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Farmer Direct Organic is Raising the Bar When it Comes to Fair Wages for Growers and Traceability for Consumers

With more than 80% of U.S. consumers purchasing organic food on a regular basis, the industry continues to surge in popularity, and there are more organic brands – and choices – than ever.

Yet, when one takes a deeper look at what is happening behind the scenes, the picture is rather unsettling. Most notably, the farmers are suffering beyond imagination.

According to the USDA, projected 2019 median farm income was expected to be -$1,636, and a majority of farmers are forced to earn off-farm income to feed their families and keep their farms afloat.

Canada-based Farmer Direct Organic, a certified organic producer of grains, seeds and legumes, is acutely aware of this problem and is making it a cornerstone of the company’s operating philosophy.

“Having seen first-hand the challenges farmers face, Farmer Direct Organic is dedicated to supporting family scale, organic, regenerative farming through transparency and by paying farmers based on the true cost of production. We believe this investment in sustainable agriculture is not only a moral imperative but is scientifically proven to be the best hope society has to mitigate climate change,” said Jason Freeman, Founder and General Manager of Farmer Direct Organic.

Along with the transparency that it provides to its family farmers, the company offers an unprecedented level of visibility to its customers.

On the back of every Farmer Direct Organic package features a string of fourteen numbers and three dashes. These numbers track each product from the farm to the shelf, when each lot was harvested, how it was processed and packaged, and even which field it was grown on.

With the exception of its oats, which are sourced from a group of organic farmers, the company is deeply committed to single-origin lots.

This means hemp seeds, for example, are not collected from 10 different farms and combined into one container to full its bags of product. No comingling ever takes place, which allows for each package to be traceable back to a single farm. This also helps to eliminate fraud, a major issue in the organic industry when it comes to grains.

Additionally, Farmer Direct Organic is an early participant in a third-party certification program called Tested Clean.

Tested Clean utilizes a method of precisely measuring pesticide levels in food and makes sure that glyphosate and other chemicals are not present in the company’s products. Although glyphosate is prohibited in organic, it has found its way into the organic food supply chain, something that poses a tremendous problem for consumers.

As a result, a growing number of organic brands, such as Farmer Direct Organic, are taking it upon themselves to rigorously test their certified organic products for pesticides, a job that the USDA does not do itself. Despite the added cost of time and money, this only ensures a higher quality, safer product for shoppers.

The fact that the company has gone to these lengths to ensure that its products are of maximum safety and quality has not gone unnoticed by industry buyers.

“We are in a constant search for best, most cutting-edge organic products and companies that are doing the right thing by consumers. That is why we started selling Farmer Direct Organic, and the feedback from our customers has been fantastic. So much so that we will be expanding with the company in a bigger and more exciting way this coming crop season,” said Dwight Richmond, Director of Center Store, Merchandising at The Fresh Market, an organic and natural supermarket chain with locations in 22 states.

Farmer Direct Organic is truly raising the bar when it comes to delivering fair and transparent organic products to the marketplace.

Needless to say, this is industry leadership at its finest.

A message from Tradin Organic

How Tradin Organic is Helping Coconut Farmers in The Philippines

For more than a decade, Tradin Organic has been working with local partners in The Philippines to bring a diversified range of organic products to the market, such as coconut oil, tropical fruits and even cocoa.

The company is helping to support local farmers by assisting them with technical support and organic certification, in addition to paying Fairtrade premium on top of the organic premium.

Learn more.

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Living Maxwell

Company Stories

Seeking a Delicious, Low Sugar Indulgence? Thankfully, Foodstirs has Launched an Organic Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

The reality is that the older we get, the more responsible we become about decreasing our sugar intake.

And while reducing the amount of sugar we consume may be the smart thing to do for our health, it is not always the easiest habit to embrace.

Luckily, there are companies such as Foodstirs — a brand that completely understands the needs of the modern consumer. We want super-clean, organic ingredients that are sustainably-sourced but a product that does not force us to sacrifice taste.

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A message from E3Live

"My Everyday, Must-Have Green Organic Aquabotanical"

The best testimonial that I can give is that I drink this every single day, as it impacts my mood in an incredibly positive way.

E3Live + BrainON is certified organic, fresh-frozen AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) with a concentrated, aqueous, organic extract of Phenylethylamine and Phycocyanin.

Learn more.

Living Maxwell

Company Stories


So, What’s It Like to Sell Dr. Bronner’s Products?

Dr. Bronner’s may very well be the most unique company in the entire organic industry.

Not only has it been producing super-high quality soaps, cleaning and personal care products, and coconut oils since 1948, but its unconventional approach and commitment to social and environmental issues truly set it apart.

Most notably, the company gives 8.6% of its revenues to hundreds of different causes. Yes, 8.6% of revenues — a staggering amount.

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Living Maxwell

Company Stories

The Best Farmers Market in the U.S. is in Miami, Florida

Most people would probably say that choosing the best farmers market in the country would be based on selection, prices, quantity, how much is organic, crowds, and overall experience.

For me, it is much more simple.

Which farmers market will dictate my entire travel schedule just so I can be there for it?

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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink