A is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in supporting vision, growth, reproduction and immune function, it is not a substitute for vaccination. While vitamin A plays an important role in supporting overall immune function, research hasn’t established its effectiveness in preventing measles infection.”
Andrea Wong, senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs for CRN, said, “Measles is a serious and highly contagious viral disease that can lead to severe health complications. Treatment and care for measles should always be conducted under the guidance of a qualified healthcare practitioner. Consumers must make informed decisions and consult qualified health professionals before giving supplements to children—especially in large doses.”
Citing that it was becoming difficult to work with the new HHS secretary, the FDA’s top vaccine official, Dr. Peter Marks, submitted his resignation on March 29, saying he was willing to address Kennedy’s concerns about the safety of vaccines but concluded that it was not possible. “It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” Marks wrote in his resignation letter. Marks oversaw the FDA’s rapid review and approval of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic and is credited with coining the name and concept for “Operation Warp Speed” under President Trump’s first administration.
Office exodus
The same day, Kennedy announced he was cutting an additional 10,000 jobs from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees several agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest cuts come after the departure of roughly 10,000 employees over the past few months as a result of the drive by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut jobs throughout the federal government. In total, the cuts amounted to approximately 25% of HHS’s total workforce being eliminated.
The job cuts, allegedly designed to improve efficiency, may well end up costing the government money. “There’s this narrative being spun that somehow by eliminating jobs and functions that taxpayer dollars are going to be saved or that programs will be more efficient,” a staffer with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who asked for anonymity told Politico. “The reality is the exact opposite.”
Previous cuts to the FDA by DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, resulted in the resignation in February of James Jones, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner in charge of food safety and nutrition, including dietary supplements, following what he called “indiscriminate” layoffs of dozens of food safety inspectors. Jones said the cuts would make it “fruitless” to continue in his role. “I was looking forward to working to pursue the department’s agenda of improving the health of Americans by reducing diet-related chronic disease and risks from chemicals in food,” Jones wrote.
Following news of DOGE’s February cuts at the FDA, which included a number of staff firings at the FDA’s office of Dietary Supplement Programs, CRN expressed concern about the federal agency’s ability to effectively oversee dietary supplements and food safety. “As the FDA deputy commissioner steps down, it’s critical that the agency maintains adequate staffing and expertise to uphold consumer confidence in the food supply,” CRN said in a statement.
“While staffing changes can occur during any presidential transition, it is critical that the FDA maintains the resources, expertise and staffing levels necessary to ensure effective dietary supplement oversight that undergirds consumer confidence in the supplement market,” said Jeff Ventura, CRN’s vice president of communications.
Growing problems
Meanwhile, at USDA, pauses and cuts to funding for school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs and organic farming initiatives run counter to MAHA’s avowed efforts to improve public health. Pauses in funding for organic transition and soil conservation programs are leaving farmers on the hook for millions of dollars they invested on the promise of reimbursement, while “accidental” firings of bird flu researchers have raised concerns that the beginnings of a new pandemic may go undetected.
According to reporting by E&E News by Politico in February, federal officials have been withholding funding for two major organic agriculture programs that make payments directly to farmers, jeopardizing millions of dollars in funding ahead of the 2025 planting season. “The pause on the $85 million Organic Market Development Grant program and the $100 million Transition to the Organic Partnership Program has jolted farmers, nonprofits and businesses struggling to make planting and hiring decisions. Even if the pause on funding is lifted, it could put farmers out of business,” wrote reporter Marcia Brown, who noted that the USDA has yet to release funding for the programs, even though federal courts ordered an end to the across-the-board freeze.
USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp program, is under DOGE scrutiny, while the House of Representatives budget plan seeks to cut up to $230 billion from SNAP. Such funding cuts would affect sales for natural and organic food producers, including for such healthy staples as organic dairy and plant-based foods that are frequently purchased by SNAP recipients.
On March 10, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the cancellation of $1 billion in federal funding that gave schools and food banks money to purchase food from local farms and ranchers. According to Kevin Hardy, a reporter with Stateline, the funding boosted business for more than 8,000 farmers, providing local food to food banks and schools. “The Trump administration is killing the programs, despite HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign against processed food, which he says is poisoning Americans,” Hardy wrote.
When it comes to our food system, we are all for getting the chemicals out of food, and the FDA’s announcement in January that it would ban Red Dye No. 3 from food products is to be celebrated. Now, if only Kennedy and the Trump administration could start focusing on the other 9,999 questionable chemicals allowed in commercial food production.
Overall, it is difficult to square Kennedy’s rhetoric with the on-the-ground actions of the administration he serves. And that, to me, is the painful irony of MAHA.
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media and strategic business development services to natural, organic, regenerative and sustainable products businesses. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
Birmingham Chocolate Acquires Macalat® — A Pioneer of Honestly Sugar-Free Organic Sweet Dark Chocolate
Birmingham, MI (May 21, 2024) — Birmingham Chocolate, a Michigan-based leader in artisan chocolate, is thrilled to announce its acquisition of Macalat®, an emerging dark chocolate brand pioneering a new category: organic, sweet dark chocolate that is truly sugar-free. This strategic acquisition aligns with Birmingham Chocolate’s commitment to flavor innovation and offers a unique opportunity to expand its portfolio of premium dark chocolate products.
“Macalat® has created a truly new category in chocolate: certified organic, sugar-free, sweet dark chocolate,” said Doug Cale, CEO of Birmingham Chocolate. “This innovative 70% cacao bar blends flavorful superfoods like lucuma and Madagascar vanilla, and is completely sugar-free and remarkably bitter-free — thanks in part to a groundbreaking application of mushroom mycelium from MycoTechnology, which helps eliminate bitterness. The result is a smooth, rich chocolate experience that lets the superfood cacao shine, without the harsh aftertaste common in traditional dark chocolate. In my view, this is the most exciting innovation in chocolate since Hershey introduced milk chocolate. With the strong support of loyal grassroots consumers, we’re ready to take this category to the next level.”
Macalat® recently achieved significant organic trade recognition by winning the Nexty Award for its innovative recipe and flavor profile, solidifying its position as the leader in the new category of the organic health-conscious chocolate market. This accolade highlights the brand's success in both quality and innovation.
In June, Birmingham Chocolate plans to introduce new Macalat® line extensions in bar format using the original Macalat couverture chocolate:
Original: The original Macalat® sweet dark chocolate recipe. Beans are Peruvian Criollo and Forestero. Peruvian Cacao is known for its rich, chocolatey flavor and superior quality, making it the key ingredient in some of the world’s finest chocolate products.
Quinoa: A complete protein superfood, puffed quinoa adds a delightful crunch to each bite of original Macalat® chocolate.
Raspberry: A delightful dusting of delicate raspberry notes, bursting in flavor, dispersed in original Macalat® sweet dark chocolate.
Additionally, Macalat® treats will soon be offered in resealable stand-up pouches, featuring:
Macalat® Bark Thins with crunchy popped quinoa.
Mango: Succulent tangy mango enrobed in Macalat® sweet dark chocolate.
Dates: Soft texture Medjool dates enrobed in Macalat® sweet dark chocolate, offering a naturally succulent sweet, low glycemic option.
Cale added, “Each new treat is crafted with just one standout organic ingredient—no sub-ingredients, no preservatives, no artificial color or flavor. We use Macalat’s sweet dark couverture chocolate to enrobe each bite. The idea is to keep the ingredient list clean and simple: just Macalat® and one delicious organic ingredient that complements it and adds a bit of fun.”
This brand acquisition not only strengthens Birmingham Chocolate's leadership in the premium chocolate category and positions the company at the forefront of a growing movement toward lower-sugar, healthier indulgences—particularly within the expanding organic sector. Macalat® chocolate offerings are available through distribution channels, retail partners, and online at Macalat.com.
For more information, please contact:
Doug Cale, CEO
Birmingham Chocolate
Ferndale, MI
248-723-8008
doug@birminghamchocolate.com
About Birmingham Chocolate
Birmingham Chocolate is an American confectionery company founded and incorporated as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in 2007 by Douglas Cale. The company produces artisan chocolates in three categories: bonbons, bars, and treats. These products are available for retail purchase from its e-commerce websites BirminghamChocolate.com, The-Wow-Cacao.com and ResonateCacao.com.
About Macalat®
Macalat® is a pioneering chocolate brand that has created the first organic sweet dark chocolate that is honestly sugar-free. By focusing on high-quality, superfood organic ingredients, the Macalat® brand aims to redefine the chocolate experience for consumers seeking a cleaner, healthier alternative without the bitterness associated with conventional dark chocolate. The brand’s commitment to innovation and transparency has earned accolades from both consumers and health experts alike, including the prestigious 2024 Nexty Award from EXPO WEST, 2024.
Media Contacts
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Edward & Sons Supplier Receives PETA Award for Ethical Sourcing Practices
Honored for its stance against monkey labor, Edward & Sons’ organic coconut supplier earns PETA Asia’s 2024 Company of the Year, highlighting a long-standing commitment to ethical sourcing and Earth Day values
CARPINTERIA, Calif. (April 22, 2025) – Edward & Sons Trading Company, a leader in ethical and sustainable food products, is proud to announce that its long-time Thai coconut supplier has been named PETA Asia's prestigious Company of the Year for its commitment to ethical sourcing practices, including monkey labor-free coconut harvesting. This recognition reflects the values at the heart of Edward & Sons' mission. Headquartered in Carpinteria, just miles from the site of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill that helped inspire the first Earth Day, Edward & Sons has long championed animal welfare and environmental sustainability across every part of its supply chain.
The recognition from PETA, the preeminent animal rights group, further solidifies the integrity of Edward & Sons’ 47-year commitment to ethical sourcing practices across its entire family of brands including Native Forest® and Let's Do Organic®. These products have consistently been verified by PETA as "monkey labor-free," following thorough audits of the coconut harvesting process.
“PETA is proud to recognize Edward & Sons for pushing back against the cruelty that runs rampant in the coconut trade, where monkeys are chained and whipped into picking coconuts,” said PETA Senior Vice President of International Operations Jason Baker. “Their commitment to sourcing coconut products without monkey labor sets a cruelty-free and responsible example for the rest of the industry to follow -- one that deserves recognition this Earth Day.”
Liz Dee, CEO of Edward & Sons Trading Company, said the company, founded in 1978, has always been deeply committed to sourcing products that respect both animals and the environment.
“On Earth Day and every day, we believe that responsible sourcing is a reflection of our deepest values at Edward & Sons, values that we have pioneered for nearly fifty years – protecting not just the environment but also the living beings who call it home,” Liz said.
Soaring worldwide consumer demand for food products made from coconuts – including coconut water, coconut milk and plant-based coconut yogurt and ice creams, among others – led to focused attention on a 2022 PETA exposé about the shocking abuse of monkeys by some Thai farmers, who use enslaved monkeys to harvest their coconuts.
Multiple PETA investigations in Thailand revealed that endangered pig-tailed macaques, illegally kidnapped from the wild, were being kept chained and abusively trained to be coconut-picking machines. When PETA investigators found monkey labor on farms maintained by third-party contractors – farms that had been certified as “monkey-free” by the Thai government – Edward & Sons’ coconut supplier promptly cut ties with the farms and gave investigators full access to their local partner farms to verify that no monkey labor was being used.
“Native Forest has always stood for value-driven innovation,” said Alison Cox, vice president of sales and marketing at Edward & Sons. “From pioneering organic coconut milk to leading on monkey labor–free sourcing, we’re proud to offer products that meet both the ethical and culinary expectations of today’s market, our retailers and our consumers.”
Edward & Sons continues to stand at the forefront of ethical business practices by supporting initiatives that promote sustainability, animal welfare, and community development. The company actively collaborates with local organizations, including the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand, which provides shelter and rehabilitation for monkeys affected by unethical labor practices. The company encourages consumers to make mindful purchasing decisions and support brands that prioritize both social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
“Change doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes all of us — brands, suppliers, retailers and consumers — working together to build a food system rooted in care, accountability, and respect,” concludes Liz. “We’re grateful for this recognition, and hopeful it inspires more companies to examine their supply chains with fresh eyes. A more humane food system is possible – but only if we choose it.”
PETA Shoppers Guide
In October 2024, PETA issued an updated Shoppers Guide to educate consumers about this important issue and to identify brands that have been verified as monkey labor-free. Among a small number of coconut milk brands that PETA’s investigations identified as monkey labor-free are Edward & Sons’ Native Forest® brand of organic coconut milk products and its Let’s Do Organic® line of organic coconut products.
Learn More
About Edward & Sons®
Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc. is an independently owned, family-run food business based in Carpinteria, California. Since 1978, they’ve offered a distinctive portfolio of plant-based, natural, organic, and sustainably sourced grocery brands—including Native Forest®, Let’s Do Organic®, and more. Committed to ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship, Edward & Sons provides nourishing foods that support both local communities and the planet. The company proudly partners with retailers across North America to deliver “Convenience Without Compromise®.” Their products can be found wherever natural foods are sold. To learn more, visit EdwardandSons.com and search the Store Locator or Online Retailers list to find products near you. Follow along on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
JAMBAR Named the Official Energy Bar of World-Class Ski Resort Aspen Snowmass
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2025) – JAMBAR®, the artisan-made, whole food organic energy bar created by Jennifer Maxwell, inventor of the original PowerBar®, is pleased to announce it has entered into a three-year agreement as the official Energy Bar Affiliate Partner of Aspen Snowmass.
Founded in 1946, Aspen Snowmass comprises four internationally renowned mountain resorts that have played host to numerous international ski championships. JAMBARs will now be sold at over 18 points-of-sale across Aspen’s four mountain resorts in Colorado, including Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. Popular with skiers, snowboarders and outdoor enthusiasts, JAMBAR is being strategically placed at all mountain dining areas and highly trafficked Four Mountain Sports ski/ride rental locations at the base of each mountain.
JAMBAR will support this partnership by hosting more than 16 sampling days each season at the base of Aspen Snowmass’s four mountain resorts, working with celebrity athletes and others to generate excitement and brand awareness of its energy bars. JAMBAR is excited to interact with skiers and snowboarders visiting Aspen Snowmass each season about the value of balanced nutrition and organically produced, real food options, as JAMBAR sources the cleanest ingredients for its certified organic energy bars.
Based in California, JAMBAR makes delicious energy bars for active people, athletes and people looking for a quick satiating snack.
JAMBAR partners with more than 300 sports events each year across skiing, snowboarding, mountain/road biking, running, football, soccer and surfing. A woman-owned company, JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. Each bar is made with all natural, certified organic, whole food ingredients. A good source of protein and fiber (each bar contains 10g of protein), JAMBARs taste great and are easy to digest, and they contain no seed oils or processed sugars. JAMBARs are available in five unique flavors, including Chocolate Cha Cha, Malt Nut Melody, Jammin’ Jazzleberry, Musical Mango and Tropical Trio, with gluten-free and plant-based, vegan options available. The bars are perfect for a quick pick-me-up on the mountain as they don’t break, crumble, melt or freeze.
Over the course of the Affiliate Partner agreement, JAMBAR also will be featured as the official Partner of four of the biggest annual events hosted by Aspen Snowmass, including:
Summit for Life – Summit for Life is an uphill race where over 300 athletes climb the 3,627 vertical feet to the top of Aspen Mountain. Athletes can hike, skin or snowshoe to the top to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation. There are awards for the top athletes and biggest fundraisers in a number of categories, plus a post-race party at the top of the mountain.
Highlands Inferno – The Highlands Inferno race is hosted by the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol. Aspen Highlands is a ski area in Colorado known for its steep terrain. The area includes Highland Bowl, a 270-acre powder playground with a summit of 12,392 feet. The bowl is considered a rite of passage for skiers, as it requires a 30- to 40-minute hike to reach the top.
Battle in the Bowl – Held at Aspen Highlands on the challenging terrain of the Highland Bowl, Battle of the Bowl is a competition where skiers race down a demanding course with multiple runs through the bowl's steep terrain, essentially testing their skills against each other.
Audi Power of 4 Race Series – The Audi Power of Four Race Series is a premier endurance race series utilizing the unique and varied terrain of each of Aspen Snowmass’s four mountains. Each race is designed to test the limits and skills of both elite and recreational athletes.
“JAMBAR was made for everyone, including kids and adults. Using organic whole food ingredients, produced without the use of toxic synthetic pesticides, I formulated JAMBARs to provide complete protein and optimal nutrition for weekend warriors and elite athletes alike,” says Jennifer Maxwell, food scientist, long-distance runner, mom and founder of JAMBAR. “The brand partnership with Aspen Snowmass is certainly a summit in our company’s growth.”
About JAMBAR
In 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good not only about the ingredients they put in their bodies, but also about the positive impact they can have on their local communities. JAMBARs are made in the U.S. and crafted in small batches in the company’s own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in California. A woman-owned business and a mission-based “conscious CPG brand,” JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. JAMBARs are now available in popular sports specialty shops, leading independent natural foods and mainstream grocery stores, and online at Amazon.com and select ecommerce retailers. Learn more at www.jambar.com and follow JAMBAR on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Presence MarketWatch 2025
This article first appeared in the January 2025 issue of Presence Marketing’s newsletter.
By Steven Hoffman
With the Trump administration returning to the White House and the GOP controlling both the Senate and House of Representatives by narrow margins, the year 2025 is sure to bring significant change to regulatory policy, business and the economy, not just for the U.S. but also the world. To help leaders in the natural channel navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead, Presence Marketing will track and report on these issues over the course of the year ahead. Read on for a snapshot of some of the major issues that will impact the natural, organic and nutritional products market over the coming year.
Tariffs and Food Prices
President-elect Donald Trump ran on a campaign to lower grocery prices, which rose 23% since the onset of the Covid pandemic in Spring 2020. Food inflation has slowed over the past year, according to NBC News, and is now less than 2% as energy prices and supply chains have stabilized. Yet, experts caution that a combination of tariffs and mass deportations could have a further destabilizing effect on agriculture, food production and grocery prices. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs up to 60% on goods from China, and a 25% tariff on products from Mexico and Canada – all countries that are significant exporters of food and other products to the U.S. market.
In a Time Magazine interview in December 2024, Trump acknowledged it may be difficult to bring down grocery prices, saying, “Look, they got them up. I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up.” According to a study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada would have the biggest impact on prices for autos, vegetables, fuel, prepared food and animal products, reported CNN Business. The U.S. relies on Mexico for 89% of its imported avocados and 91% of foreign-grown tomatoes. “Higher tariffs on Mexico and Canada will … put upward pressure on U.S. food prices,” the Peterson Institute said. While it’s too soon to determine whether Trump will actually impose tariffs or if trade agreements can be reached to prevent them, “The only certainty is that new tariffs will be costly for the United States,” said the Peterson Institute study’s authors.
Food, Farm Workers and Mass Deportation
California’s Monterey County is the fourth-largest crop-producing county in the nation, with the agriculture industry there contributing $4.4 billion to the economy, and with an estimated 55,000 farm workers, including many who are undocumented. As such, the area’s growers have expressed concern that much of their workforce could disappear as a result of potential mass deportations once the Trump administration takes office. In an interview on Dec. 19, 2024, with NBC Bay Area News, Monterey County Farm Bureau CEO Norm Groot said, “It will absolutely impact food prices at the consumer level. If it impacts local and nationwide supplies, that will have a price increase.” NBC reported the farm bureau is teaming up with county officials and other stakeholders to create a task force in addressing local concerns around mass deportations, including concerns around family and child separation. "It's interesting that four years ago during the pandemic, they were essential," Groot said. "And now all of a sudden we’re looking at it from a different perspective and trying to understand how that dynamic has changed."
And it’s not just Monterey County – while it’s estimated that undocumented workers make up only 5% of the total U.S. workforce, the share of undocumented workers across the nation’s food supply chain is at least 16%, reported Successful Farming. In some industries this number is higher – the Idaho Dairymen’s Association estimated that nearly 90% of the state’s dairy workers were born outside of the U.S. According to a September 2024 study by the Peterson Institute, mass deportation could lead to a 10% increase in food prices. Between higher food prices that could come with proposed tariffs – and potential government bailouts funded by U.S. taxpayers to provide assistance to farmers affected by deportations – Americans could potentially get “double-whammied” by the higher costs and supply chain disruptions these proposed policies could bring.
RFK, FDA and the Nation’s Health
MAHA has become a rallying cry for many in the natural health and nutritional supplements industry as Congress weighs the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy, a lawyer, environmentalist and controversial health advocate, is Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a Cabinet-level position that oversees the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and others.
On one hand, RFK’s team is weighing a rewrite to the FDA’s rules overseeing food additives and taking a hard look at the harmful chemicals and pesticides used in food production. On the other hand, RFK’s top lawyer Aaron Siri stirred controversy when it was reported in December 2024 by CNN and others that he had petitioned the FDA to revoke approval of the polio vaccine. The World Health Organization declared that polio was eradicated in 2019 but warned it could re-emerge if vaccination coverage declines. According to a Dec. 4, 2024, article in Forbes, Kennedy criticized the FDA in a post on X (formerly Twitter) for “suppressing” a wide range of items, including “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals, and anything else that advances human health and can’t be patented by Pharma.”
Kennedy will have an ally in Martin Makary, M.D., a surgeon, public policy researcher at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, and President-elect Trump’s choice to serve as FDA Commissioner. In September 2024, Makary joined RFK at a round table in Congress on health and nutrition, where he criticized how food in the U.S. is grown and processed. "We have poisoned our food supply, engineered highly addictive chemicals that we put into our food. We spray it with pesticides that kill pests. What do you think they do to our gut lining in our microbiome?" Makary said. In related news, Trump’s pick for Surgeon General, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a family medicine doctor who runs a chain of urgent care clinics in New York, was a regular Fox News contributor and is an advocate for nutritional supplements, marketing her own brand of dietary supplements called BC Boost, containing vitamins C, B-12, D and Zinc.
Brooke Rollins Nominated to Lead USDA
President-elect Trump in November nominated Brooke Rollins, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank based in Texas, to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American farmers, who are truly the backbone of our country,” Trump said in a statement. Rollins is a graduate of Texas A&M University, with an undergraduate degree in agriculture development. “From her upbringing in the small and agriculture-centered town of Glen Rose, Texas, to her years of leadership involvement with Future Farmers of America and 4H, to her generational family farming background, to guiding her four kids in their show cattle careers, Brooke has a practitioner’s experience, along with deep policy credentials in both nonprofit and government leadership at the state and national levels,” the statement said.
“We congratulate Brooke Rollins on her nomination as Secretary of Agriculture. This is an important moment for U.S. agriculture, and we are optimistic about the opportunities her leadership will bring to rural America,” Amy France, chairwoman of the National Sorghum Producers in Scott City, KS, told Successful Farming. "Sorghum farmers are at the forefront of innovation, contributing to domestic biofuels and heart-healthy, nutritious, ancient grain foods. We are eager to work with her to advance policies that strengthen the sorghum industry and benefit growers nationwide.”
“The Department of Agriculture plays a pivotal role in safeguarding our food supply, addressing food insecurity, managing our forests, as well as supporting America’s farmers and rural communities who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said Rebecca Riley, Managing Director, Food and Agriculture, for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “Rollins needs to invest in America’s farmers – from small family farms to larger-scale operations – and to work toward a resilient and equitable food system that puts healthy food on the table, restores our soil, protects the climate, and safeguards the health of our communities … now is not the time to undermine climate-smart farming practices, favor industrial agriculture at the expense of small producers and consumers, or gut the nutrition programs that many Americans rely on,” Riley said.
California’s AB 660 Sets Landmark Food Date Labeling Standards
California Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024 signed into law the nation's first mandatory food date labeling reform bill. California Assembly Bill 660 (AB 660) standardizes the use of “Best If Used By” and “Use By” dates on food labels, and prohibits the use of “Sell By” dates. The new law requires manufacturers to use the same phrase for date labels across their products, reported Food Safety. Beginning July 1, 2026, companies selling food products in California must only use “Best If Used By” to indicate the date by which a product will reach its peak quality, and “Use By” to indicate the date by which a product’s safety can no longer be guaranteed. The use of consumer-facing “Sell By” dates will be prohibited to reduce the chances of consumers confusing “Sell By” dates with quality or safety dates.
“On grocery store shelves today, there are more than 50 differently phrased date labels on packaged food. Some phrases are used to communicate peak freshness of a product or when a product is no longer safe to eat. Others, like ‘Sell By,’ are used only to inform stock rotation in stores but mislead some consumers into thinking the product is no longer safe to eat. AB 660 will close this gap by requiring manufacturers to use the same phrase for date labels across their products,” NRDC said in a statement.
Of course, as goes California, so goes the country. “AB 660 is game changing, not just for California, but for the country. It will be the first law of its kind to end the ridiculous confusion that causes consumers to throw out almost $15 billion of perfectly good food nationwide. It will also help reduce the significant toll that wasting food has on our planet,” Dana Gunders, President of reFED, told BioCycle Magazine. “Having to wonder whether our food is still good is an issue that we all have struggled with. Today’s signing of AB 660 is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, author of the bill.
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
Is 2024 the Year Regenerative Agriculture Takes Root?
This article first appeared in Presence Marketing’s January 2024 newsletter.
By Steven Hoffman
In 1942, J.I. Rodale first popularized the term organic in the U.S. with the launch of Organic Farming and Gardening Magazine. Some 45 years later, in the 1970s, J.I.’s son Robert Rodale introduced the phrase “regenerative organic.” Robert’s goal was to describe an approach to farming that combined organic practices with a more holistic approach to land management and a focus on rebuilding soil health. Yet it’s only been in the past few years that the term has gained more widespread traction.
With the release in 2023 of two full-length feature documentary films, Common Ground and Organic Rising, along with increased adoption among farmers and producers, awareness of regenerative agriculture is set to gain ground in the coming year among large-scale food manufacturers, policymakers, researchers, the general public and more. Today, advocates of regenerative agriculture say it is the best way to produce healthier food and promote local and rural economies. And, by sequestering carbon back into soils, it can also play a significant role in mitigating climate change.
“2024 indeed will be marked as the year of regenerative agriculture. Why? We are closing in on a tipping point of awareness and collective action is being realized on a huge scale. Not only is soil and regenerative agriculture finally making its way as a leading climate, water and health solution, but we are also showing up as one of the biggest economic solutions for rural economies and businesses across the world,” said Finian Makepeace, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the nonprofit organization Kiss the Ground and Producer of the films Kiss the Ground and its sequel Common Ground.
“With the recent film Common Ground, and many other feature films and shows in this space sharing the story along with the incredible build of awareness brought on by Save Soil and others, we are seeing a dramatic increase in people comprehending the soil solution. With brands and businesses, there are huge commitments around regenerative agriculture for 2030. I believe 2024 will be a year of turning on those actions and increasing the integrity of their proposed programs. Regarding regenerative agriculture, I feel that 2024 will be the year that the world’s regen leaders find common ground and agree upon a definition that will allow for many more to work and support this space functionally,” Makepeace added.
“I do think that 2024 could be the best year yet for regenerative agriculture. While there is still disagreement over the definition, there is significant consensus that it includes a keen focus on building soil health, enhancing biodiversity, humanely integrating livestock and including worker fairness. New certification and verification programs like Regenerative Organic Certified, Certified Regenified, and Soil & Climate Health provide a lot of support and tools for farmers who want to incorporate more regenerative practices,” said Elizabeth Candelario, Director of Strategic Partnerships for MAD Agriculture, an organization that works with farmers and industry to advance regenerative practices.
In addition, Candelario said, “While their motivations may vary — from mission alignment to strengthening supply chains to mandatory ESG reporting — food companies are (finally) paying attention to the agriculture that is producing their ingredients. And food was finally on the table at the recent COP28 climate summit. The conference opened with a declaration on sustainable agriculture, signed by more than 130 countries, and ended with a final agreement that acknowledges for the first time that sustainable agriculture needs to be included in climate change solutions.”
Regenerative Products Sales Take Off
Now, the marketplace is responding. According to the Regenerative Organic Alliance Impact Report 2022 – 2023, sales of Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC®) products grew an average of 22% from EOY 2022 to EOY 2023, with sales totaling nearly $40 million in 2023. Companies including Dr. Bronner’s, Patagonia, Lundberg Family Farms, Manitoba Harvest, Bonterra and others are leading the certification efforts and serving as role models for other brands.
According to the Impact Report and based on SPINS data, revenue from sales of ROC® products in natural and multi-outlet grocers increased by one-third compared to the same period in the previous year. In addition, the number of ROC® SKUs in the market increased nearly forty-fold in 2023, “indicative of continued growth potential,” the report said. “By offering Regenerative Organic Certified products, brands are responding to the consumer desire to have their purchase make a positive impact at every level: environmentally, ethically, and socially,” the report concluded.
Globally, the market size for regenerative agriculture reached US$975.2 million in 2022, and is projected to be worth US$4.3 billion by 2032, poised to grow at a CAGR of 15.97% from 2023 to 2032, according to a June 2023 report from Precedence Research. North America generated more than 37% of the revenue share in 2022, Precedence Research reported.
While regenerative agriculture practices aren’t yet familiar to most Americans (just one in five consumers surveyed by Food Insight in 2022 said they’d heard of regenerative agriculture), 73% of consumers agreed they would be more likely to trust retailers and brands that implement regenerative agriculture programs, and 72% agreed that they would be more like to purchase from them, Supermarket Perimeter reported in October 2023.
Major retailers are taking notice. In December 2023, Whole Foods Market announced that it had implemented new standards to protect pollinator health. As such, the retailer will now require all fresh produce and floral suppliers to implement supply chain practices that help protect honeybees and other native pollinators.
Speaking to executives at Progressive Grocer’s Grocery Impact conference in November 2023, Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechle said, “Whole Foods Market invites you to help us start a ripple effect of change that will fix our broken food system. The decisions we make as a business — even the smallest ones — in how food is raised and grown today can have a profound and lasting impact on nourishing people and the planet for future generations to come. One of the biggest challenges our food system is facing now and will continue [to face] in the future is the climate crisis. If we continue farming in the large-scale, mechanized way that much of the industry currently does, our topsoil is not going to have the nutrient density it needs to grow the foods we know and love today,” Buechle said.
To address this challenge, Buechle reported that the retailer is working with farmers, ranchers, suppliers, scientists and other experts, as well as leading organizations, to leverage regenerative agriculture to evolve the practices used to grow, raise and produce the products that it sells. A focus on regenerative agriculture and responsible sourcing is an essential part of the retailer’s value proposition, which remains strong despite the mainstreaming of natural foods and the effects of inflation on consumer spending, according to Buechle.
Regenerative Food and Agriculture in 2024
In October 2023, Forbes reported that water stewardship will one of the biggest food trends in 2024. “As the tides of environmental consciousness continue to shape consumer choices, it is no wonder that water stewardship is set to become one of the top food trends for 2024,” wrote Senior Contributor Daphne Ewing-Chow.
“The global agri-food industry— valued at $6 trillion— is one of the most highly exposed to water risks, with water stress impacting many of the world’s largest food-exporting countries. Paradoxically, despite mounting perils to both food and water security stemming from water depletion, pollution, and climate-induced droughts, the food and agri-business sector is a chief contributor to the problem, accounting for a substantial 70% of all freshwater withdrawals,” she continued.
According to Ewing-Chow, “Regenerative agriculture plays a pivotal role in enhancing soil health, facilitating nutrient retention, bolstering natural resilience to environmental challenges, and mitigating erosion. This contributes to the conservation of water resources and the enhancement of ecosystem water quality, reducing the volume of water required for farming activities and decreasing harmful water and nutrient runoff from agricultural lands.”
Forbes also reported that in September 2023, SAI Platform, a network comprising 170 major food companies dedicated to sustainability, unveiled a global framework outlining the transition to regenerative agriculture for food businesses. A number of mainstream food brands such as Unilever, Nestlé, McDonald’s, Danone, and General Mills have already committed their support for regenerative agriculture, Forbes reported.
Greater technical innovation and research into regenerative agriculture will continue over the coming year, the Global Ag Tech Initiative predicted in its December 2023 report, 5 AgTech Trends to Watch in 2024. “Essentially mimicking natural process and biodiversity on agricultural land, the ultimate aim of regenerative agriculture is to improve soil health in order to boost yield. To address the challenges of climate change and feed a global population of over 8 billion, regenerative agriculture is vital. Digital tools use accurate, up-to-date data to create tailored regenerative agriculture solutions. These consider soil conditions, weather conditions, microclimates, and current crop growth or land use, as well as individual budgets and local regulations. Platforms offering site specific data will likely reign supreme in 2024. A view of sustainability that extends beyond simple carbon metrics and one-size-fits-all solutions is necessary and will enable the establishment of realistic, actionable objectives for growers, promoting sustainability and formulating strategies tailored to local environments,” the report said.
Beyond Food – Regenerative Fashion Threads the Needle
On the textile and fiber front, companies including fashion leader Mango will begin incorporating regeneratively grown cotton into its 2024 fashion collections, the Fashion Network reported in December 2023. The company has partnered with Materra, a British-Indian company specializing in regenerative cotton cultivation, and said it will be able to ensure complete traceability across the value chain of its cotton, from seed to final garment.
“As a global fashion company, our intent is clear: to contribute to creating a fairer society and reduce the fashion industry’s impact on the environment. This is why we ally ourselves with key partners like Materra, which will help us accelerate our path to ensuring that 100% of the fibers we use are sustainable by 2030,” said Andrés Fernández, Mango’s director of sustainability and sourcing.
Other fashion brands driving regenerative agriculture initiatives include J.Crew, Prana, Terra Thread and other textile and fiber companies that are members of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. “Big fashion brands and independent labels are embracing regenerative agriculture as a win-win solution that could allow them to source climate-positive materials. The challenge is that the concept doesn’t have a singular definition, and without clear standards it risks becoming a tool for greenwashing,” Business of Fashion reported in August 2023.
California Could Define Regenerative
Speaking of a definition, beginning in January 2024, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in collaboration with the State Board of Food and Agriculture, will host a series of public listening sessions to receive comments to help define “regenerative agriculture.”
“As interest in ‘regenerative agriculture’ continues to grow, we are seeing the introduction and evolution of the term in California policies and programs,” CDFA said. “Incorporating a definition of regenerative agriculture for state policies and programs provides a science-based criterion for the designation or recognition of the term ‘regenerative’ in agriculture-related policies of the state. By defining ‘regenerative agriculture’ and its associated practices, we are working to formalize holistic methods of farming that are designed to protect, sustain and enhance natural resources on our farms and farming communities throughout California,” the agency said.
Max Goldberg, Editor and Publisher of Organic Insider, commented, “If California codifies or legally defines ‘regenerative agriculture’ … it will certainly raise the profile of this term among consumers and farmers may end up paying more attention to the way they manage their soil, which is a real positive. However, both the opportunity for greenwashing and the consequences for organic could be severe,” he cautioned.
“At its core, the regenerative agriculture controversy stems from the question of whether a farming practice can be truly ‘regenerative’ if super-toxic chemicals, such as glyphosate or dicamba, are applied to the crops. There is no question that the regenerative movement has brought incredible attention to soil health … and that it has led to very important steps forward in farming practices around the world. But with all of the positive developments, ‘regenerative’ is ripe for abuse and greenwashing, and the multinational chemical companies, who have no intention of minimizing the importance of GMO seeds and synthetic pesticides, are eagerly embracing the term,” Goldberg added.
Elizabeth Whitlow, Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, which manages the Regenerative Organic Certified program, told Organic Insider that she believes that California needs to act with real caution. “There are many groups and farmers advocating for ‘regenerative agriculture’ that are doing some excellent and extremely vital work. My concern, however, is that if the state defines ‘regenerative agriculture’ and it excludes organic, it could have the unintended effect of actually doing a lot more harm than good. Bad actors greenwashing the term is a real threat, and all stakeholders in California’s organic industry need to be fully engaged and on board with how the state is going to define ‘regenerative agriculture.’ The stakes are very high, for both California and our entire country, and this process cannot be rushed,” she said.
Woody Harrelson’s Regenerative Reason for Hope
Three-time Oscar nominated actor and environmental activist Woody Harrelson, in a December 2023 Op-Ed in The Wrap, expressed that, after serving as a co-narrator on the film Common Ground, he is “no longer hopeless for the future.”
Harrelson writes:
We stand at a crossroads, facing two paths. One leads to climate chaos, food shortages, deserts expanding and a biodiversity crash. The other involves rethinking our relationship with nature by choosing regenerative agriculture. The regenerative path can give us abundant, nutritious food, thriving ecosystems and a future for generations to come.
I had a surreal moment when I met King Charles and he said he loved “Kiss the Ground” so much he personally sent it to 1,000 people. I hope the same is true of “Common Ground” – I hope thousands of people send the new documentary to thousands of their friends.
I’ve never been a big believer in the political process in this country, but I believe in people. Congress is currently debating something called the Farm Bill. There are a lot of good people in America, who deserve to eat clean food, and it would be refreshing to see Washington prioritize communities over commodities.
I’m no longer hopeless. I’m actually inspired. In fact, I’m committed to using my voice and activism to make the regenerative agriculture movement spread far and wide.
We don’t just need to support soil in the Farm Bill — we need to make the effort in every way we can, from turning our lawns into food gardens and our food waste into compost, to buying food from local regenerative farmers and ranchers. We all eat and we can all support the people who are doing the hard work to feed the world with healthy regenerative food. We can vote with our dollars.
One thing is for certain, it’s time for a change. Soil is our common ground.
Let’s make regenerative agriculture our priority.
Learn More
Growing Life: Regenerating Farming and Ranching, by André Leu, December 2021
Food Climate and Nature FAQs, The Nature Conservancy, Sept. 1, 2023
Regeneration International, a global nonprofit organization and educational resource
44th Annual EcoFarm Conference, Pacific Grove, California, Jan. 17-20, 2024
Regenerative Business Live, United Nations, New York, NY, May 7, 2024
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Compass Natural serves in PR and programming for NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo, and Hoffman serves as Editor of the weekly Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, published by We are for Better Alternatives. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
Exclusive Invitation: 'Focus on the Farmer' Webinar Offers Tools for Transitioning to Organic
Compass Natural Presents
Focus on the Farmer
On behalf of USDA and the Great Plains TOPP, you're invited to join us for a free educational webinar:
'Navigating the Transition to Organic:
A Roadmap for Success'
Opportunities are there for transitioning and existing organic farmers. But what are the obstacles and where are the resources, technology and assistance to support hemp farmers and others who are transitioning to organic?
For producers interested in learning more, join us for the first event in the Focus on the Farmer education series.
Aug. 29 from 10:30 am to 12 pm MDT
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ABOUT:
This series is a collaboration between Compass Natural and USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). The mission of TOPP is to foster organic agriculture and make much-needed resources and technical assistance available to transitioning and existing organic farmers. Compass Natural is a Colorado-based communications agency specializing in natural and organic food and agriculture.
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