Issue 01_Master_compressed

ISSUE 1

ORGANIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

Transformation

Meet

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Farmers

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All the Secrets

Farm

Fresh

Recipes

Regenerative

Conversations

SOIL, WHAT EVERY

FARMER NEEDS TO KNOW

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CAN FARMERS BE

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HEART & SOIL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 1 REGENERATIVE CONVERSATIONS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Natalie Forstbauer

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Leslie Ambrose

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Kaymie de Jesus

VIDEO CREDITS

CAN FARMERS BE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS?

Directed by Jean-Marc Abela

Produced by Équiterre and Régénération Canada

WE UNITE

Initiated by: IFOAM

International Produced by: Common Table Creative

In Partnership with: iCoolKid Production, Thred Media

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE

Certified Organic Association of British Columbia

Keynote by Dag Falck

REGENERATION: THE BEGINNING

Director: Nicol Ragland

Executive Producer: Dr Zach Bush

Powered by: Seraphic Group

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeff Moyer, CEO, Rodale Institute

Sarah Dent, Young Agrarians

Darcy Smith, Young Agrarians

Dana Penrice, Young Agrarians

Chef David McMillan

Marie-Pierre Bilodeau, REFARMERS

Dr. Elaine Ingham, Microbiologist

Kate Spring, Good Heart Farmstead

Dag Falck, Organic Program Manager, Nature’s Path

Leslie Ambrose, Ambrose Empowerment

Farmer’s Footprint

Diane Epstein, Artist

Aube Giroux, Kitchen Vignettes

OMRI

Jackie Marie Beyer, Green Organic Garden Podcast

Eric Payseur, Organic Transition Manager, Canadian

Organic Growers

Kevin and Annamarie Klippenstein, Klippers Organic

Acres

Ken McCormick, IFOAM

Niklaus Forstbauer, Forstbauer Farm

Arran Stephens, Chair & Co-Founder, Nature’s Path

NATURE MATTERS

Video Production and Fresco Photography by Diane Epstein

Song “Ancient Mother” by Sacred Earth

TRAILS OF REGENERATION: STEMPLE CREEK RANCH SURVIVES COVID-19 BY

SELLING DIRECT TO CONSUMERS

Video by Regeneration International

All health content in our publication is for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute

professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.

© Heart and Soil Living Ltd. 2021. All rights reserved. For permission to reproduce any article in this

publication, contact connect@heartandsoilmagazine.com.

Field Notes

FROM THE EDITOR

ISSUE 1 REGENERATIVE CONVERSATIONS

NATALIE FORSTBAUER

The Energy You Sow Nurtures the Seeds You Grow

Our World has taken pause. A

pandemic is here. It’s happening.

Discomfort. Uncertainty. Anxiety. Angst.

Tension. Division.

And at the same time…

Hope. Connection. Possibilities. Gratitude.

Awakenings.

We, humanity, are taking inventory and

stock of what matters most deeply and

dearly.

I was raised on a certified organic and

biodynamic vegetable and blueberry

farm. In 1989 my parents expanded their

small 16.5 acre certified organic farm

from Matsqui BC in Canada to 110 acres

in Chilliwack BC. I was 18 years old at the

time. I grew up with the understanding

organic food tastes better, has no

chemicals on it, and might even be better

for the environment and our health.

I was excited to move to a bigger farm,

but as I grabbed a handful of soil my

eyebrows furrowed. The soil was dry and

lifeless. There was not a bug, a worm, or

any movement in an entire handful of

earth! I wondered how could this be! And

I pondered if the earth in my hands might

be similar to what people talk about on

the moon.

It was odd. I had never seen soil like that

before. My brothers and sisters and I

searched the entire farm for worms to go

fishing in the waterway along the front

of the property. We could not find one

worm. Not one.

I was used to soil rich in worms and filled

with all sorts of bugs and life. I knew the

land had been farmed conventionally

before we bought it – heavily sprayed

with chemicals, and I wondered why my

dad would buy a farm with such terribly

dry and gritty dirt!

What I didn’t know at the time is that

witnessing the soil come back to life

through regenerative organic and

biodynamic practices would be one of the

most transformational experiences of my

life.

be intentional about where we invest

our time and energy as we continue and

emerge into new ways of being as we

navigate our way through the pandemic.

It feels like an invitation deepen into who

we are, to deepen into nature’s wisdom

and to deepen into mother earth’s

guidance.

Heart & Soil Magazine is an invitation

for us to join together in conversation

advocating for planetary health through

regenerative farming and gardening.

Heart & Soil is a place to share stories, be

inspired, learn, and uplift our gardeners,

farmers, communities, humanity and our

planet.

Life is dynamic. It’s our time to rise

together, to unite, and to meet each other

with compassion and grace as we learn

and grow together for ourselves, our

children, and our planet.

I’m excited to be here with you.

It was miraculous and awe-inspiring.

At that moment of rebirth, I knew the

Earth, no matter what happened to it,

would and could heal itself given the

opportunity.

Today we are learning through science

that the chemicals we are putting on

our foods and using to farm are in fact

impacting our health and the health of

the soil. Science is also showing us soil is

teeming with life! Up to a billion different

organisms can be in one teaspoon of soil.

I like to think of the pandemic pause as

an opportunity to reflect and reset. To

Natalie Forstbauer

Editor-In-Chief

Heart & Soil Magazine

HEART & SOIL MAGAZINE

CONTENTS

FIELD NOTES

By Natalie Forstbauer

Planetary health starts with soil and the foods we

eat. What can you do?

AS THE WORLD REOPENS, A THREAT

TO OUR HEALTH STILL LOOMS

By Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute CEO

Discover how to maintain healthy ecosystems in the

soil, on the planet, and in our bodies as we seek to

recover globally from Covid-19.

YOUNG AGRARIANS IN CANADA

By Dana Penrice, Sara Dent, and Darcy Smith

Meet young Canadian farmers whose mission

is to promote inclusivity and teach regenerative

agricultural methods.

MEET YOUR FARMERS

#IGrowYourFood

WE UNITE

Why farmers are fed up and what they’re doing

about it.

CAN FARMERS BE

CLIMATE CHAMPIONS?

This powerful video highlights the environmental

impact of agriculture with Chef David McMillan from

Joe Beef and Liverpool House.

SOIL REGENERATION IN EAST AFRICA

By Marie-Pierre Bilodeau, Founder, REFARMERS

Transforming land, individuals, and communities

with permaculture food forests.

WHAT ALL SOIL NEEDS

Interview with Dr. Elaine Ingham

Discover how to regenerate soil without chemicals,

fertilizers, and pesticides with knowledge and

insight from the world’s foremost soil biologist.

GROWING TECHNIQUES TO BUILD

SOIL AND SEQUESTER CARBON

By Kate Spring

Practicing regenerative farming to nurture living

soils for healthy land, food, and communities.

HEALTH IN A HURRY

5 Simple Nourishing Tips

6 HEART & SOIL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 1

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

FOR THE FUTURE

Celebrated Keynote by Dag Falck

Discover bright ideas for a bright future of organics.

FARM FRESH RECIPE: CRAZY GOOD

ROASTED VEGGIES WITH MACADAMIA

NUT CRUST

Hearty, delicious dish with the flavor of family and

friends.

THE TIME IS NOW


Chemicals are not serving farmers as promised.

What’s happening and what can we do about it?

REGENERATION: THE BEGINNING

Film by Farmer’s Footprint

Conventional farming degrades soil and increases

costs. Explore the solution of regenerative farming.

NATURE MATTERS

By Diane Epstein

A visual musical meditation highlighting

biodiversity.

FARM FRESH RECIPE: QUEBEC STYLE

YELLOW PEA SOUP

Yummy and nutritious soup that savors heritage.

GARDENING HACKS

MEET OMRI


What’s acceptable to use in organic farming and

organic production and what’s not?

HOT HARVEST: THE GREEN ORGANIC

GARDEN PODCAST WITH JACKIE

MARIE BEYER

Tips and techniques for organic gardening.

BUSINESS OF FARMING: THE

URGENCY AND ECONOMICS OF

TRANSITIONING TO ORGANIC

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

By Eric Payseur

Can healthy soil and organic farming help increase

yields and profits in farming?

SOIL TO TABLE: KLIPPERS ORGANICS

LAUNCHES AWARD-WINNING

RESTAURANT

The Similkameen Valley in British Columbia Canada

becomes home to one of the most creative and

diverse restaurants, Row Fourteen.

FARMING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

By Ken McCormick

How COVID is transforming our farming and

agricultural systems and reorienting food policies.

IS BIODYNAMIC FARMING

REGENERATIVE?

With Niklaus Forstbauer,

3rd generation biodynamic organic farmer

REAL ORGANIC FARMING –

IS IT REGENERATIVE?

By Arran Stephens, Chair &

Co-Founder of Nature’s Path

Will organic farming have to change or go back to its

old ways to be regenerative?

GEM-TV INSPIRES ENVIRONMENTAL

TRANSFORMATION

By Natalie Forstbauer & Leslie Ambrose

Introducing a powerful media platform inspiring

global transformation through stories and science.

DEMOCRACY AT THE DINNER TABLE

By Aube Giroux

Capitalism has put profits in front of health. Learn

how regulatory agencies meant to control and

protect our health and food system are failing.

HEART & SOIL MAGAZINE 7

As the World Reopens

A THREAT TO OUR

HEALTH STILL LOOMS

By Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute CEO

What we eat, and how we grow

it, is critical to maintaining our

health as we seek to recover

from a global pandemic.

What we eat, and how we grow it, is

critical to maintaining our health

as we seek to recover from a

global pandemic.

The world is slowly reopening—but the

COVID-19 crisis isn’t over, and everyone still

has concerns. While in many areas, the number

of cases is decreasing, our health will remain

in danger until we make a major change and

paradigm shift.

The solution is our soil and in our food. What

we eat is critical to protecting our health, and

our broken food system needs an overhaul.

The coronavirus pandemic has focused

the spotlight on the importance of health,

immunity, and disease prevention. We watched

as our medical systems became inundated

with patients, while feeling helpless to support

our own health in the face of an invisible threat.

As we return to a new normal, it is imperative

that we stay vigilant about maintaining our

health. Sales of organic food rose 22 percent

in March and 18 percent in April as consumers

looked for ways to boost their immune

systems. We cannot return to our industrial,

chemical food that is harming both people and

the planet. We need resilient agriculture for the

future.

What we eat is directly related to how we feel

and how we protect our health. So why have

we allowed an agricultural system that sprays

our food with chemicals, disproportionately

harms vulnerable communities, and poisons

our environment to be the main source of food

for our families? Why is our medical system so

out of touch with the role that food plays in our

physical health, prescribing pharmaceuticals

for lifestyle diseases that create even more side

effects and problems?


For too long, farmers and doctors have been

siloed while pursuing the same goal: keeping

people healthy. It’s far past time that we

bring these individuals, and professions, back

together.

At Rodale Institute, our

research has shown not only

that organic can feed the

world, but that it can feed

the world’s families more

nutrient-dense food, full of

natural antioxidants and

phytonutrients that can

prevent, suspend, and even

reverse the most wide-spread

of lifestyle diseases.

The path towards change can be found in

Regenerative Healthcare. At Rodale Institute,

our research has shown not only that organic

can feed the world, but that it can feed the

world’s families more nutrient-dense food, full

of natural antioxidants and phytonutrients that

can prevent, suspend, and even reverse the

most wide-spread of lifestyle diseases.

And yet, the Standard American Diet comprises

only 11 percent of its calories from whole plant

foods, and more than 50 percent from highly

processed products. Today, over 70 percent

of global deaths are due to lifestyle-related

diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease,

diabetes, and chronic immune disorders.

When facing a threat as strong as COVID-19, we

need to avail ourselves of every support system


we have. Our diet is one of the simplest ways to

improve our health and take control over our

lives. And yet, many medical students receive

less than 25 hours of training in nutrition during

their entire education.

We must combine what we know about the

power of food with our knowledge of nutrition

and our bodies, working to prevent disease

through an organic, whole-foods, plant-forward

diet that begins on farms that work in harmony

with nature. Regenerative Healthcare is the

only path forward.

Results from Rodale Institute’s Farming

Systems Trial, a 40-year side-by-side

comparison of organic and conventional grain

cropping systems, has shown conclusively

that organic systems are not only comparable

to conventional systems in terms of yields,

but can yield up to 40 percent higher in years

of inclement weather like drought. Organic

systems also use 45 percent less energy,

reducing carbon emissions.




We started this research in 1981, long before a

worldwide pandemic upended our society. The

wholesale benefits of a regenerative organic

food system were true then and are even

truer now. Consumers clearly understand that

organic food is healthier, as organic grocery

sales and CSA memberships have skyrocketed

since the pandemic took hold.

Adapting the holistic, regenerative model to our

nation’s healthcare systems is a crucial step in

improving human health. A shift in our medical

system away from pharmaceutical-based

disease management towards an integrative

system founded on lifestyle medicine—

supported by organic, nutrient-dense whole

foods—could dramatically alter the trajectory

of chronic disease and create a healthier future.

Let us agree—we cannot forget the critical role

our food plays in protecting our health. Though

the everyday threat of COVID-19 will eventually

be a memory, the decisions we make about our

food will always affect us. Take the first steps to

protect your health now. You won’t regret it.


About the Author

Jeff Moyer is the Chief Executive Officer of

Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He

has worked in regenerative organic farming

for over 40 years and is the author of Organic

No-Till Farming: Advancing No-Till Agriculture.

Reference full white paper,

The Power of the Plate


The Futurre Is Orrganic

Rodale Institute is grrowing the orrganic movement thrrough rrigorrous, solutionsbased

rresearrch, farrmerr trraining, and consumerr education.

Visit RodaleInstitute.orrg forr:

Educational webinarrs

Farrmerr trraining prrogrrams

Updates on ourr rresearrch

Want to learrn morre? Stay in touch!

Sign up forr ourr email

Follow along!

newsletterr.

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE CONVERSATIONS

Young Agrarians

In Canada

Young Agrarians Is Working to Grow a

New Generation of Regenerative Farmers

and Land Managers in Canada.

By Dana Penrice, Sara Dent, and Darcy Smith

Y

oung Agrarians (YA) is a network for

new and young ecological farmers in

Canada. We recognize the Indigenous

lands and territories that we work on and

alongside, and are committed to providing

programs and services that are inclusive and

available to farmers and friends of diverse

backgrounds. Our network is volunteer-driven,

with farmers across the country organizing onfarm

events and building community to create

spaces for knowledge sharing and growth.

Why? The state of our planet calls for an overhaul

of industrial farming practices. We need to

grow a new generation of farmers leading

this change by managing soils to mitigate

climate change and restore ecosystems. Using

ecological land stewardship practices, farming

is uniquely positioned to address some of the

largest challenges affecting us today.

Kwesi Haizel and Meghan Vesey of Akesi Farms are

mentors in the YA Alberta Apprenticeship Program

helping us grow the next generation of regenerative

farmers. Photo by Akesi Farms.


What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is a method of

farming that “improves the resources it uses,

rather than destroying or depleting them.” 1 It

includes farming and grazing practices that,

among other benefits, mitigate climate change

by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring

degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both

carbon drawdown from the atmosphere and

improving the water cycle. 2

Organic and biodynamic farmers are central

to the regenerative agriculture movement

because their third-party verification system

requires the use of regenerative practices.

Organic and biodynamic farmers place

caring for the land as a top priority, and build

healthy, living soils that contribute to carbon

sequestration. Because organic and biodynamic

farmers have standards to achieve, they have

attained a level of consumer confidence in their

products connecting the dots between healthy

soil, healthy food, and regenerative farming

practices for all of us who eat.

What Does it Look Like?

Regenerative Principles: 3

• Minimize or eliminate tillage

• Protect and cover the soil

• Maintain living roots in the soil

• Increase biodiversity

• Integrate livestock

Regenerative farming includes practices like

intercropping which adds biodiversity above the soil

and below. Photo by Melisa Zapisocky.

Regenerative Practices

The principles can be expressed in a number of

different farming practices that include but are

not limited to:

• Zero-till gardening and cropping

• Using multi-species cover crops in between

cash crops

• Agroforestry, silvopasture, and food forests

• Planting shelterbelts, ecobuffers, and

pollinator strips

• Integrating livestock grazing into cropping

systems

• Planned grazing with one or multiple species



better able to infiltrate water in the landscape, it

would reduce the occurrence of urban flooding

downstream. They also lower the use of inputs

reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and pesticide

run-off that enters into the water system.

Carbon Sequestration

Drawing carbon from the atmosphere is

arguably one of the most important things we

can do to mitigate climate change. Regenerative

farming sequesters carbon into the soil,

benefitting all of us.

Biodiversity

Cover crop seed mix. Cover crops help extend living

roots in the soil, provide cover for the soil, can be

part of integrating livestock and provide habitat for

pollinators. Photo by Krissy Teall.

How Do We Know Regeneration Is Happening?

Farms across Canada are demonstrating the

impact of regenerative farming that can benefit

all of us.

Civilizations rise and fall based

on the quality of their soil.

Soil Health

Civilizations rise and fall based on the quality

of their soil. Regenerative farms focus on

improving soil biology and see a return

of microbes, fungi, and macro-fauna, like

earthworms! These soils are better able to fend

off disease and pests but most importantly

grow nutrient dense food.

Watersheds

Regenerative farms show improved water

holding capacity in their soil. If farmland was

Regenerative farms are not only good for the

farmer and the consumers, they create habitat

for pollinators, native plants, and wildlife.

What About Regenerating Farmers?

In thinking about how we avoid depleting

resources in our farming systems, one of the

resources we need to remember is the farmer!

Regenerative farming, for YA, is also about

replenishing and growing the farmers on the

land and the communities around them.

At the same time that we are faced with the

need to transition farms toward regenerative

practices, we are also faced with a significant

land transfer and succession challenge, as

well as engaging more people into farming.

YA is uniquely positioned to address these

converging challenges of transitioning farm

practices, farms, and farmland.

Through our robust online ecosystem, on

and off farm events year round, on farm

apprenticeship program, business mentorship

network and B.C. Land Matching Program, we

are working to grow a resilient future.


Learn more and get involved at:

Dana Penrice

Darcy Smith

Dana Penrice, the Prairie Program Manager

for the Young Agrarians, also works as the

Holistic Management Canada Coordinator and

is an Accredited Professional with the Savory

Institute. Through this work she supports

others in transitioning to regenerative farming

and understanding the financial, ecological and

social impact.

Sara Dent

Darcy Smith, Land Program Manager at Young

Agrarians, is also Editor at BC Organic Grower

and an author. A weaver of words and wool,

a grower of food and ideas, Darcy specializes

in agroecology & the organic sector, nutrition,

food sovereignty, sustainability, and fibre arts.

Sources

1 Rodale Institute.

2 The Carbon Underground and Regenerative Agriculture Initiative,

2017.

3 Washington State University. Regenerative Agriculture: Solid Principles,

Extraordinary Claims.

Sara Dent, the Executive Director and

Co-Founder of Young Agrarians, has 20+

years of experience growing youth programs,

fundraising, building community, and working

for social change. Sara dreams of a world where

both the ecology of the land and the ecology of

the gut are at the heart of modern culture.



Meet the Farmers

Who Grow Our Food

#IGrowYourFood

IIn celebration

of the farmers

who grow our

food in harmony

with nature, the

International Federation

of Organic Agriculture

Movements (IFOAM)

#IGrowYourFood

Action Day was 25th

September.

#WeUnite

‘We Unite’ is a window

into the lives of two

organic farmers and

the reasons they join

the yearly ‘We are Fed-

Up’ demonstration in

Germany. Along with

hundreds of other

farmers, they drive their

tractors into the heart

of Berlin where they

unite with thousands

of citizens calling for a

better food and farming

system for all.

Initiated by:

IFOAM International

Produced by:

Common Table Creative

In Partnership with: iCoolKid

Production, Thred Media


Can Farmers

Be Climate Champions?

When you choose to buy

food that was produced

regeneratively, you’re

supporting farmers that

help fight climate change.



If you eat food, this

applies to you, so listen

up! David McMillan,

chef at Joe Beef and

Liverpool House, talks

regenerative agriculture.

When you choose to buy food that

was produced regeneratively, you’re

supporting farmers that help fight

climate change.

Go to your local farmers’ market.

Ask questions.

Help spread the word and share this

video!

Credits:

Directed by

Jean-Marc Abela.

Produced by

Équiterre

and Régénération Canada.

Thank you to the wonderful Canadian farmers

who invited us to visit their farms.


Soil Regeneration

in East Africa

By Marie-Pierre Bilodeau, Founder, REFARMERS



A

s awareness about the importance

of soil health rises, explanations

about what happens to degrade

naturally healthy soils follow a distinct pattern.

East Africa is a prime example of how these

problems manifest and, in some areas, a great

example of how people can take action to regenerate

soils.

Soil health in East Africa starts with trees.

From the pre-colonial era, demand for

development like farms requiring pasture,

urban expansion, housing, exotic-wood timber

exports, firewood, and charcoal production led

to vast deforestation. It has been exacerbated

by industrialization and economic growth

since the 1960’s, and since 1980 conventional

farmland has increased by 50%.




After forests disappear, many areas suffer

soil depletion and there is a transition to land

that becomes relatively impervious to rainfall.

Without the deep roots of trees to hold soils

in place, soils dry out and become much more

prone to erosion. In addition, the soil is no

longer shielded and shaded, therefore exposed

to the sun’s harsh radiation, killing important

living components like beneficial microbes and

mycorrhizae in the topsoil.

These factors then prevent the soil from being

able to retain water. We hear a lot about flooding

during Kenya and Uganda’s rainy seasons. The

reason for flooding is due to poor soil health

and the land’s inability to absorb water. Also,

long periods of drought which lead in part to

extremely dry soils are caused by the lack of

trees and forests that can create rain-inducing

microclimates.

Enter Permaculture: a form of regenerative

agriculture that mimics nature in a closed-loop

holistic design system. In permaculture, “food

forests” are used to grow food as opposed to

mono-cropped parcels of farmland. They foster

biodiversity which is another important aspect

to creating ideal soil health.


Enter Permaculture:

a form of regenerative

agriculture that mimics

nature in a closed-loop

holistic design system.

Food forests populated with nitrogen-fixing

trees shade crops like legumes, which are

interplanted with other important fruits and

vegetables. This natural reliance on trees helps

create an environment that enhances soil health

and, in turn, is the ecosystem through which all

forms of life thrive, including humans.

Through REFARMERS’ East Africa Permaculture

Projects in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, we have

witnessed land, communities, and individuals

transformed by the introduction of food forests.

This refreshing new form of agriculture, which is

actually based on traditional farming techniques

that were well established long before agrochemicals

were introduced, has the potential to

save lives and positively impact communities.

Mostly, we use “human power” to establish

acres of food forest. We hand-weed and

use a layer of mulch to suppress the growth

of unwelcome plants. This form of organic

agriculture uses natural amendments such as

fermented “bokashi” compost, homemade biopesticides

with ingredients like chilli peppers or

rabbit urine, and natural fertilizers like worm

castings. There is no need for chemicals in our

process, and all these things can be replicated

anywhere in the world; on a large or small scale,

commercial farm, or home garden.

Water harvesting techniques like swales and

ponds are used within the food forest system

and are integral to subsistence farming in

regions where large-scale irrigation is impossible

due to financial limitations and water scarcity.

Healthy soils that have been improved through

composting, planting trees and perennials,

among other things, can retain water within

the system for up to a month of drought. This

is extraordinary in terms of the ability to farm

in places where water scarcity is a major issue.

We work in places which have up to 8 months of

drought, and still it is possible to farm when soil

health is maintained and water is harvested.



When soil is healthy, like in a forest setting, it is

protected from the brutality of wind and rain.

Natural mulch from fallen leaves hides the soil

and helps keep moisture in, ground covering

plants that coat the forest floors help in the same

way, and deep roots from perennial growth

holds the soil in place. Natural decomposition of

leaves and other decaying matter consistently

feed the soil natural amendments. All these

things are integral for ideal soil health and

happen naturally in a forest setting. This is what

food forests do.

When we farm

with soil health in

mind, people and

communities thrive.


East Africa is the perfect place to really see

regenerative agriculture in action. Fruits

and vegetables grow so quickly in equatorial

regions that sometimes soil remediation and

reforestation happen right before your eyes.

These processes function and flourish on all

soils, depleted or healthy. They create or sustain

a thriving ecosystem above and below ground.

Whether it is water harvesting, mulching, cover

cropping or silvopasture, we can all make a

positive impact through our farming practices.

It is important that people start using at least

some of these organic regenerative methods of

farming in every country of the world.

When we farm with the future health of

the planet in mind, agriculture takes on a

completely different meaning because it is an

interdependent relationship between the soil,

the community, the plants, and the future.

When we farm with soil health in mind, people

and communities thrive. Building a resilient

community starts with having a strong local

food system. That is as true in East Africa as it

is in North America. Regenerative agriculture

is a not only an approach to organic farming,

but it is also a socioeconomic movement and a

philosophy of life.



About the Author

Marie-Pierre Bilodeau

After twelve successful years creating and

managing her “Organically Grown, Ethically

Sewn” eco-clothing brand called Rabbit &

Empee, MP realized that her efforts to find

sustainability, regeneration and fulfillment

fell short of the life she aspired to live. She

studied permaculture and earned her PDC

(Permaculture Design Certificate) at Seven

Ravens Permaculture Academy on Salt Spring

Island and her hands-on training was done

in East Africa where she continues to work

today. She’s the founder of REFARMERS.

org, an international organization that build

demonstration farms and gardens to support

local communities.


Did you know one teaspoon of healthy

soil can host a billion organisms?



What All

Soil Needs


“Dr. Elaine Ingham’s research and

discoveries will change the way we farm.”



World-renowned soil biology expert, Dr. Elaine Ingham, has scientifically demonstrated what

regenerative organic and biodynamic farmers have been doing for decades: building healthy soil.

Hans Forstbauer, Founder of the award-winning farm

Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm

Dr. Elaine Ingham founder of SoilFoodWeb.com shares the secret

to making even the poorest soil nutrient rich.



Soil is teeming with microbes! One tiny teaspoon

of healthy soil can be home to as many as a

billion different organisms. A BILLION! There

can be 100s of yards or even 40 miles, MILES, of

fungi in one teaspoon of healthy soil.

Dr. Elaine says it’s easy! We just have to make

good compost.

Stay tuned for future conversations.

Healthy soil sequesters carbon, mitigates soil

erosion, protects and nurtures waterways,

increases yields, grows healthy plants and food,

nurtures a healthy gut biome, and gives life to

our planet.

Soil is universal. We all depend on soil. My training

is in alternative and complementary medicine,

and I am passionate about people living healthy

fulfilling lives. Twenty years ago, my dad said to

me, “Natalie, if you really want to make a difference

and help people be healthy, you will teach people

about soil and the importance of soil health.”

I now understand. Science is demonstrating

what he meant by that. There is still much for

us to learn about soil health and how it relates

to the gut biome and animal and human health.

And at the same time, we know enough now to

know its importance.

Healthy soil matters.

That is where we need to start.

World-renowned soil biology expert, Dr. Elaine

Ingham, has scientifically demonstrated the power

of healthy soil. She has given validation to what

regenerative organic and biodynamic farmers

have been doing for decades: building healthy soil.

It’s time for us each to take a stand for our health

and the health of our planet by eating organic,

biodynamic, ecological, biological and pastureraised

food. Every effort makes a difference.

The effect of simply choosing a pound of organic

food a few times a year multiplies. Imagine a

million people making that choice.

Dr. Elaine Ingham discovered the Soil Food Web

nearly four decades ago. Today her science and

Soil Food Web practices are being used with

huge success worldwide on six continents to

build healthy soil.

About Dr. Elaine Ingham

Dr. Ingham discovered the soil food web nearly 4

decades ago and has been pioneering research

ever since. Widely recognized as the world’s

foremost soil biologist, she’s passionate about

empowering ordinary people to bring the soils

in their community back to life.

Dr. Elaine’s Soil Food Web Approach has been

used to successfully restore the ecological

functions of soils on six continents. The

courses offered by Dr. Elaine’s Soil Food Web

School have been designed for people with no

relevant experience – making them accessible

to individuals who wish to retrain and to begin

a meaningful and impactful career in an area

that will help to secure the survival of humans

and other species.

Visit: www.soilfoodweb.com to learn more

B.A., Biology and Chemistry, St. Olaf College

M.S., Microbiology, Texas A&M University

Ph.D., Microbiology, Colorado State University



Nurture

Nature


Growing Techniques to Build

Soil and Sequester Carbon

By Kate Spring

I

n Vermont and across the country, climate

change poses increasing challenges for

farmers: flood and drought, unpredictable

weather, increased pest pressure and new

strains of diseases. At the same time, the

agricultural sector is a leading cause of the

greenhouse gasses that lead to climate change.

It doesn’t have to be, though. Just as the

organic movement has offered an alternative

to industrial agriculture, the Regenerative

Agriculture movement is growing with the goal

of reversing climate change altogether.

The organization Regeneration International

defines regenerative agriculture this way:

The key to regenerative agriculture is that it not

only “does no harm” to the land but actually

improves it, using technologies that regenerate

and revitalize the soil and the environment.

Regenerative agriculture leads to healthy soil,

capable of producing high quality, nutrient dense

food while simultaneously improving, rather

than degrading land, and ultimately leading

to productive farms and healthy communities

and economies. It is a dynamic and holistic,

incorporating permaculture and organic farming

practices, including conservation tillage, cover

crops, crop rotation, composting, mobile animal

shelters and pasture cropping, to increase food

production, farmers’ income and especially,

topsoil.

I first came upon this movement thanks to

livestock farming friends, who could draw a

clear line between grazing animals and growing

soil. As ungulates graze, they spread manure

and aerate the soil, while poultry scratches

at the upper layers of soil, helping integrate

nutrients as they go. After grazing, the pasture



regrows with the nutrients from the manure,

and pulls carbon from the air, sending it

underground through the roots.

Though different from grazing systems,

vegetable farms, too, have a role to play in

regenerative agriculture. Soil is the foundation

of both organic and regenerative systems. To

retain this fundamental building block, the

regenerative vegetable farmer’s main goals

must be reducing soil loss and increasing

organic matter.

Sown pathways. Pathways can leave soil

exposed. Seed them in annual rye for a green

pathway that requires minimal maintenance,

smothers weeds, and increases organic matter.

Straw or leaf mulch in pathways and on beds

helps retain moisture and increase nutrients

in the soil. As they break down, they will also

add organic matter. Landscape fabric or plastic

mulch helps retain moisture and cover the soil,

and may be a more time efficient option for

larger farms.

Rye cover crop, High Mowing Seeds

Straw mulch helps to suppress weeds without

disturbing the soil at Good Heart Farmstead.

Practical ways to reduce soil loss and keep

the soil covered include:

Cover cropping. Cover crops help reduce

erosion and loss of nitrogen to the air while

increasing organic matter. Some crops, like

clover, field peas and vetch add nitrogen while

roots break up compacted soil. And like the

grasses in a pasture, as cover crops grow they

pull carbon into the soil through their roots.

When incorporating cover crops into the soil,

switch from tilling to mowing and harrowing

the crops to decrease the disruption of soil

structure and the release of soil carbon.


Plan successions. Careful planning can

decrease the time between crop successions.

When transplanting, aim to pull one crop and

plant another in the same day, both increasing

overall yield potential and decreasing the

amount of time soil is left exposed.

A harder practice to implement on organic

vegetable farms is no-till. Tilling has traditionally

been one of the organic farmer’s main ways

to suppress weeds and incorporate plant

residues. Though it achieves these goals, it does

so at a cost to the soil structure, leaving soil

workable but without the structural integrity

that increases its ability to retain water in times

of drought and resist erosion in times of heavy

rainfall or flood; most critically, tilling also

releases carbon from the soil. No-till production

methods help keep carbon sequestered and

build organic matter at the same time.

For small farms, the transition to no-till can

include these practices:

Permanent bed system. Using a permanent

bed system, the soil structure remains intact all

season long. Consistent cultivation is important

for weed management; on the upside, weed

seeds are not brought up to the surface as they

are during tilling. Over time, weed pressure may

decrease using this management technique.

Permanent bed systems work well with the use

of plastic mulch or landscape fabric, which take

away the need for cultivation.

Sheet composting. This method of building soil

and opening space requires the right timing and

a willingness to prep fields without the use of a

tractor, but can work well with permanent bed

systems. In the fall, layer cardboard, compost,

and leaves or straw. That’s it—the cardboard

will begin to break down through the winter,

and the space will be ready for planting come

spring or early summer. This prep can be done

on specific beds to increase soil organic matter,

or can be done over a larger area to create a

new growing space for the following season.




the first 2-3”. We then pull up the plastic, rake

off the residue, and direct-seed. Alternatively,

in the springtime when we want to prepare

space in advance, we’ll lay a silage tarp instead

of clear plastic. This is most effective when left

on for 4-6 weeks, giving time for weed seeds

to germinate and die off, the soil temperature

to increase, and keeping the soil covered until

planting time arrives.

Broadforking a permanent raised bed at Good

Heart Farmstead.

Broadforking. At Good Heart Farmstead, the

broadfork is our most important tool, as every

bed is broadforked to loosen and aerate soil

before planting. The broadfork allows loosening

the soil without inverting it, thereby keeping

the soil structure intact. This subsequently

increases the soil’s ability to absorb and hold

moisture, increasing resilience during both

drought and flood.

Soil Solarization. Prep beds for new

successions by cleaning out the old crop (either

by flail-mowing or hand-pulling) and laying

clear plastic over the bed(s). This heats up the

soil, killing weed seeds and pathogens, and

prepares the bed for a direct-seeded crop.

At Good Heart, we use clear plastic when we

want to turn a bed over quickly, mowing the

previous crop and laying the plastic down on

a sunny day, letting it heat the soil for 24-36

hours to increase the soil temperature to 85º in

Use compost to prepare beds for direct seeding.

In place of tilling, rake a 1” layer of compost

over the bed for a uniform, flat seeding area.

This will increase compost use, but it will also

improve soil (on our farm, we’ve found it helps

with uniform germination as well). As with all

inputs, it’s wise to take a soil test each year to

be sure the compost levels are appropriate.

At Good Heart Farmstead, we’ve swapped

raking with running a power harrow on a BCS



walk-behind tractor over the beds to increase

efficiency. When transitioning a bed from one

crop to another, our standard preparation:

flail mow, broadfork, spread compost, harrow,

seed. Unlike a tiller, the power harrow works

horizontally on the top inch of soil, creating an

even, flat space without mixing soil layers. A

tilther, which works only the top 2 inches of soil,

is another option used on low-till farms.

While some refer to Regenerative Agriculture

as “beyond organic,” to me it harkens back to

the foundation of organic farming: living soils

and farming practices that enhance the health

of land and people.

Kate Spring

Kate Spring is an organic farmer and writer in

Vermont, where she and her husband run Good

Heart Farmstead, a CSA farm with a mission

to make local food accessible to low-income

families. She writes about farming, business,

and creativity.

Resources

To learn more about Regenerative Agriculture,

visit Regeneration International and Vermont’s

chapter, Regeneration Vermont.

Originally published on highmowingseeds.

com, January 30, 2017.

Photo credits: High Mowing Seeds and Good

Heart Farmstead


Health in

a Hurry

5 Simple Nourishing Tips

Eat slowly: smell, taste,

and enjoy your food

Savour your food as it touches

your palate

Feel your body absorbing

nutrients with every bite

Chew your food completely

before swallowing

Eat with intentional gratitude

and be thankful for the

farmers who grow your food


Challenges and

Opportunities for the Future

Celebrated Keynote by Dag Falck

Dag walks us through current threats and challenges to Organic Principles. He outlines some current

responses and opportunities globally, such as IFOAM’s Organic 3.0 and the emergence of additional

certification labeling such as Regenerative Organic Certification. Most importantly, he presents his

ideas of the best steps that can be taken to ensure a bright and growing future for Organics.

2020 BC Organic

Conference Keynote

Dag Falck, Organic

Program Manager,

Nature’s Path

Shared with permission

from Certified Organic

Associations of BC

Video by Ken McCormick


Fresh organic

farm food tastes

juicier and better!

Lacey Cameron


What’s on the Table

Crazy Good Roasted Veggies

with Macadamia Nut Crust

By Leslie Ambrose


Ingredients

• Olive oil, for marinating, as needed

up to a cup

• Organic red onion, 1 large or 2

small, thinly sliced

• Organic mushrooms, variety like

cremini and shiitake, about 16 oz,

thickly sliced

• Organic asparagus stalks, about 16

oz

• Organic sweet potato, 1/2 pound,

cut in fry shape

• Organic garlic, 2 cloves, minced

• Macadamia nuts, 1/2 cup, chopped

• Pecorino-romano cheese, 1/2 cup,

grated

• Tiger nut flour (or cassava flour),

1/4 cup

• Salt, 1 teaspoon

• Pepper, 3/4 teaspoon

Send us your Garden

Fresh recipes for a

chance to be featured!


Directions

Preheat oven to 425˚. If you have time to

marinate the vegetables, then hold off on the

oven.

Olive oil the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the

red onion, thinly sliced, as the bottom layer.

Coat each of the vegetables with olive oil, then

coat with the Crust mixture. For maximum

flavor, marinate for an hour before cooking.

Asparagus, stalks with the bottom tough

area snapped off

Mushrooms, thickly sliced

Sweet potatoes, sliced in fry shape

Crust mixture

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

(small food processor works well)

• 1/2 cup pecorino-romano cheese,

grated

• 1/4 cup tiger nut flour, or cassava

flour

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon pepper

Chop, mince and mix together. Add to

olive oiled vegetables before roasting.

Warm your heart and your meal with the

flavor of friends and family. Excellent for

sharing or for a candlelit dinner for one.


• 45 minutes

• 4 main meals

• 8 side servings

Roast in preheated oven at 425˚ for 15

minutes. Reduce heat to 375˚ for 30 more

minutes. Vary the cooking time based on

your favorite outcome. This timing offers

well-done edges. The veggies will be cooked

through in about half hour. Poke with a fork

to see if they are soft and ready to eat.

Cook time 45 minutes-ish. Servings: 4 main

meals or 8 side servings.

This is a flexible recipe: olive oil quantity

can be adjusted, the vegetables can be

substituted, and it pairs well with many

spices.

The combination of asparagus, mushrooms

and red onions tastes like a holiday. Warm

your heart and your meal with the flavor of

friends and family. Excellent for sharing or

for a candlelit dinner for one. Leftovers are

wonderful in a creamy sweet potato soup.

About the Author

Leslie Ambrose loves creatively cooking with

organic produce for both the deliciousness and

the burst of energy resulting from the meals.

Connect with Leslie, Author of Now What? Stuckat-Home

Schooling, A Care Package for Creativity,

Freedom and Active Learning.

Sonce Landa Photography


THE TIME IS NOW

The soil is tired. It is

screaming at us to

wake up and pay

attention to how we

grow our food and

how we work with

nature in doing so.

t

he world is in a state of

crisis with a pandemic, an

increase in chronic disease,

massive soil depletion globally, and

heightened climate change.

Research from around the world

links glyphosate, the active

ingredient in RoundUp, to health

problems, environmental issues,

and rising costs associated with

farming. Not only is the health

of our planet suffering, but our

farmers themselves are afflicted

with health challenges, rising costs

of chemical inputs, lower yields, and

going bankrupt as they lean into the

“Green Revolution” of big agriculture

and farming with chemicals.




The soil is tired. It is screaming at us to wake up and pay attention to how we grow

our food and how we work with nature in doing so.

Many farmers are tired. They are doing the best they can with what they know

and have been told.

They are noticing the chemicals aren’t working like they “should” and the yields

aren’t as big as the “should be.” New weeds resistant to the chemicals are popping

up throughout their fields, and the cost of chemical inputs is becoming more and

more audacious.

The film Regeneration: The Beginning guides us towards hope, health, and the

healing of our planet through empowering farmers with regenerative farming

methods that not only increase their yields but mitigate high farming costs

associated with chemical bills.

Regenerative, organic, biodynamic, and biological farming methods puts life back

into the soil, into the foods we eat, into the ethers of our gut biome, and back into

our homes.

The food you eat comes from a farmer.

It’s time we vote with our forks and support farmers to farm with regenerative,

organic, biodynamic, and biological practices.

Together we can rise for

Earth, healing ourselves

and our planet as we

work alongside and with

nature instead of trying to

dominate nature.


Regeneration: The Beginning

This film features the trials, learnings and victories of the four generation

Breitkreutz family from Stoney Creek Farm transitioning from conventional

farming to regenerative agriculture in Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Using conventional methods, they saw their soils

degrade and their input costs rise every year.

Transitioning to regenerative practices has helped their row cropping operation

and significantly reduced the input cost for their cattle.

This film tells the story

of how they did it.

Support: farmersfootprint.us

Director: Nicol Ragland

Executive Producer: Dr Zach Bush

Powered by: Seraphic Group

Photo credits: Nicol Ragland and Leia

Marasovich


We need to be in the d

to look to mother ea

Zach

irt together. We need

rth as our template.

Bush


Accelerating the universal adoption

of regenerative land management

for the health of our soil, food,

people and planet.


www.farmersfootprint.us

Nature Matters:

An Artistic Odyssey into the Wild

By Diane Epstein

Be moved and inspired! Enjoy this uplifting and inspiring piece by the talented and

world-renowned artist Diane Epstein.

In this visual odyssey, Nature Matters, Diane

Epstein invites you on an awe-inspiring

biophilic (love of all living beings) journey. With

healing and irresistible tenderness, she leads

us into the ancient olive groves and grapevines

of Italy, into the gardens and hills of California,

and amongst the creatures, wanderers, and

wonders of the world.

Video Production and Fresco Photography by

Diane Epstein, Artist and Founder of Biophilic

Art & Design.

Connect with Diane Epstein:

Song “Ancient Mother” by Sacred Earth.




What’s on the Table

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole yellow dry peas (or 2

1/2 cups split peas if you can’t find

whole peas)

• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped

(about 1 cup chopped)

• 2 medium celery stalks, finely

chopped (about 1 cup chopped)

• 1 medium leek, finely chopped

(about 1 1/2 cup chopped)

• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about

1 1/2 cup chopped)

• 3 Tbsp butter

• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

(or water)

• 1 small smoked pork hock or ham

bone with meat on it (optional)

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and pepper

• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

(optional)

Quebec Style Yellow Pea Soup

By Aube Giroux


Send us your Garden

Fresh recipes for a

chance to be featured!


Directions

1. If using split peas, there’s no need to soak, so

skip this step. If using whole peas, place them

in a large bowl, and cover them by 3 inches of

water. Cover and soak the peas for at least 8

hours or overnight. Drain and rinse; set aside.

2. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium

heat, cook the onions in the butter until

translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots,

celery and leek and cook, stirring occasionally

until all the vegetables have softened and are

fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth,

pork hock, drained peas, and bay leaf. Bring

to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover

the pot and simmer, stirring every 15 to 20

minutes, until the peas are completely soft

and tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Add water if

necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

(The soup should be quite thick.) If a ham

hock was used, it can be removed and the

meat around it chopped and returned to the

soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper,

and stir well. Serve hot, with fresh chopped

parsley.

• 8 servings

In fact, she took Soupe aux pois so seriously

that she spent a long time searching for the

ideal soup pea to grow out in her garden.

Her search led her to find a rare heirloom yellow

pea from Salt Spring Seeds. She declared it the

best soup pea she’d had, as close to the soups

of her childhood as she had tasted. She grew

it out each summer, waiting patiently until the

plants’ delicate pods began to lose their color

and turn dry and crackly enough to release the

smooth round jewels hidden inside.

This soup is as familiar to me as fish chowder

is to a Mainer. Like a true Québecoise, my mom

would make Soupe aux pois on a regular basis,

long after we moved away from Québec.

She would always tuck away enough peas to

replant the following year, which would leave

her with a good amount to fill up several

jars and keep us fed with hearty pea soups

throughout the winter months.

In the year after she died, I found myself

rummaging through my mom’s seed collections

to find the familiar favorites I grew up with. My

stepdad has continued growing out and saving

many of her beloved heirloom seeds. And for

the past few years, I’ve done the same in my

own garden.


This cycle of planting my

mom’s seeds, watching

them grow, harvesting them,

cooking with them, and

savoring them, has helped me

to cope with my mom’s loss

since she’s been gone.

There is a quiet thrill that comes from putting

a seed in the ground. You water it carefully and

check on it every day with anticipation. When it

finally pushes up out of the soil, you beam at it

like a proud parent, coaxing it along day by day.

There may be periods of time where you forget

about your darling plants temporarily, only to

find that while you weren’t looking, they got

huge. Then the day comes to harvest, and your

mouth waters at the thought of dinner. When

you sit down at the table, you feel so proud of

what you grew, and so many memories flood

in with the first bite. This cycle of planting my

mom’s seeds, watching them grow, harvesting

them, cooking with them, and savoring them,

has helped me to cope with my mom’s loss

since she’s been gone.

Pulses are just really, really good for you.

They’re good for your heart, they lower your

risk of diabetes, they’re high in protein, and

they’re a great source of folate and other

important nutrients. And not only are they


nutritious for us, they’re also nutritious for the

soils they grow in! Pulses are nitrogen fixers

and they produce compounds that feed soil

microbes and hugely enhance the health of the

soil. Actually, they’re so beneficial to the soil

that when farmers plant them in a field as part

of a crop rotation, the next crop planted in that

field will often experience a yield increase. They

are used extensively in organic agriculture to

build rich soils that are alive and teeming with

beneficial soil microbes, which in turn helps to

control pests, weeds, and diseases. So eating

pulses is a win-win, and we should all be finding

more ways to incorporate them into our diets

and celebrate their incredible diversity.

Pulses are nitrogen

fixers and they produce

compounds that feed

soil microbes and

hugely enhance the

health of the soil.

About the Author

Aube Giroux

Documentary Filmmaker & Food Writer

Watch my film Modified online:

www.modifiedthefilm.com

Catch my cooking show on PBS:

www.pbs.org/kitchenvignettes


Gardening Hacks

Did you know

You can store your farm

fresh potatoes, carrots,

beets, onions, garlic,

squash all winter in a

cool dry place.

Warning: Store them dry and dirty!

(Washing shortens their fresh little lives.)


Sign up for our FREE newsletter.

Join the Heart & Soil

community today.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get featured

with your farm

and garden pics!

Tag us:

@heartandsoilmagazine

#heartandsoil


MEET

OMRI


As a farmer and packaged food producer, I

can attest that OMRI has played an important

role in the decision-making process regarding

verified inputs for use on our certified organic

farm and in our food production.

What Is OMRI?

OMRI is NOT a certifier of food or organic

products. OMRI specializes in and is dedicated

to verifying inputs for organic production.


OMRI is accredited under the International

Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17065

to review and list products for use in organic

operations certified under the USDA National

Organic Program, the Canadian Organic

Standards, and the Mexican Organic Products

Law.

OMRI, the Organic Materials Review Institute,

is an international nonprofit organization that

determines which input products are allowed

for use in organic production and processing.

Participation by suppliers is voluntary, and OMRI

has developed a rigorous set of guidelines and

protocols through which each applying product

is verified. Input products that complete the

review process and are found to be compliant

are then “OMRI Listed ® ” and their packaging

is eligible to bear the OMRI Listed ® seal.“The

Since the launch of its OMRI Canada program

in 2013, the organization has worked to build

visibility in Canada, and actively pursues

opportunities to collaborate with Canadian

certifying bodies and stakeholders to help

verify inputs for the Canadian Certified Organic

label.

In addition, the OMRI Mexico program recently

launched and is a welcome service for farmers,

producers, and makers of organic products.

OMRI offers efficiency and cost-savings to

organic certifying bodies, organic processors,

and organic farmers. The OMRI Products Lists©

are valuable resources, listing brand name

inputs that producers can use with confidence

in their certified organic operations. It is also

helpful to extension agents who assist farmers

transitioning to organic.

OMRI Listed ® seal is now a familiar sight to

organic growers, processors, certifiers, and

eco-conscious home gardeners,” says OMRI’s

Executive Director/CEO Peggy Miars. “All of our

work is in service of upholding the integrity of

organics, and we’re very proud to be seen as

the industry experts on input review here in

North America.”

OMRI’s mission is to

support the growth and

trust of the global organic

community through

expert, independent, and

transparent verification

of input materials and

through education and

technical assistance.


Why OMRI Does What They Do

OMRI’s mission is to support the growth

and trust of the global organic community

through expert, independent, and transparent

verification of input materials and through

education and technical assistance.

Financial backing came from many organic

certifiers and other stakeholders including:

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF),

Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO), Organic

Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), Organic

Trade Association (OTA), Organic Farming

Research Foundation (OFRF), the Association for

Regional Agriculture Building Local Economy,

Newman’s Own Organics, Whole Foods Market,

Smuckers Quality Beverages, and the Humane

Society of the United States, as well as many

smaller donors.

OMRI used recommendations from an Advisory

Council of experts in organic farming, industry,

academia, and the public arena to publish the

first OMRI Generic Materials List© in 1998. Once

the standards and policies were established,

OMRI began accepting applications to review

products. The first OMRI Products List©

(formerly known as the OMRI Brand Name

Products List) was published in March 1998.

OMRI envisions a world where all people

trust and rely on organic practices to create

healthy food, fiber, soil, water, air, animals, and

people. Integrity, organic, balance, service, and

education are OMRI organizational values.

Executive Director/CEO Peggy Miars at the

Organic Grower Summit

The History of OMRI

OMRI was founded in 1997 by certifiers and

stakeholders to evaluate materials for use in

organic agriculture. At that time, there were

more than 40 certifiers performing organic

certification using various standards.

Today the OMRI Board of Directors comprises

a wide variety of stakeholders from the organic

industry, including certifiers, suppliers, farmers,

processors, input suppliers, and public interest

group representatives.


What Types of Products Does OMRI Review?

OMRI verifies input products intended to be

used in organic production for both farming

and processing.

The organization offers essential expertise by

focusing exclusively on inputs for the organic

certification process. On average, ten to 15

percent of products that apply to OMRI’s review

programs are not ultimately OMRI Listed ® , due

to application withdrawal by the applicant or

through determination of non-compliance.

Products that do attain OMRI Listing are

included in the latest OMRI Products Lists©,

both in print and electronic forms:

business model similar to that of certifiers, the

organization’s main source of income comes

from fees that input product suppliers pay to

have their products reviewed by OMRI.

https://www.omri.org/omri-lists

OMRI Listed ® input products may be used

with confidence to produce organic food,

fibre products, cereals, bars, and cotton that

are certified by an accredited certifying body.

(Producers should always consult with their

certifier when considering using a new input

product.)

OMRI works directly with certifiers to ensure

all materials used in organic food production

meet the organic standards, in accordance with

consistent criteria and review methods.

How OMRI Is Funded

OMRI’s funding comes from a variety of

sources, including sales of publications

and subscriptions. Using a fee-for-service

Author, Natalie Forstbauer

For more information about OMRI:

OMRI for Certifiers:

https://www.omri.org/omri-for-certifiers

OMRI for Farmers:

https://www.omri.org/omri-for-farmers

Picture Credits OMRI



Possibilities

are blooming

everywhere


HOT Harvests

The GREEN Organic Garden Podcast

with Jackie Marie Beyer


Guest: Natalie Forstbauer,

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of

Heart & Soil Magazine

Jackie Marie Beyer

Jackie Marie Beyer is a journalist, teacher, artist,

and a podcast host, with over 340 podcast

episodes dedicated to the natural environment.

In the world of podcasting, that’s a bountiful

harvest! She’s awesome - raw, real, deeply

rooted, with inspiring seeds of wisdom which

make this world a better place through organic

gardening.

Hard-working Mike

Discover tips and

techniques to create your

very own organic oasis that

produces nutrient dense

food with the least amount

of time and energy in every

episode of the GREEN

Organic Podcast.

I was honoured to be her guest in episode 324,

discussing organic biodynamics, the powerful

wisdoms of nature, nurturing and harvesting

one’s gifts, and composting adversity into

something meaningful and valuable.

Tune in!

Tell us about

YOUR favorite HOT

Harvests (podcasts,

courses, books):


BUSINESS OF FARMING

The Urgency and

Economics of Transitioning

to Organic Regenerative

Agriculture

By Eric Payseur


Soil Is a Solution to Many of Our Problems

Everyone knows these are challenging times,

but I’d like to state these are also hopeful

times. The crisis we face and must emerge from

presents an incredible opportunity to create

a resilient food system based on agroecology,

food sovereignty and local, organic,

regenerative food. Soil is the key to human

health, planet health, the current and future

economy, climate change mitigation, and to

Canada’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable

Development Goals.

Urgency

There is a global crisis that could rival or exceed

COVID; we know what needs to be done to

solve it, and doing so will help us tackle the

climate crisis. It is the soil crisis. The UN’s

Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO)

scientists argue we have approximately 60

harvests left before the world loses virtually

all its soil and thus the ability to produce food

on land--that is, if agriculture does not quickly

and wholeheartedly change to regenerative

organic systems. Moreover, healthy soil has the


Soil is the key to human

health, planet health, the

current and future economy,

climate change mitigation,

and to Canada’s commitment

to the UN’s Sustainable

Development Goals.

proper balance of 18 nutrients for plant growth

and these nutrients are required for human

health. Worldwide, 2 billion people suffer from

micronutrient deficiencies. Despite the FAO

declaring 2015 the International Year of Soils,

the average consumer does not understand

the urgency of the soil crisis.

Worldwide, 2 billion people

suffer from micronutrient

deficiencies.

Economic Argument

At the farm level, net profit per acre in a

well-managed cropping system with little

to no external inputs is far greater than a

conventional system reliant upon pesticides,

herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. I know

farmers that have moved to low input systems

and watched their input costs decline and

their net profits per acre rise each season. The

profits are even greater with organic premiums.

I have also seen spreadsheets on yields in bad

weather years, when conventional neighbours

were not able to get any yields. I have heard

some growers state even if organic premiums

dropped to conventional prices, they would

still be organic growers because of lower input

costs and more profit per acre. There is often a

clear farm-level business case for transitioning,

yet old habits die hard.

At the societal level, we now have a virus

that threatens supply chains. Scientists

assure us more crises are coming courtesy of

climate change. More consumers (and even

policymakers) are thinking about our inability

to feed ourselves. Yet, our agriculture system,

like many around the world, does not prioritise

local/regional food and healthy ecosystems. The

cost of returning to this status quo is staggering.

The clean up from agricultural run-off, the

effects of algae blooms in lakes, and increased

flooding from climate change costs multiple

billions of dollars more than adopting naturebased

solutions. Some damage is irreparable

and ends drinking water for communities.

In contrast, focusing on soil health improves

water-holding capacity and filters water before

replenishing the water table. Nevermind that

diet-related chronic diseases are our leading

cause of death, costing approximately $13.8

billion per year.


Canada’s Commitment to the Sustainable

Development Goals

In 2015, Canada and 192 other UN member

states adopted the 2030 Agenda and 17

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The

soil crisis solutions directly address SDG #12

Responsible Consumption and Production;

SDG#13 Climate Action; SDG#14 Life Below

Water; and SDG#15 Life on Land. If these 4

goals are not prioritised globally and in Canada,

there will be zero chance of attaining the other

13 SDG, never mind achieving them by 2030.

Taking Action

Farmers are increasingly implementing

practices that improve soil, water, and people’s

lives. However, scientists say this incremental

adoption will not mitigate the effects of climate

change. We must scale up these efforts and

quickly make them the norm.

Focusing on healthy soil via organic

regenerative systems is a viable,

profitable long-term business plan

for agriculture, not the short-term

thinking that has gotten us into this

mess. And, there is another reason to

transition all of our food production

that is also based in sustainable

economics.


So, What Can You Do?

1. Vote with your wallet wherever and whenever you can. “The

single most important thing you can do as a consumer is to buy

directly from a local, regenerative organic farmer,” says one of

the farmers I know.

2. Spread the knowledge of the soil crisis and soil as a solution to

everyone you know, especially to anyone that eats.

3. Support organizations that promote regenerative organic

farming, provide education and resources to consumers and

farmers, and/or advocate for scaling up SOIL solutions.

4. Contact your local, provincial and federal politicians and let

them know you want a local, regenerative organic food system

to support local/regional economies and to be resilient in the

face of the next crisis--and to save tax dollars on the effects of

our current system and climate change.

For More Information and to Get Involved:

Farmers for Climate Solutions: https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca

Canadian Organic Growers: https://www.cog.ca

Seed Change: https://weseedchange.org/see-the-impact/global-impact

Équiterre: https://www.equiterre.org/en

Regeneration Canada: https://regenerationcanada.org/en

National Farmers Union: https://www.nfu.ca

Food Secure Canada: https://foodsecurecanada.org

Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario: https://efao.ca


About the Author

Eric Payseur, Organic Transition Manager,

Canadian Organic Growers

Eric is a trained historian who is as interested

in the present and future as the past. As such,

his career has evolved into three areas: urban

agriculture; historical and contemporary

research/writing; and organic and sustainable

food production. Equally at ease in the

public, not-for-profit and private sectors,

he is a proven experiential educator who

enjoys challenges that make the world more

environmentally friendly.




ROW FOURTEEN:

Klippers Organics

Launches Award-Winning

Restaurant



Soil-to-Table Farm Feature

The Klippenstein family on their farm



I

remember the heat of the sun and the

backdrop of the crisp blue sky cradling

soft pink and white apple blossoms on

Annamarie and Kevin’s wedding day, shortly

after they bought an organic farm and orchard.

Dreams were planted in those early days as

they envisioned adding a packing house and a

new home to take in the expansive views of the

Similkameen Valley.

Their story began with 5-acres, a few

greenhouses, a shed, and an older trailer they

called home.

In my interview with Annamarie and Kevin

Klippenstein, they regale their journey from

restaurant managers to award-winning

farmers, with the recognition of Canada’s

Outstanding Young Farmers Award in 2011.

We meander through the growth of Klippers

Organics and the 19-year journey to the launch

of Row Fourteen, an award-winning restaurant

with Derek Gray, and an acclaimed organic

craft cidery.

Their story began

with 5-acres, a few

greenhouses, a shed,

and an older trailer

they called home.


Row Fourteen is the most recent addition to Klippers’

ecosystem and offers a cherished experience as the beautiful

new field-to-table restaurant. The incredibly talented head

chef Derek Gray masterfully creates dishes curated with fresh

seasonal harvest straight from their fields.

Virtual tour of

Klippers Farm,

Restaurant,

Cidery and

Guest Suites

From Soil-to-Table, how 20 years of farming led to Klippers’

award-winning restaurant.


“Moving to Cawston and working with Kevin and

Annamarie has made me rethink the farmer and chef

relationship. There is rampant food waste within our

industry and beyond. To hear that 40% percent of all

tomatoes grown don’t make it to the markets - that is not

even counting the waste on the consumer side of things

- is eye opening.

There needs to be a change in thought that only the very

best of the best produce can make it to the markets,

restaurants, etc. A split beet, broken carrot, etc. have

places at our tables too.

It would also help with the 1 in 7 Canadians that live in

food insecurity.”

- Derek Gray, Co-Owner and Chef

Virtual Tour of Row Fourteen.


Farming Through

the Pandemic

IFOAM North America’s

First Town Hall Meeting

By Ken McCormick, IFOAM North America

Communications Coordinator



IFOAM North America (IFOAM NA) held its first

online Town Hall meeting on May 6, 2020 with

the theme of Organic Spring 2020. The program

was set in response to the current health

emergency and how it’s transforming our

farming and agricultural systems.

and Mechanical University. She explained

how participatory capacity building sessions

have enabled people to learn the benefits of

organic agriculture, and how we need to act

inclusively to provide hands-on training to the

underserved farming population.

IFOAM International President Peggy Miars and

IFOAM NA President Brian Baker introduced

four featured panelists:

Elizabeth Henderson farmed organically

grown vegetables for the fresh market at

Peacework Farm in Wayne County, NY for over

30 years. She described how the New York

Organic Action Plan (NYOAP) created a soil

health program for the state, beginning with

people’s diets, home gardening, and including

action items at the local, county, state, and

federal levels.

Arzeena Hamir and her husband run a 26-acre

certified organic vegetable and fruit farm in

the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British

Columbia, and she is one of the founding

members of Merville Organics Growers

Cooperative. She talked about her experience

in starting a farmers’ cooperative and how this

applies to a time when markets are changing

due to COVID.

Monique Marez hails from Colorado and has

worked in the food system since 1999. She

explained how she is incorporating organic

support while coordinating her city and

county’s (Pueblo, CO) emergency hunger relief

response during the COVID-19 crisis, stressing

the importance of celebrating our contributions

and successes.

Jennifer Taylor is the granddaughter of a

sharecropper, an organic small farmer, and

an Associate Professor and coordinator of

Small Farm Programs at Florida Agricultural

A lively discussion followed based on comments

and questions from the audience. The key

questions shared and answered included:

Q. How can organic agriculture address the

economies and diseconomies of scale?

Answers: While some farmers suggested that

small scale has not been a financially viable

business model, others suggested that what

we need are many small farms rather than a

few large ones, so rather than a scale-up, it’s a

scale-out so more farmers can participate.


Q. What is needed to build the capacity

to serve the needs of new farmers and to

address the kind of expansion that is rightsized?

Answers: The present crisis has made it

clear how precarious supply chains are in the

conventional market, and shortening supply

chains makes them less complicated.

Q. How do we reorient policy on organic

agriculture?

Answers: Food hubs, farm-to-school, local

incubators, and food banks have all matured,

and development of ever-larger farmer, farm

worker, and consumer organization coalitions

can encourage policy changes.

Q. How do we elevate organic agriculture to

address the larger crisis of climate change?

Answers: The COVID crisis appears to be

causing fundamental behavioral and cultural

changes, proving that people can change their

habits. We are hearing fewer complaints about

fair pricing for local food as our customers see

the fragility of long supply chains.

IFOAM NA thanks everyone who participated in

this direct democracy process.

The Town Hall demonstrated

how the organic community is

successfully dealing with loss

of markets and distribution

bottlenecks in the face of an

unprecedented crisis.

For more information, please contact

Ken McCormick, IFOAM North America

Communications Coordinator.


Is

Biodynamic

Farming

Regenerative?

With Niklaus Forstbauer, 3 rd generation

biodynamic organic farmer from the Award-

Winning Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm



Hans Forstbauer (Opa) harvesting beets

Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm, an awardwinning

100-acre certified organic biodynamic

market garden farm, incorporates biodynamic

farming into their practices with great success.


Niklaus Forstbauer shares biodynamic wisdom from the blueberry fields.

Travis and Niklaus Forstbauer



Biodynamic

Resources

jpibiodynamics.org

bcbiodynamics.ca

demeter.net

biodynamics.com

Horns are filled with manure and buried as a

part of the Biodynamic farming practice. The

rich soil amendment that is taken from the

horn in the spring is full of energy and microbial

life. It is stirred into water and sprayed on the

garden and fields to inoculate the soil.



FARMERS,

Tell us what YOU want to see and

learn about in Heart & Soil.

Click here for the 3 minute survey

GARDENERS,

Tell us what YOU want to see and

learn about in Heart & Soil.

Click here for the 3 minute survey


The Future of Agriculture

is Regenerative

Trails of Regeneration: Stemple Creek Ranch

Survives COVID-19 by Selling Direct to Consumers

Husband and wife, Loren and Lisa Poncia, own Stemple Creek Ranch,

a 1,000-acre regenerative farm located in the coastal hills of Northern

California. In our latest Trails of Regeneration episode, we feature some

of the challenges of farming in a pandemic, and how the Poncia’s new

business model centered on direct-to-consumer sales have helped

them stay afloat amid COVID-19.

Video by Regeneration International


REGENERATIVE CONVERSATIONS

Regenerative Organic

Agriculture in Business

n

ature’s Path, North America’s largest organic breakfast and snack food company,

has launched Nature’s Path Regenerative Organic Oats harvested from their own

certified Regenerative Organic Farm.

This delicious, successful launch also provides expansive benefits such as improved soil

health, nutrient-dense food for consumer well-being, environmental sustainability, and

sequestering carbon.

Together, we can celebrate success in business, regenerative organic agriculture, and

global health.


REAL

ORGANIC

FARMING

By Arran Stephens, Chair & Co-Founder

of Nature’s Path



i

t seems that every day another

company is announcing its commitment

to Regenerative Agriculture in an effort

to address climate change. In the

last few decades of false starts and

opportunistic profiteering muddying the waters

of the soil health movements, we’ve observed

the proliferation of label claims like “natural”

and “sustainable” that have no proper definition,

with no standards and no certification or

oversight. This has confused consumers and soil

health movements with deeply authentic goals

to improve conditions for all life on earth.


Our concern is that the way the term

regenerative is being used is misleading and

potentially undermines the very hard work

the organic movement has been steadily

building upon for almost seventy years. The

“Regenerative Agriculture” term has actually

been around for more than a hundred years

ever since Dr. George Washington Carver

helped save the spent cotton soils of the South

through crop rotations with peanuts (not

chemicals). The RA term was revived by Robert

Rodale in the 1980’s, but by now, the word is

misleading and watered down.

The conventional ag/chemical/CPG industry

has, in very short order, co-opted the

regenerative moniker while continuing to use

toxics and fossil fuel chemical based fertilizers,

especially cancer-causing herbicides such as

RoundUp which is prodigiously used in “notill”

farming, and also GMO seeds (since there

are no prohibitions against any of these), while

adopting some time-proven organic practices,

such as cover cropping, crop rotations,

intercropping, no-till or low-till and livestock

integration. Proponents of non-organic

regenerative agriculture would want everyone

to believe that RA is as good as, or the same as,

or maybe even superior to real organic farming

practices, and that it is the solution to declining

soil fertility and global warming.

While we applaud these companies for taking

steps in the right direction to improve the

health of the soil, we do not believe that using

glyphosate or any other chemical herbicides,

pesticides or fungicides are really regenerative,

as these are toxic substances, many of which

are carcinogenic. The continued massive use

of environmentally damaging fossil-fuel-based

chemical fertilizer poison our planet’s soils,

waters and breathable air, weaken or destroy

soil biology, diminish long-term fertility,

harm the environment, and ultimately, to our

detriment, infiltrate the food chain for humans

and all other life forms.

A more fulsome approach is and always has

been Real Organic Farming—which employs

green manure cover cropping, crop rotations,

intercropping, organic no-till or low-till, and

livestock integration. Real organic farming

also often includes mulching, composting,

integrated pest management, biodiversity,

water conservation, allelopathic control of

weeds, companion planting, erosion control,

animal manure, planting of trees, rock powders,

vermiculture, EM (effective microorganisms)

and more. Regenerative Organic, unlike

Regenerative Agriculture, has strict standards



A more fulsome approach

is and always has been Real

Organic Farming—which

employs green manure cover

cropping, crop rotations,

intercropping, organic

no-till or low-till, and

livestock integration.

and third-party certification. It’s unfortunate

that Regenerative Agriculture is being confused

with Regenerative Organic. Will the consumer

be able to differentiate the two? The cynic in

me fears that this muddying of the waters is

an intentional attempt to confuse and mislead

people who are trying to make the best choices

for themselves and their families.

It’s unfortunate that Regenerative

Agriculture is being confused with

Regenerative Organic.


We all want to leave Mother Earth better than we found her, so that the generations that follow us

will have a place to live and enjoy.

The pioneers of the organic and environmental movement * would be very unhappy to learn that

the term “regenerative agriculture” has today been co-opted to include the widespread use of toxic

chemicals including cancer-causing glyphosate.

References

* Dr. George Washington Carver (1864-1943), Sir Albert Howard (1873-1947), Rudolph

Steiner (1861-1925), Rachel Carson (1907-1964), JI Rodale (1898-1971) Robert Rodale (1930-

1990)

https://www.vox.com/2015/7/13/8948477/george-washington-carver

https://www.biodynamics.com/steiner.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Howard

https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/regenerative-organic-agriculture/

Originally published as MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDER ARRAN STEPHENS ON

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE. October 26, 2020.


About Nature’s Path Foods

Nature’s Path Organic Foods is North America’s

largest organic breakfast and snack food company

and produces USDA and Canadian Certified Organic

and Non-GMO Project Verified breakfast and snack

foods sold in grocery and natural food stores in over

50 countries around the world.

Arran Stephens, Chair &

Co-Founder of Nature’s Path

Committed to the triple bottom line— socially

responsible, environmentally sustainable and

financially viable, Nature’s Path works diligently to

support communities and champion the cause of

people and planet.

Brands include Nature’s Path®, Love Crunch®, Qi’a®,

Que Pasa®, Flax Plus®, and EnviroKidz®. Founded in

1985, Nature’s Path is headquartered in Richmond,

British Columbia and employs hundreds of valued

team members at its four facilities in Canada and the

United States.


HARVEST

THE JOY

IN LIFE


GEM-TV Inspires

Environmental

Transformation

By Natalie Forstbauer and Leslie Ambrose


“We have the

opportunity

to focus on

bringing life

back with

positively

oriented

environmental

content.”

Elizabeth Kucinich,

Co-Founder

and Executive

Director for Global

Partnership.

Negative news stories are gradually

eroding hope from humanity. We are

weathered by problems, corruption,

ignorance, and wrongs.

The news continually reminds us how we’re

failing ourselves, each other, and our planet

through government corruption, oil spills,

mountains of plastic waste in the ocean, civil

wars, environmental catastrophes, mass

extinctions, inequality, a volatile economic

landscape, and “fake news.”

Here’s the thing. There’s also a lot of amazing

happening worldwide.

We simply have to look for it, and sometimes

we need to search for it, because it’s not always

“newsworthy” or presented to us to learn and

celebrate.

Now is the time for us to link arms around the

world, to uplift each other, to uplift our planet,

and to uplift global consciousness in ways that

unite us rather than divide us.

In this community of uplift, we introduce you to

GEM-TV, Global Environment Media.

GEM uses “the power of

positive stories and sciencebased

materials to increase

awareness of the challenges

of our planet” and advocates

healing, restoration,

celebration, and regeneration.

GEM has created the ultimate vehicle for

environmental inspiration, action, research,

education, and transformation. The platform is

the first-of-its kind with free-to-air TV, a Video

on Demand Channel, and a digital media center.

GEM uses “the power of positive stories and

science-based materials to increase awareness

of the challenges of our planet” 1 and advocates

healing, restoration, celebration, and

regeneration.

Understanding the dire need for positive

solutions to address the current environmental

crises, this founding team of Christian Moore,

Vincent Roger, Dennis Kucinich, Michael

Clemente, Elizabeth Kucinich, Marc Scarpa,


and Doug Scott joined forces to create a media

company as well as the non-profit foundation,

Global Environment Movement Association

(GEMA). GEMA is the beacon that amplifies and

enhances global awareness of all environmental

efforts by creating and supporting the diffusion

of related media content for film, television,

radio, education, and social media across all

existing platforms.

Together they inspire current and future

generations to commit to a healthier, more

sustainable planet. “GEM has partnered with

50 institutions, foundations, NGOs, producers,

and other organizations.” 1

There is hope.

Amazing, wonderful, inspirational, and uplifting

work is prevalent around the world. Tune in

to GEM-TV. Share it with your friends, and if

you know someone with a story, discovery, or

research to share, invite them to reach out to

GEM-TV so the world can be inspired.

“There is nothing more

powerful and majestic than

planet Earth. GEM embodies

that mindset that people must

fall in love with the natural

world first in order to be

engaged and excited enough

to save it,” Christian Moore,

GEM Managing Partner.

Sources

1 GEM-TV FAQS.

Interview with Elizabeth Kucinich, Co-Founder

and Executive Director for Global Partnership.

Democracy

at the Dinner Table

By Aube Giroux


My mom’s garden holds my earliest

childhood memories. It’s where

I was first taught about the

pleasures of plucking a tender pea pod off the

vine and savouring a freshly-picked strawberry,

its juices still warm from the sun. It’s where

my mom taught me about resilience, selfsufficiency,

and how food tastes so much

better when we know the story behind how it

was produced. In my early thirties, my mom

passed away from cancer. Her garden became

a refuge where I could let the wind wash away

my grief and feel her presence all around me,

in every plant, and every bird song. For this

reason, my documentary film, Modified, begins

in her garden.

©Aube Giroux


Seeds Under Siege

For as long as I can remember, my mom

practiced the age-old tradition of seed saving.

Like farmers have done for thousands of years,

she saved and replanted her own seeds year

after year, opting for heirloom open-pollinated

seeds over hybrid seeds.

But in the mid 1990’s, an entirely new kind of

seed came on the market: new corn varieties

were genetically engineered to produce their

own insecticide from within the plant, and

soybeans were modified to survive the spraying

of Roundup herbicide.

Many farmers in our neighbourhood started

to grow these new genetically modified crops

(commonly known as GMOs) but my mom had

concerns. Would these crops really lead to

reduced pesticide use and higher yields as the

companies selling them claimed? Could some

of them inadvertently cross-pollinate with the

plants in her garden, thereby imparting their

lab-created genetics?

Perhaps what bothered her most about these

new crops was that some of the world’s largest

chemical companies had created them and

then placed patents on them. This meant that

farmers growing them now had to pay higher

prices for seeds and sign technology license

agreements promising never to save or replant

the patented seeds, thereby forcing them to

purchase from the companies year after year.


My mom believed that seeds

belong in the hands of

people, and should not be

owned and controlled by the

world’s largest multi-national

corporations.

She also firmly believed that we all have a right

to know how our food is produced. But unlike

many countries around the world, Canada

and the United States had decided not to label

GMOs on food products.

Our Right to Know

GMOs are labeled on food products in 64

different countries and more than twenty years

of polling has shown that 90% of Canadians

and Americans want them labeled so they can

make an informed choice at the grocery store.

Genetic engineering is, after all, a relatively new

technology which has radically transformed

the way some of our foods are produced. It

allows scientists to alter the cellular makeup

of living organisms by moving genes around,

turning them on or off, and often transferring

genes across different species, something

which doesn’t happen in nature or through

conventional breeding methods.

So why have our governments repeatedly

denied us the right to know this basic

information about how some of our foods are

produced? It is with the goal of answering that

seemingly simple question, a question which

deeply preoccupied my mom and me, that I

embarked on my ten-year filmmaking journey

with Modified.

Image Credit: Non-GMO Project

When I started the film, I had just returned home

after two years of living in Europe. I had spent

my late twenties doing internships with film

producers in London and Paris, and although

I was living on a shoestring intern’s salary, I

nevertheless managed to eat like a queen! I

found vegetable vendors who would practically

give away giant bags of fresh artichokes and

asparagus when they were packing up at the

end of their day.

My rundown Parisian apartment sat directly

above a patisserie and in the morning, the

smell of fresh croissants would waft through

my bedroom window, and I would saunter

down the stairs, still half asleep, and minutes

later find myself with a warm crusty sliver of

dough in my hands.

Everywhere I went, food was enthusiastically

shared, discussed, and treated with reverence.


I was delighted to experience a different

approach to food in Europe, one that reminded

me of how my mom viewed food: characterized

by a deep sense of pride in knowing how

it was produced. Which might explain why,

when genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

were first introduced, Europeans immediately

demanded they be labeled on food products

and took a much slower and more cautious

approach when considering the approval of any

new GMO.

Why was the Canadian

government repeatedly

voting against the labeling of

GMOs despite overwhelming

support from the vast

majority of Canadians?

My love affair with European food solidified

my passion for cooking, as well as my curiosity

about how our food gets to our dinner plate.

Upon returning to North America, I had many

unanswered questions about the foods in my

grocery store aisle.

For instance, why was it that Kellogg’s cornflakes

were manufactured with undisclosed GMO corn

here, but the same company making the same

product used non-GMO corn for the European

market?

And why were American

states unable to pass GMO

labeling laws despite massive

citizen-led campaigns and

polls showing the majority

of people wanted such laws

passed?


Our Democracy at the

Mercy of Industry Interests

Over the ten years it took me to make Modified,

I learned that the agribusiness industry has

spent over $400 million dollars just to fight

against GMO labelling legislation in the United

States.

I learned about the very cozy relationship

between the agribusiness industry and our

governments, including a revolving door that

sees Big Ag executives move into government

positions, and vice versa.

I learned that our

governments and regulatory

agencies are being

aggressively controlled by the

very industries they are meant

to be regulating. I had started

off making film about food,

but it ended up becoming a

film about democracy.

Our regulatory systems are meant to protect

the wellbeing of citizens. The World Health

Organization addresses the safety of GMOs as

follows: “Different GM organisms include different

genes inserted in different ways. This means that

individual GM foods and their safety should be

assessed on a case-by-case basis and that it is not

possible to make general statements on the safety

of all GM foods.”

This means that claims such as “all GMOs

are safe” or “all GMOs are dangerous” are

not accurate since we can’t generalize when

it comes to GMOs. Instead, the risks of each

individual GMO need to be carefully assessed

on a case-by-case basis, and this can only be

done properly through a robust and functional

regulatory system that operates at arms-length

from industry.

A Lesson from Canada

In 1999, just four years after the first GMOs

entered the food supply, the Canadian

government asked the country’s most eminent

body of academics and scientists - the Royal

Society of Canada - to engage in a thorough

assessment of the Canadian GMO regulatory

system.

The result was 245-page report, released

in 2001, which outlined a profound lack of

transparency and scientific rigour within the

regulatory system. The Toronto Star described

the report as “a polite but scathing indictment—

of the industry, the academic research

community and, particularly, of the federal

government itself.” The report showed how our

GMO regulatory system had been designed to

benefit industry rather than protect the public

interest.

When a new GMO comes on the market, Health

Canada conducts a safety assessment of the

safety studies conducted by the company

seeking GMO approval. Health Canada does

not conduct its own safety testing, and its

assessment of industry studies is done behind


closed doors. Neither the industry studies, nor

the government’s assessment, are published,

peer-reviewed science. This lack of transparency

and peer review process (both fundamental

principles of the scientific method) was strongly

rebuked by the Royal Society’s expert panel. The

panel concluded that “there is no objective way

for the public or independent scientists to evaluate

fully the scientific rigor of these assessments. Peer

review and independent corroboration of research

findings are axioms of the scientific method, and

part of the very meaning of the objectivity and

neutrality of science.”

it the D.A.R.K. Act (for Deny Americans Right

to Know) and have dubbed it a “fake GMO

labeling law.” This past January 2020 marks

the voluntary implementation date of the law,

though companies officially have until January

1, 2022 to comply.

The Royal Society’s report recommended an

overhaul of the regulatory system by way of 53

specific recommendations – intended to make

it more transparent, scientific, and democratic.

But the Canadian government essentially

ignored the report and almost 20 years since

its publication, the government has only

implemented two of its 53 recommendations.

A Fake GMO Labeling Law

Individual states that have tried to pass GMO

labeling laws have been met with an onslaught

of anti-GMO labeling ad campaigns from

the agribusiness industry as well as heavilyfunded

government lobbying to defeat them.

In fact, the agribusiness industry spent $45

million to fight California’s 2012 GMO labelling

state proposition alone, and $192.8 million

between 2013 and 2015 alone to influence

federal GMO legislation. Despite this, on July 1,

2016, Vermont finally became the first state to

succeed in implementing a GMO labeling law.

However, Vermont’s law was very short-lived

as just one week later, Congress swiftly passed

federal legislation banning any state from

passing a GMO labeling law and overturning

Vermont’s hard-fought law. Instead, the new

federal law mandated the disclosure of GMOs

at the federal level. But it is so full of loopholes

that many food democracy organizations called

The “National Bioengineered

Food Disclosure Law” is

problematic on many levels.

First, instead of having to provide clear text

identifying GMO content in food products - as is

done in Europe - companies can instead opt for

a symbol, a 1-800 number, or a digital QR code

(the latter leaving over 100 million Americans

who do not own smart phones in the dark).

Second, the majority of GMOs actually won’t be

labeled because provisions in the law exempt

highly-refined products of GMOs (such as

cooking oils, candies, and soda) and also set a

high 5% threshold for unintended presence of

GMO ingredients (this is five times higher than

the European Union’s 0.9% threshold).


Third, instead of using

the widely used and

internationally recognized

term “GMO,” the USDA creates

unnecessary confusion by

forcing companies to use

the term “bioengineered,”

a previously unknown and

unused word which is likely

to confuse and mislead

American consumers.

Fourth, the new symbol identifying “bioengineered”

content is far from neutral, picturing a bucolic

green field that seems to imply the product is

healthy.

Eating is an intimate, personal act, and we

make food choices based on many factors, be

they our religious backgrounds, our ethical

concerns, our personal tastes.

When a government refuses to provide basic

transparency about how our food is produced

and votes against something that more than

80% of its citizens say they want, it raises

serious questions about whose interests the

government is serving.

Fifth, newer techniques such as gene editing,

synthetic biology, and RNAi (RNA interference)

are not subject to labeling.

As Center for Food Safety executive director

Andrew Kimbrell states, “The USDA has betrayed

the public trust by denying Americans the right

to know how their food is produced. Instead of

providing clarity and transparency, the USDA has

created large scale confusion and uncertainty for

consumers, food producers, and retailers.”

Informed Food Choices Are

Part of a Healthy Democracy

A technology that

fundamentally changes the

makeup of what we eat every

day is worthy of discussion

and personal choice.

The Canadian and American governments’

failure to listen to their citizens on this issue

points to the broader problem of regulatory

capture, whereby our regulatory institutions

and governments, which are meant to act

in the public interest, instead advance the

commercial interests of the industries whose

products they are in charge of regulating.

Sadly, this phenomenon is not limited to the

agribusiness industry. It is endemic across

most large corporate sectors including the

pharmaceutical, tobacco, oil and gas, aviation,

and chemical industries.


We now have pesticide residues

in our drinking water, air, food,

and in our bodies.

Corporate Interests Should

Not Come First

Every year, over 3 billion kilograms of pesticides

are sprayed across the globe. Our farmland is

now 48 times more toxic than it was 25 years

ago.

The use of glyphosate-based

herbicides has risen over

15-fold since GMOs were

introduced.

The use of agricultural fertilizers is causing

massive dead zones in our lakes, rivers, and

oceans. We know that our industrialized model

of agriculture is making us sick, and making

our planet sick.

Image Credit: Non-GMO Project

Scientists estimate that close to 200 species of

plants, insects, birds and mammals become

extinct every day. This is nearly 1,000 times the

“natural” or “background” rate, and it is greater

than anything the world has experienced since

the vanishing of the dinosaurs nearly 65 million

years ago. Scientists are telling us we are

in a climate emergency and the beginning of a

mass extinction. But if we want to adequately


address the many urgent and dire problems

humanity is currently facing, we need to force

our governments to place public interest ahead

of corporate profits.

Every year, the world’s five largest oil and gas

companies spend approximately $200 million

on lobbying designed to control, delay, or block

binding climate policy. Currently, for every

Member of Congress in the United States,

there are two Big Pharma lobbyists. The recent

death of 346 people in two Boeing Max 737

plane crashes could have been prevented if the

Federal Aviation Administration had not allowed

Boeing to regulate its own airplanes. Whether

it is the tobacco industry spending millions

to fight public health policies, or Volkswagen

designing its cars to cheat emissions regulations

testing, or Monsanto hiding the cancer risks of

its Roundup herbicide, history has shown us

time and time again that companies will cheat,

lie, and jeopardize public safety in order to

increase their profits, unless governments are

watching closely and regulating carefully.

In order to succeed in

securing a healthy future

for generations to come, we

need to elect governments

that can resist bowing to

the world’s most powerful

corporate interests, we

need to stop the revolving

door between industry and

government, and we need to

fix our regulatory agencies

and require them to be

independent from industry

and fully transparent.

The capture by industry of our elected officials,

and democratic institutions by corporate

interests, must be denounced and overturned

if we want a functional democracy and a healthy

planet that sustain healthy lives.

My mom said it best, and

my film ends on her words,

“With every meal we eat, we’re

making a choice about the

kind of world we want to live

in and the kind of agriculture

we wish to support.”


TAKE ACTION:

Know your farmer! Shop at your local farmers’ market.

We need a revolution in our agriculture system and on our dinner

tables. Choose organic! Support your local organic farmers. The

more we support organic agriculture, the more it will become

a viable livelihood for farmers and the healthier our agriculture

system (and our bodies) will become.

Most GMOs and heavily sprayed crops like corn and soybeans are

used in livestock feed. Choose 100% grass-fed or organically-fed

animal products when it comes to meat, dairy, and eggs. Or opt for

organically-produced plant-based alternatives.

Food is political! Get politically involved and support candidates who

show leadership in getting big money out of politics and stopping industry

from regulating itself.

Not only GMOs are sprayed with Roundup herbicide. Grains (wheat

and oats) and legumes (beans, chick peas, lentils) are often sprayed

with Roundup in the days right before harvest. Choose organic

beans & chick peas, flour, oatmeal.

Let companies know you care. Call the 1-800 number on food

packages or send companies an email to let them know you want

GMOs clearly labeled on the package, and you want foods that are

free from pesticides, antibiotics, and other harmful residues.

Host a film screening or bring in a speaker. Find ways to talk about

these issues in your community.


About the Author

Aube Giroux is the writer, director, and producer

of the award-winning feature documentary film

Modified. She was born in Montreal, Canada

and holds undergraduate degrees in music

and media arts, as well as a Masters in Film

Production from York University. She is the

creator of the acclaimed PBS food blog and

cooking show, Kitchen Vignettes, which features

whimsical and thought-provoking video recipes

from farmers’ fields and kitchens. Kitchen

Vignettes received the 2012 Saveur Magazine

Best Food Blog Award and was twice nominated

for a prestigious James Beard Award.

Watch Kitchen Vignettes at: www.pbs.org/

kitchenvignettes.

MODIFIED, Winner of 15 awards

“A love story about cooking and gardening” - Treehugger

“Beautiful beyond words” - Joan Baxter, Medium

“Playfully and personally encourages audiences to understand the food they eat” - POV Magazine


Regeneration

Purpose

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