Community

With more than 70 years of collective experience in building successful dairy and organic companies, there isn’t too much Mark Retzloff, Chairman, Aurora Organic Dairy, and Mark Peperzak, CEO, Aurora Organic Dairy, don’t know about the organic dairy industry. Five years ago they co-founded Aurora Organic Dairy. Bringing knowledge and expertise, as well as an unwavering commitment to accessibility and affordability, they have managed to position Aurora Organic Dairy as one of the leading suppliers of high quality organic milk to average Americans. By focusing on organic stewardship, sustainable farming practices, innovative business models, and practical community involvement, Aurora Organic Dairy is well placed to bring organic milk into...

Agriculture is not only affected by climate change, but also contributes significantly to it. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors related to agriculture are estimated to contribute up to 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. According to Dr. Timothy J. LaSalle, CEO The Rodale Institute, “…agriculture is an undervalued and underestimated climate change tool that could be one of the most powerful strategies in the fight against global warming”. Unfortunately, conventional agricultural practices exacerbate rather than alleviate the effects of climate change. Organic agriculture on the other hand - with its emphasis on closed nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and effective soil management - appears to have the capacity to mitigate and even...

Dagoba Organic Chocolate, a company that grew rapidly from humble beginnings, has become one of the world’s most respected manufacturers of premium organic chocolate. Frederick Schilling, the driving force behind Dagoba, recently shared with us his views on chocolate, Dagoba, and life in general. It’s always inspiring to hear the thoughts and views of someone like Frederick. Clearly, he loves what he is doing. And like many within the organic community, Frederick has a real social conscience. Through the principles of fair trade and the careful development of mutually beneficial long-term relationships, Frederick is ensuring that those involved in articulating his dream are also able to share in the benefits of Dagoba’s hard-earned...

Sandra Slack is the head of Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library. Sandra, together with a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, performs the important role of conserving, documenting, and making available a range of vegetable varieties that are no longer widely circulated. This is time-consuming work that requires significant attention to detail. The work undertaken by Sandra and her team ensures that crop genetic material can be retained for future generations. Organic Guide recently interviewed Sandra to find out more about her work and the crucial role played within the organic movement by Garden Organic. Q: How and when was Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library established? A: Through the mid 1970s legislation was introduced...

What do you get when you take a team of vibrant, motivated, health-focused women, and couple them with leading edge research into organic skincare? Juice Beauty. Juice Beauty manufactures and markets innovative organic skincare solutions for men and women from around the world. Juice Beauty’s dedication to quality and their obvious commitment to the organic movement have positioned them as leaders in the organic skincare category. Organic Guide recently caught up with Melissa Jochim, Director of Product Development, from Juice Beauty. Q: Why did you choose to focus on organic as opposed to conventional skincare treatments? A: Juice Beauty is masterminded by a team of women who are passionate about organic and healthy lifestyles and whose...