SupplySide West podcast: Exploring the connection between organic & regenerative agriculture

Defining opportunities for brands to make an impact on the organic supply chain

Heather Granato, VP, Partnerships & Sustainability

August 29, 2018

While the idea of “organic” has been codified at the federal level in the United States since the early 1990s, the concept of organic agriculture in the U.S. dates back to the 1940s with the founder of the Rodale Institute. Today, consumers and brands are looking to get back to the original concepts that were based around a regenerative process. In the lead-in to SupplySide West, Heather Granato, vice president of content, spoke with Jeff Moyer, executive director of The Rodale Institute (rodaleinstitute.org), about organic and regenerative agriculture, and the ways brands can deliver truly healthy products to their consumers.

Key points of this podcast include:

• Understanding the connection between the concepts of organic and regenerative, and how they can incrementally benefit consumer health.

• How certifications and education can help consumers make proactive choices that will benefit their own health and the health of the planet.

• What steps brands can take to make powerful choices in their ingredient selection and go-to-market strategies to support farmers producing in organic and regenerative ways.

Links and Resources:

• Jeff Moyer will be speaking during The Regenerative Agriculture Forum at Expo East on Thursday, Sept. 13. The session, sponsored by General Mills, will explore questions, challenges and opportunities in regenerative ag.

• Esca Bona at SupplySide West is designed to engage and serve companies working to create a good food system that is regenerative, nourishing and accessible to all. Annie Brown of Rodale Institute will speak on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 1:30 p.m. in the Esca Bona Pavilion.

• Regenerative agriculture was the topic of a small group discussion at Expo West 2018. Short form videos showcase the discussion addressing topics such as how regenerative agriculture can be scale-able, the role brands play in supporting farmers, and how to build infrastructure to enable this shift.

About the Author

Heather Granato

VP, Partnerships & Sustainability, Informa Markets, Food EMEA division

Heather Granato is a 30-year veteran of the natural products industry, currently serving as vice president, partnerships & sustainability, in the Food EMEA division of Informa Markets. She is based in London, and leads efforts related to industry partnerships and broader sustainability initiatives for the Vitafoods and Food ingredients brands. She has been a presenter at events including SupplySide, Vitafoods, Food ingredients, Natural Products Expo, the Natural Gourmet Show and the Folio: Show. Her publishing experience includes Natural Products Insider, Food Product Design, Vitafoods Insights, Country Living's Healthy Living, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Delicious Magazine and WomenOf.com. Granato serves as the founding president of Women In Nutraceuticals, a global non-profit founded in 2022 focused on empowering women in the nutraceutical industry; she is also on the board of directors for the Organic & Natural Health Association. From 2016 to 2022, she was a vice president on the national governing board of Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity. Granato was named to the FOLIO: 100 list of top media professionals in 2018, and was selected as a 2015 Top Woman in Media by FOLIO:. She received the 2014 Visionary Award and the 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA); and was honored with the CEO Merit Award for Content from Virgo in 2014. Granato graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond, Virginia, in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Subscribe for the latest consumer trends, trade news, nutrition science and regulatory updates in the supplement industry!
Join 37,000+ members. Yes, it's completely free.

You May Also Like