In Memoriam: Dale Kamibayashi, May 4, 1951 – Nov. 4, 2023

This article first appeared in Presence Marketing’s November 2023 newsletter.

By Steven Hoffman

Longtime natural products industry veteran and former Presence Marketing team member Dale Kenji Kamibayashi passed away on Nov. 4, 2023, at age 72. A beloved husband, father and family man, Dale was a valued community member, a friend to all, and a highly respected and admired colleague to many in the natural and organic products industry. Dale was an important member of our community and will be deeply missed.

From his roots in the late 1970s as the co-owner with his wife, Lisa, of a small natural foods retail store in the mountain town of Nederland, just west of Boulder, to serving as manager and purchasing director for the iconic Alfalfa’s Market, plus leadership roles in Cascadian Farm, Ceres, Rapunzel Organics and other leading companies, Dale was a strong advocate for healthy lifestyles. In 2019, Naturally Boulder honored Dale with the “Industry Leader/Community Champion” award for his vast contributions to the natural products industry and Boulder community.

Steven Hoffman (left) and Dale Kamibayashi.

Read on, below, for some shared memories of Dale Kamibayashi from some industry members and colleagues who knew and loved him best. To read more tributes and to share your memories of Dale, visit Dale’s memorial web page here, and please consider donating to his family’s GoFundMe page.

Lani Kamibayashi (Dale’s daughter, on behalf of the Kamibayashi family)
Our father was the hardest worker I knew, and our family grew up and lived for my dad’s passion. My brother Kenji and I grew up in Alfalfa’s Market; we ran around that store like we owned it. I loved it — I have so many great childhood memories of that store and the people who worked with my parents. Dad instilled our love of food and healthier eating styles that remain with us today. I am so proud of what he did and accomplished within the industry and am so fortunate to be his daughter. My family is overwhelmed with the support and generosity from all. Dale (Dad) was a remarkable leader, husband, and father for us and it’s just not going to be the same without him. We would be forever grateful if you ever had the chance to meet or know our father to keep a memory in your heart, thank you.

Chris Lobo, EVP, Presence Marketing
I worked at Alfalfa’s in the early ‘90s, mostly while I was completing grad school at the University of Colorado. During my time at Alfalfa’s, I worked in the Grocery Department and Dale K. was the Store Manager. For a time, I worked the opening shift, which meant assuring shelves were stocked and faced, and topping off the bulk bins – all before the doors opened.

That is also the period I met Michelle, my wife, who started as a cashier and also was on the opening shift. During the days Michelle and I dated, I would be in the back of the store trying to sweep up about a hundred different beans and grains that had spilled, before the “opening bell.” Michelle would often sneak back and we would quickly make out (I have no idea how dated that term is, but that is how we started a handful of mornings).

One particular morning the GM at that time, who was an uptight sort, caught us and threatened a write up. Well…that write up never came my way. I have no paper trail of who intervened, but it had to have been Dale, who was on site that day and who smilingly turned a blind eye many times to our very human practice.

I honored, respected, and cared a great deal for Dale K. as a colleague…but much more as a warm and wonderful human. RIP Dale.

Mark Retzloff, Co-Founder and Former CEO and Chair, Alfalfa’s Market and Horizon Organic Dairy, and Co-Founder of Greenmont Capital Partners
Like so many, I am shocked and grieving Dale’s passing. Dale was a brother, best friend, confidant, partner, and an example to me. I am heartbroken, as is my wife, Terry. However, I want to ensure we honor Dale appropriately. We must all remember and appreciate Dale’s legacy of treating everyone with respect, kindness, and always giving his full attention. His style of leadership should continue to be an inspiration to us all.

I have been fortunate to have known Dale for 43 years. I hired Dale in 1982 to manage our first Alfalfa’s Market store in Boulder. Dale was quickly beloved by all Alfalfa’s employees and hundreds in the community. A hallmark of Dale’s was how well-liked he was in the natural and organic movement and industry as well as on a local, state and national level.

In 2019 when Dale received Naturally Boulder’s “Industry Leader/Community Champion” award, Joan Boykin had this to say about her old friend and coworker: “Dale is a prince among men, a person of inestimable value to the community. He is known for his fair, diplomatic, understated, and generous leadership style and admired by all who know him.”

The last two times I saw Dale was at my 75th birthday in September and at our Naturally Boulder Legacy gathering. He was so Dale – that generous smile, that immediate warmth, and that always caring communication. Dale was a gem and his many life lessons will now shine through the hundreds he has touched.

I write this tribute from Kauai where I am grieving big time. I took a long walk on the beach to consider what is really important in life. Ultimately, we are all just grains of sand, and we each count ourselves tremendously grateful for friends like Dale in our lives. Too briefly, but beautifully gracing our lives.

While many of us will be absorbing this profound loss to our community, I implore each of us to send love and support to Dale’s wife, Lisa, and his children Lani and Kenji. Please consider supporting Dale’s family through their GoFundMe.

Joan Boykin, President, Boykin Consulting, Former Executive Director, The Organic Center, and Former Director of Marketing for Alfalfa’s Market, Celestial Seasonings, New Hope Network and Fresh Produce Sportswear
Dale was a consummate professional, an expert in retail operations and merchandising, and with a keen eye and mind for marketing, too. Yet, as I reflect on Dale’s contributions to the industry, it wasn’t so much about all he did, but about the manner in which he did it. He was calm and unruffled in every imaginable situation — always finding solutions to vexing problems — and I never heard a harsh word from him. I’ll remember him always for his kindness and warmth and will miss him dearly, as will countless others in our community.

Lyle Davis and Sylvia Tawse, Veterans of Alfalfa’s Market and Founders of the Fresh Ideas Group and Pastures of Plenty
When asked to describe Dale K. (everyone called him that!), Lyle Davis, who worked with Dale for nearly 18 years, said, “Sweet and steady – that was Dale I never once saw him angry or agitated.” Sylvia R. Tawse, who also worked with Dale at Alfalfa’s Markets and remained friends beyond the Alfalfa’s era, remembered working as a Marketing Manager at the Boulder store and being overwhelmed with local nonprofit requests for donations. She went to Dale to seek solutions to a tidal wave of requests. “I’ll always remember Dale’s calm and wise response. He said, ‘We just always find a way to say yes to our community.’ This lesson in generosity and inclusion has inspired and guided my decisions for three+ decades.”

Sylvia also remembers working on a ‘Healthy Choices’ newsletter story with Dale to share his family’s New Year’s recipes and traditions. Dale teared up respectfully when unveiling his grandparents’ story – a challenging time when they were interned up near Fort Collins. The recipe? A most generous New Year’s Eve soup with generous and warming ingredients. Just like Dale.

The last time Sylvia saw Dale K. was at a Naturally Boulder gathering in early October. She is forever thankful to have seen him with his iconic warm smile, and to have a big bear hug with him. All of the Alfalfa’s family and our natural and organic products industry benefitted from Dale K., and we still do. His legacy of managing through calm kindness lives on.

John Hay, Co-Founder, Celestial Seasonings
Having worked with Dale on and off over the past 40 years, I can truly say he was a very special human being. He knew all about the natural and organic food industry and had key relationships with most all of the folks in that world. Dale was a people person, and his positive and gracious personality was his greatest strength. He genuinely cared about your product, your business, but most of all about you, and that is why he was so successful throughout his long career.

Blair Kellison, Former CEO, Traditional Medicinals*
The natural foods industry’s culture of kindness and respect was set early in its inception by exceptional individuals like Dale. He embodies everything about the culture that makes our industry so special. He had a way of making each of us feel we were his favorite. I am lucky to be one of those people. The enduring nature of the HNF industry’s culture is the greatest testament to Dale’s memory. Godspeed Dale.

Bill Capsalis, Natural Products Industry Veteran and Former Executive Director, Naturally Boulder
Dale K. was a friend of mine … actually he was a friend to everyone he met. I had the pleasure of knowing him for more than 20 years as a member of the Naturally Boulder community. He would always make time for me or any of the new brands I was helping (including one I was running) to review the products and provide feedback and support. He never turned anyone away from his door while at Alfalfa’s and later at Presence Marketing. He was always kind and positive every time we saw each other. A few years back we recognized Dale with Naturally Boulder’s Community Hero Award, which was well deserved. He will be missed by so many people here and across the industry.

Debbie Wildrick, President, Frey Farms, Former Strategic Advisor, Beyond Brands, and Former CEO, BAZI Inc.*
To Dale’s family, I was deeply saddened to read today about Dale’s passing. My deepest condolences. Dale worked for me for several months when we were building a source water from Brazil. I was just speaking to my business partner the other day (just a couple of weeks ago). And, he said, “Do you remember when we all in Naples for a meeting and went to have sushi and Dale taught us how to properly eat with chopsticks?” I later moved to Denver and saw Dale often at events, especially Naturally Boulder. A very wonderful man.

JJ Rademaekers, Founder, Cocomels*
Dale was such an amazing introduction to this industry for me. When I started Cocomels at the Farmers Market, Dale was the first local buyer to express interest. Not only did he bring Cocomels into the store but he offered his time and insights so that I could understand what I was getting into and how to do it. After that, we’d meet occasionally and I’d ask a barrage of questions and he’d always give me his attention and time. He became a friend and ally in the industry and I always enjoyed bumping into him at events or shows. I’m so sorry to hear of his passing. He was a great guy who really showed interest and support for me and my journey. I will always be appreciative. Much love to his family and friends.

Steve Ehli, Natural Products Industry Veteran and Former Team Member, Presence Marketing
I met Dale in the late ‘70s and we stayed in touch through the decades. I was so pleased we got to spend several years working for the same company at Presence Marketing until I retired at the end of 2021. A kind soul and a consummate professional who dedicated his life’s work in service to grow our industry. Dale will be missed by many. The world needs more like him! My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Kelly Shea, CEO, Shea & Associates, Former SVP of Government & Corporate Affairs, Charlotte’s Web and White Wave Foods, and Former VP of Sustainability, Sales & Trade Relations for Danone
I often saw Dale outside of his day job. His passion for “giving back” was legendary. His decade-plus volunteering on the Organic Trade Association’s annual campaign, and his passion for Boulder’s Community Food share showed Dale’s big-hearted spirit of charity. What a man! The world was better for Dale Kamibayashi in it. I went to university in Japan and spoke a little Japanese. I shared with Dale that I thought his last name must mean “bridge of God.” I imagine him walking that now.

Steve Terre, Natural Industry Veteran and Former VP of Sales, Traditional Medicinals
Sayonara Dale-San
We mourn the premature departure of a beautiful human being
His countenance
Was calmness
His bearing beneficent 
His mode passionate and considerate
His smile luminous
His greeting warm and generous of spirit
Godspeed my brother on your next journey
You will be sorely missed
Too soon gone!!!

* Source: Dignity Memorial. Read more shared memories of Dale Kamibayashi by his family, colleagues, friends and community at Dignity Memorial.

Cracking Down on Fraud: USDA Organic Enforcement Rules Take Full Effect in March 2024

This article first appeared in Presence Marketing’s September 2023 newsletter.

By Steven Hoffman

Organic food is big business in the U.S. – sales of organic products topped $61 billion in 2022 – and the certified organic label fetches a premium price for producers. So much so that fraud from both domestic and imported sources had become a major concern among organic industry business owners, investors and advocates.

That’s why such leading organizations as the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and others applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) when, earlier this year, the agency announced the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule, which is set to be fully implemented and enforced in March 2024.

Representing the biggest change to organic regulations since the passage of the Organic Food Production Act in 1990, the SOE Rule was created to crack down on organic fraud. The new rule provides “a significant increase in oversight and enforcement authority to reinforce the trust of consumers, farmers, and those transitioning to organic production. This success is another demonstration that USDA fully stands behind the organic brand,” Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said in a statement.

“The rule closes gaps in current organic regulations and builds consistent certification practices to prevent fraud and improve the transparency and traceability of organic products. Fraud in the organic system – wherever it occurs – harms the entire organic sector and shakes the trust of consumers in organic. This regulation will have significant and far-reaching impacts on the organic sector and will do much to deter and detect organic fraud and protect organic integrity throughout the supply chain,” OTA said in support of the new rule.

Liz Figueredo, quality and regulatory director at organic certifier Quality Assurance International (QAI), based in San Diego, California, told Nutritional Outlook in July 2023 that the new SOE Rule closes supply chain loopholes that existed in previous regulations. The new rule requires organic certification for all parts of the supply chain, including handlers and suppliers who were previously exempt, she said.

“This means that certifiers can no longer depend on documentation from uncertified handlers, which was often lacking, to verify the organic status of products. The rule also includes fraud-reduction techniques, such as requiring an Import Certificate for any organic ingredients or products imported into the U.S., which provides the total volume or weight of the imported products,” Figueredo said.

Who Is Affected by the New SOE Rule?
According to USDA, the SOE Rule may affect USDA-accredited certifying agencies; organic inspectors; certified organic operations; handlers of organic products; operations considering organic certification; businesses that import or trade organic products; retailers that sell organic products; and organic supply chain participants who are not currently certified organic. 

Exemptions are limited to a few low-risk activities such as very small operations; certain retail establishments that do not process; storage and warehouse facilities that only handle products in sealed, tamper-proof containers or packages; distributors that only handle final retail-packaged products; and customs and logistics brokers that do not take ownership or physical possession of organic products. 

However, exempt operations must still follow all other applicable portions of organic regulations, including co-mingling and contamination prevention, labeling requirements and record keeping. Transporters that only move organic products between certified operations, or transload between modes of transportation, do not need to be individually certified, but are the responsibility of the certified operation that loads or receives the product.

To see if your business is affected and for more information, visit the full text of USDA’s SOE Rule in the Federal Register. OTA, too, has a resource page with extensive information regarding preparing for full compliance with the SOE Rule, along with exclusive training materials for association members. OTA also offers a questionnaire for businesses that may not be sure if they need certification.

What Does the SOE Rule Do?
According to USDA, “SOE protects organic integrity and bolsters farmer and consumer confidence in the USDA organic seal by supporting strong organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, increasing import oversight authority, and providing robust enforcement of the organic regulations.” 

Key updates include:

• Requiring certification of more of the businesses, like brokers and traders, at critical links in organic supply chains.

• Requiring NOP Import Certificates for all organic imports.

• Requiring organic identification on non-retail containers.

• Increasing authority for more rigorous on-site inspections of certified operations.

• Requiring uniform qualification and training standards for organic inspectors and certifying agent personnel.

• Requires standardized certificates of organic operation.

• Requires additional and more frequent reporting of data on certified operations.

• Creates authority for more robust recordkeeping, traceability practices, and fraud prevention procedures.

• Specify certification requirements for producer groups.

“SOE complements and supports the many actions that USDA takes to protect the organic label, including the registration of the USDA organic seal trademark with the USPTO. The registered trademark provides authority to deter uncertified entities from falsely using the seal, which together with this new rule provides additional layers of protection to the USDA organic seal,” USDA said.

For producers wanting to learn more about navigating and adhering to these new requirements, the Western Growers Association in partnership with the Organic Produce Network will host a session at its upcoming Organic Grower Summit, Nov. 29-30, 2023, in Monterey, California, entitled “The SOE Deadline Looms–Are You Ready?” The seminar is designed to help growers better understand the upcoming rule changes, which will affect producers, distributors, handlers and importers.

In addition, organic industry and policy veterans Gwendolyn Wyard and Kim Dietz recently founded Strengthening Organic Systems, an advisory firm focused on helping businesses with organic fraud prevention, supply chain investigations and compliance with USDA’s organic anti-fraud regulations.

Read More
How Will USDA’s Organic Regulation Changes Affect the Food and Nutraceutical Industries?  – Nutritional Outlook

USDA Launches Organic Integrity Database Module – Organic Insider

Tighter Rules Now in Effect for USDA Organic Seal of Approval – Cosmetics and Toiletries News

Strengthening Organic Enforcement USDA Rule – California Certified Organic Farmers

USDA Bolsters Consumer Confidence in Certified Organic Products with New Enforcement Rule – New Hope Network 

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.

‘Where’s the Money?’ – Focus on the Farmer Educational Series to Cover Financial Assistance for Farmers Transitioning to Organic

BOULDER, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2023) – As part of USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), Compass Natural’s Focus on the Farmer educational series will offer a free webinar on Sept. 28 to support farmers transitioning to organic.

The webinar, the second in a series of four events hosted by Compass Natural in 2023, will gather top experts in organic agriculture, investment and finance to discuss investment, loan and funding opportunities for transitional and organic farmers, including government and grant programs to help cover the costs of transition and obtaining organic certification.

Webinar: WHERE’S THE MONEY? 
Date: Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, 10:30 am-12 pm MDT   
Register: Register for free here. All registrants will receive a copy of the speaker presentations and a link to the Zoom video recording.

Panelists include:

Jayce Hafner, Co-Founder and CEO, FarmRaise
Co-founder and CEO of FarmRaise, Jayce Hafner grew up on a small livestock farm. She created FarmRaise to provide “farmer-friendly financial tools” and to help find funding and grants to support the transition to organic agriculture and more. Tracking tax and carbon credits, USDA grants and other programs, FarmRaise keeps farmers apprised of funding opportunities and helps them manage their business and finances.

Brandon Welch, Co-Founder and CEO, Mad Capital
Brandon Welch is co-founder and CEO of Mad Capital, providing customized loans and financing created for transitioning, organic and regenerative farmers. Replacing traditional loans and farm debt with capital that enables the transition to organic, Brandon is working to regenerate land at scale by providing long-term and tailor-fit credit to help farmers navigate the challenges of transitioning. He has experience in underwriting, credit, raising private funds, portfolio management and business building.

Emma Fuller, Co-Founder, Fractal Ag
Dr. Emma Fuller helped co-found Fractal Ag, which invests alongside farmers by taking passive, minority stakes in land that farmers already own. Farmers receive needed capital to invest in their operations, while investors access high-quality farmland that remains in the hands of the farmer. Farmers decide how to use the capital to best grow their business. Fractal discounts the cost of capital for farmers who have introduced regenerative practices, regardless of when they adopted them. Emma received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton.

Claire Mesesan, Chief of Staff, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT
Claire Mesesan is chief of staff at Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, a public benefit corporation. Iroquois Valley provides land security to organic farmers through long-term leases, mortgages and operating lines of credit. Iroquois Valley supports the organic transition through its products, offering a discounted lease rate during the organic transition and interest-only mortgages for the first five years, and supports soil health and conservation projects through its in-house grant program.  

Mark Retzloff, former president of the Organic Trade Association and co-founder of Horizon Organic Dairy, Greenmont Capital Partners and Alfalfa’s Market, and Steven Hoffman, founder of Compass Natural and a former Peace Corps volunteer and USDA agriculture extension agent, will serve as co-moderators.

“Our ultimate goal is to support and educate farmers during their journey to organic certification,” says Steven Hoffman, founder of Compass Natural. ”Financing is inevitably a top concern and we are thrilled to have such seasoned leaders sharing information with farmers and producers to help them navigate the process.” 

About Compass Natural
Based in Boulder, Colo., Compass Natural is a communications agency serving the market for organic food and agriculture, as well as businesses and brands providing natural, socially responsible, eco-friendly and other healthy lifestyles products and services. Founded in 2001 and driven by a commitment to create a better world through business, Compass Natural is a leader in the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market.

The “Focus on the Farmer” educational series is produced by Compass Natural in partnership with USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) in the Plains States region. TOPP is designed to foster organic agriculture and make much-needed technical assistance available to transitioning and existing organic farmers.

About TOPP
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).

Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042

Organic Trade Association to Host Webinar Series on Key Issues in Organic

Photo: Pexels

Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, September 2019
By Steven Hoffman

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) will host a series offered free to OTA members and for a registration fee of $149 each for non-members. The webinars, scheduled between now and the end of the year, will focus on a number of issues impacting the organic products market, including: Retail Intel: Best Labeling Practices for Organic Non-food Products; Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions; NOSB Meeting Wrap-up; and Legislative Watch: A Recap of 2019 Achievements. In addition, The Organic Center will host a webinar on September 25 that is open to all with no fee. The Organic Center webinar will focus on The Biodiversity Calculator: A Simple Tool for Tracking and Managing Biodiversity for NOP Compliance. For more information visit https://ota.com/programs-events/upcoming-webinars.

Organic Hemp Production Emphasized to Lawmakers, Farmers During “Organic Week” Policy Conference in Washington, DC

Originally appeared on www.LetsTalkHemp.com

One Organic Farmer Treats Hemp Grown for CBD Like a “Specialty Vegetable Crop”
By Steven Hoffman

The importance of certified organic in hemp agriculture cannot be overstated. Currently, nearly 80,000 acres are in hemp production in the U.S., and very few of them are certified organic. That means that the majority of hemp produced in the U.S. is being grown conventionally, using potentially toxic, synthetic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizer derived from the fracking of natural gas.

Frankly, that’s not very good for the environment or for the oncoming climate crisis, as conventional agriculture is one of the largest non-point sources of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to global warming, and fracking releases massive quantities of methane – another potent GHG – into the atmosphere. On the other hand, organically grown hemp can actually sequestercarbon out of the atmosphere and put it back in the soil where it belongs, helping to keep CO2 and other noxious GHGs out of the atmosphere.

Additionally, when given a choice, I’ll choose CBD and hemp extract products that are produced and processed organically, thus minimizing my dietary exposure to toxic pesticide residues and other chemical solvents, because who wants pesticide residues included with their concentrated botanical medicine?

Seeing the explosive growth of the hemp market in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill, the organic industry’s leading trade association, the Organic Trade Association (www.ota.com) invited my communications agency, Compass Natural, to help plan and present an educational track focused on farmers’ perspectives and market opportunities for certified organic hemp, CBD and related products as part of OTA’s annual Organic Week policy conference, held May 20-23, 2019, in Washington, D.C. OTA’s Organic Week draws organic industry leaders from across the U.S. to interact with policymakers and Congressional leaders to help forward the interests of organic food and agriculture.

At the Organic Week conference, OTA announced that sales of organic products in the U.S. surpassed $50 billion, growing 6.3% to reach a record $52.5 billion in 2018. Almost 6% (5.7%) of all food sold in the U.S. is now organic, driven in large part by demand for organic produce, dairy, plant-based products, dietary supplements, textiles and fiber. “Organic is now considered mainstream. But the attitudes surrounding organic are anything but status quo,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the OTA. “In 2018, there was a notable shift in the mindset of those working in organic toward collaboration and activism to move the needle on the role organic can play in sustainability and tackling environmental initiatives.”

Lobbying for Hemp
As part of OTA’s Organic Week, I was scheduled to visit several congressional offices on Capitol Hill, lobbying on behalf of organic food and farming and industrial hemp, CBD and related products. The staff at the offices of Colorado Senators Michael Bennett and Cory Gardner were supportive of industrial hemp in our meetings, and in alignment with Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ goal of furthering Colorado’s leadership in industrial hemp, as were staff leaders in the offices of Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Diana DeGette. However, staff at the offices of Idaho Congressmen Russell Fulcher and Mike Simpson deferred to their state’s legislature when it came to my questions regarding Idaho’s seizure in January of a container shipment of industrial hemp from a licensed grower in Oregon bound for processing in Colorado, despite the 2018 federal Farm Bill declaring that interstate transport and commerce of hemp-derived products is now legal throughout the U.S.

In addition to our Capitol Hill visits, I moderated a lively seminar attended by a number of organic farmers interested in or already growing hemp for food, supplements and fiber as part of an educational track focused on hemp during OTA’s Organic Week. At the seminar, longtime organic farmer Chris Jagger, owner of Blue Fox Farm in Oregon, shared how he began growing hemp three years ago. Instead of planting hemp densely, like they do for fiber production where tall stalks and little foliage are desired, Chris farms his hemp like a specialty crop, or “like vegetables,’ he says, to cultivate the delicate hemp flowers for CBD extraction. Currently, a small number of organic certifiers, including OneCert, CCOF and MOSA are certifying farms for organic hemp production, and rumor has it some other major certifiers will soon follow.

At the same time across town, hemp advocate Ben Droz participated in the inaugural Congressional Cannabis Forum hosted on May 21 by Washington, D.C.-based KCSA Strategic Communications. “While covering all aspects of the cannabis market, the KCSA forum presented a hemp panel that examined capital markets and the global economic implications of the legalization of hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Droz. “If hemp extracts become a global commodity, it might not necessarily benefit small scale farmers and producers,” he cautioned. “However, until the FDA comes up with more clear guidelines concerning hemp products, the big corporate players will continue to sit on the sidelines, allowing time for smaller brands to establish and build market share, but that could change at any time,” he said. Droz noted that the FDA scheduled its first public hearing on hemp and CBD in food and beverage for Friday, May 31, 2019. Information on the hearing is published in the Federal Register.

Organic agriculture is a bright spot in the U.S. farm economy, continuing to grow at a rate more than double the growth rate of the overall U.S. food market. According to new OTA data, the number of organic farms grew by 39% while the total number of farms in the U.S. shrank by 3% between 2012 and 2017. Organic products can now be found in more than 82% of U.S. homes, and in some states, including California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and my home state of Colorado, organic products are in over 90% of U.S. households. Here’s hoping that organically produced hemp follows suit.

On the Organic Trail

Originally appeared in New Hope Network’s IdeaXchange, May 2019
By Steven Hoffman

In which the author spends the month of May visiting Whole Foods Market Global Headquarters in Austin, TX; EARTH University in Costa Rica, the world’s leading university of sustainable tropical agriculture; and Washington, DC, lobbying at OTA’s Organic Week on behalf of organic agriculture, industrial hemp and CBD.

Boulder, Colorado, is a pretty great place from which to run a public relations, communications and brand marketing agency dedicated to natural, organic, eco-friendly, hemp-centric and other mission-based brands. For a relatively small town, the concentration of natural products entrepreneurship and resources available for both startups and established businesses is like few other places (see Naturally Boulder).*

Yet, after a long winter, and having received a small handful of unexpected invitations, I packed my bags for a nearly month-long road trip that began with a visit in early May to Whole Foods Market’s global headquarters in Austin, TX (another “epicenter” of natural products; see Naturally Austin), to attend a unique brand innovation summit; and ended by participating in the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week in Washington, DC. There, yours truly served as a speaker and sponsor of OTA’s annual policy conference, which included visits to congressional offices to lobby on behalf of organic agriculture and industrial hemp and CBD.

In between, I took advantage of a unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica – a country in which I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1970s – to visit and learn about a number of permaculture, regenerative organic and sustainable agriculture operations and educational institutions in a country that has taken the lead on sustainability and climate change in Latin America.  

From Punta Mona, an educational permaculture farm reachable only by boat or hiking trail where the Caribbean Sea meets the coastal rainforest, and EARTH University, the world’s leading sustainable tropical agriculture institution drawing more than 400 students and researchers from over three dozen countries, our Costa Rica tour also took us to Finca Luna Nueva (New Moon Farm), a 300-acre biodynamic farm and eco-resort located adjacent to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, a 250,000-acre nature reserve at the foot of Arenal Volcano in the north of the country. There, Finca Luna Nueva’s founders are dedicated to promoting sustainable building and regenerative agriculture, and spreading the message worldwide about soil health, carbon sequestration and climate change.

This, then, is my brief tale, On the Organic Trail.

• Boulder and Austin are not the only epicenters of natural products entrepreneurship in the country. Check out Naturally Chicago for companies and events in the Windy City. Note: Presence Marketing is a founding Sponsor of Naturally Chicago.

Whole Foods Market, Austin, TX – Brand Innovators Summit
With a lower pricing strategy and a renewed commitment to supporting brand innovation, Whole Foods Market hosted on May 2-3 Secrets to a Healthy Brand Strategy, an invitation-only summit that matched some of the world’s largest food companies with unique startup and emerging brands vying for attention online and on the shelf. Held at Whole Foods’ corporate headquarters in Austin, TX, and produced by Brand Innovators, the largest peer-to-peer community of brand marketers in America, the event featured an exploration of consumer behavior and technology and what it takes to build enduring healthy lifestyles and mission-based brands.

Former Whole Foods Market board member and Celestial Seasonings founder Mo Siegel opens the Brand Innovators summit in Austin on May 2

I was invited to the brand strategy summit after getting to know Michael Schall on a hiking trail during an earlier trip to Hill Country outside of Austin. Michael, Senior Coordinator of Global Growth and Business Development for Whole Foods Market, is also former CEO of Manischewitz Kosher Foods and Guiltless Gourmet. A very knowledgeable and experienced business leader and one heck-of-a nice person, after learning of my work, Michael insisted I attend. How could I possibly say no?

There, I met Wes Hurt, a recovering drug addict and founder of CLEAN Cause, a sparkling Yerba Mate beverage company founded in Austin in 2015 that donates 50% of its profits to support recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The products are sold online and in select stores nationwide; nearly $300,000 in profits have been donated to date. I also spoke with Peter McGuinness, CMO of Chobani. While the company has an unsurpassed social mission, I asked Peter if Chobani is considering coming out with certified organic products, produced without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides such as glyphosate, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones to serve a core organic consumer like me. While Chobani’s yogurt products are not produced organically, Peter mentioned the company is exploring some plant-based offerings made with organic ingredients – a positive move for people and the planet, in my respectful opinion. Other speakers included the founders and senior-level managers of Siete Foods, a Texas-based and family owned maker of grain free chips; Harmless Harvest, seller of premium certified organic coconut water; Jamba Juice; Pepsico; Sir Kensington’s; Vital Farms; Maple Hill; Health-Ade Kombucha; and more.

My takeaway: Competition is everywhere today, yet Whole Foods Market continues to be the mecca of natural and organic products – it is the place where the largest multinational corporations as well as local startups aspire to sell their products. And its association with Amazon, while infrequently mentioned during the conference, was certainly felt. In my perspective, the leadership at Whole Foods’ is energized and empowered to expand the company’s influence and reach and further enhance the bridge between brick and mortar and online retail. Whole Foods remains the gold standard in natural products retailing.

Costa Rica Organic Farm Tour
With a national greeting of “Pura Vida,” meaning “pure life,” Costa Ricans share a sunny attitude and gratitude for what they have. The government abolished the armed forces in 1948, and has since invested in healthcare and education. Costa Ricans welcome visitors from around the world; English is spoken and the dollar is accepted throughout the country, though being able to speak some Spanish is certainly a benefit. Costa Ricans, or “Ticos,” are very proud of their nation’s biodiversity and natural beauty. This past year, Costa Rica took the lead on sustainability and climate change in Latin America. During my excursion, we were able to visit the following organic and sustainable agriculture locations.

Herbalist Sarit Bianca at Punta Mona in Costa Rica

Punta Mona – South of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a delightful, off the beaten track, Rasta-style community on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, beyond road’s end, lies Punta Mona, a 100-acre permaculture outpost just 10 miles north of the Panama border, reachable only by boat or by foot on a trail cutting through eight kilometers of primary rainforest. (The boat ride was a blast; during our trip it was much too muddy to hike the trail.) Powered by solar panels, Punta Mona is located right off the beach, and it is also decidedly off the grid. Founded by father and son organic products entrepreneurs and permaculture advocates Norman and Stephen Brooks, Punta Mona draws visitors and volunteers from all over the world to tour and/or work in the farm’s lush and diverse fruit and vegetable gardens, community kitchen, herbal products laboratory, and all other aspects of managing the farm and “rustic” resort. If you go, be prepared to “rough it.” But if you can handle rainforest-style basic camp conditions, the natural beauty, organic agriculture, good clean healthy plant-based food, and biodiversity simply cannot be beat. Stephen Brooks also is founder of La Ecovilla, a planned permaculture community located northwest of Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose.

Students from nearly 40 countries attend EARTH University for degrees in mission-based, sustainable tropical agriculture

EARTH University – On the eastern coastal lowlands outside the town of Guacimo, Costa Rica, among massive commercial banana and pineapple plantations, is a 10,000-acre nature preserve and internationally renowned sustainable agriculture college, EARTH University. You may have heard of EARTH University, or at least its sustainable fair-trade bananas, sold in Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S. Established in 1986 as an international nonprofit agricultural education and research institution, EARTH university draws more than 430 students from over three dozen countries for a full, four-year degree in Agricultural Sciences. Led by an international faculty, EARTH University’s innovative educational approach has been preparing entrepreneurially minded young people from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and other regions to contribute to the sustainable development of their home communities while constructing a prosperous and just global society. According to its leadership, EARTH University offers a world-class scientific and technological education emphasizing ethical entrepreneurship and a strong socio-environmental commitment. Traveling with lifelong friend and colleague Jim Frank, an estate tax advisor and former fraternity brother from my Penn State University days, we were treated to lunch and extensive tours by a number of EARTH researchers, faculty and staff who generously took the time to show us sustainable banana and cacao research and production, student test plots, state of the art facilities and more. Frankly, there is no place like EARTH University. The campus is open to visitors; consider it in your travel plans if you are a tropical sustainable agriculture geek, like me. One additional note: our visit included a stop at Ecolirios, a boutique eco-resort, restaurant and modern architectural treasure located on a beautifully landscaped plateau in the heart of the mountainous rainforest up a steeply inclined, low-gear, four-wheel drive road. A bumpy ride, but once you get there, the experience is well worth it.

Finca Luna Nueva (New Moon Farm) in Peñas Blancas near Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

Finca Luna Nueva – With a newly completed, open-air, poolside restaurant built from locally sourced bamboo and other sustainable materials, plus comfortable cabins, bungalows, yoga studio and common areas located throughout the property, Finca Luna Nueva in Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica, is a jewel in the rainforest and the biodynamic pride and joy of New Chapter’s former CEO Tom Newmark and his wife Terry, owners of Finca Luna Nueva along with their longtime business partner and farm manager Steven Farrell. With its neighbor and program partner, Brave Earth, Finca Luna Nueva offers educational workshops in sustainable building and regenerative agriculture, corporate retreats, yoga retreats, and a world-class eco-resort in the heart of one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Located adjacent to the 250,000-acre Children’s Eternal Rainforest preserve near the Arenal Volcano, visitors to Finca Luna Nueva can take farm and cacao tours and view toucans, sloths, and other wildlife along the property’s hiking trails. Finca Luna Nueva was named among the Ten Best Eco-lodges in Costa Rica by Bookmundi in January 2019. Co-owner Tom Newmark co-authored a recent article in Yes! Magazine on the importance of soil health, carbon sequestration and climate change. Tom, a board member of Greenpeace USA, also is co-founder of The Carbon Underground, a nonprofit organization committed to drawing carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil to help mitigate climate change. Spoiler alert: my agency, Compass Natural, compiles a quarterly e-newsletter for Finca Luna Nueva. For more on Finca Luna Nueva, visit here or contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

OTA’s Organic Week, Washington, DC
Capping off a marathon month of travel was a visit to Washington, DC, on May 20-23, where my agency, Compass Natural, was invited by the Organic Trade Association to help plan and present an educational track focused on the growing market for organic hemp, CBD and related products as part of OTA’s annual Organic Week policy conference.

Carla Vernon, President of General Mills’ Natural & Organic Unit, speaks on May 22 at OTA’s Organic Week in Washington, D.C.

At the conference, OTA announced that sales of organic products in the U.S. surpassed $50 billion, growing 6.3% to reach a record $52.5 billion in 2018. Almost 6% (5.7%) of all food sold in the U.S. is now organic, driven in large part by demand for organic produce, dairy, plant-based products, dietary supplements, textiles and fiber. “Organic is now considered mainstream. But the attitudes surrounding organic are anything but status quo,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the OTA. “In 2018, there was a notable shift in the mindset of those working in organic toward collaboration and activism to move the needle on the role organic can play in sustainability and tackling environmental initiatives.”

As part of OTA’s Organic Week, I was scheduled to visit several congressional offices on Capitol Hill, lobbying on behalf of organic food and farming and industrial hemp, CBD and related products. The staff at the offices of Colorado Senators Michael Bennett and Cory Gardner were supportive of industrial hemp in our meetings, and in alignment with Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ goal of furthering Colorado’s leadership in industrial hemp, as were staff leaders in the offices of Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Diana DeGette. However, staff at the offices of Idaho Congressmen Russell Fulcher and Mike Simpson deferred to their state’s legislature when it came to my questions regarding Idaho’s seizure in January of a container shipment of industrial hemp from a licensed grower in Oregon bound for processing in Colorado, despite the 2018 federal Farm Bill declaring that interstate transport and commerce of hemp-derived products is now legal throughout the U.S.

In addition to our Capitol Hill visits, I moderated a lively seminar attended by a number of organic farmers interested in or already growing hemp for food, supplements and fiber as part of an educational track focused on hemp during OTA’s Organic Week. The importance of certified organic in hemp farming cannot be overstated – currently, nearly 80,000 acres are in hemp production in the U.S., and few of them are certified organic, meaning that all that hemp is being grown conventionally using toxic, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

At the seminar, longtime organic farmer Chris Jagger, owner of Blue Fox Farm in Oregon, shared how he began growing hemp three years ago. Instead of planting hemp densely, like they do for fiber production where tall stalks and little foliage are desired, Chris farms his hemp like a specialty crop, or “like vegetables,’ he says, to cultivate the delicate hemp flowers for CBD extraction. Currently, a small number of organic certifiers, including OneCert, CCOF and MOSA are certifying farms for organic hemp production, and rumor has it some other major certifiers will soon follow.

Organic agriculture is a bright spot in the U.S. farm economy, continuing to grow at a rate more than double the growth rate of the overall U.S. food market. According to new OTA data, the number of organic farms grew by 39% while the total number of farms in the U.S. shrank by 3% between 2012 and 2017. Organic products can now be found in more than 82% of U.S. homes, and in some states, including California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and my home state of Colorado, organic products are in over 90% of U.S. households. Now, after a month of travel, that’s news worth coming home to.

Noteworthy Events

• Grain Place Foundation 2019 Field Day, July 13, 2019, Marquette, NE – Help preserve the legacy of the 300-acre Grain Place organic farm in Eastern Nebraska, which first went organic in 1953 and has been shepherded by the Vetter family ever since. Join over 100 organic farmers for a tour of the Grain Place and a keynote luncheon presentation by renowned organic farming pioneer Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle, co-authors of Grain by Grain. Learn more. To sponsor the 2019 Field Day with a tax-deductible contribution, contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

• Southern Hemp Expo, Sept. 6-7, 2019, Franklin, TN – Learn about the exploding market for products derived from industrial hemp – from bioplastics to CBD – at the 2nd annual Southern Hemp Expo, the largest hemp exposition and conference in the Eastern U.S., featuring an investors summit, business conference, agriculture symposium and a full exhibition half. Visit www.SouthernHempExpo.com. To exhibit, sponsor and for more info, contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

Steven Hoffman, is Managing Director of Compass Natural, dedicated to providing brand marketing, public relations, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. A former agricultural extension agent and also former Editorial Director of New Hope Network’s natural products trade magazine and trade show division, Hoffman brings 30+ years of communications, sales and brand marketing expertise to his clientele. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

Photos: Compass Natural