Lundberg Family Farms, a grower of organic rice and maker of packaged rice and rice snacks, has become the leading U.S. Regenerative Organic Certified food brand introducing more than 70 products across its portfolio. Last year, Lundberg became the first U.S.-grown rice brand to launch Regenerative Organic Certified rice.
“We have a massive opportunity to positively impact consumers’ plates and the planet. Rice is a staple for more than 3.5 billion people around the world and the foundation for meals across cultures and cuisines,” said Suzanne Sengelmann, chief growth officer at Lundberg.
“We’re bringing Regenerative Organic Certified rice to every category of our product portfolio, including packaged rice, rice cakes, rice and seasoning mixes, and 90-second rice, which has the potential to introduce a broad audience of convenience-minded and conventional consumers to regenerative organic products. We’re betting the farm on it.”
Lundberg worked with the Regenerative Organic Alliance to certify more than 8,500 acres of rice, which is four times more than the previous year. The California-based brand grows 70 percent of California’s Regenerative Organic Certified rice and plans to transition the rest of its organic acreage by 2027.
“We’ve been obsessed with growing the best rice since 1937,” said Brita Lundberg, chief storyteller and fourth-generation farmer.
“We believe Regenerative Organic Certified represents the gold standard and another step in our journey to leave the land better than we found it. Like life, we believe farming isn’t just about the destination. It’s also about how you get there. After all, what’s regenerative about using toxic chemicals? Rice is a plant that grows in the ground. How we grow it matters.”
Industry-leading farming practices
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Smart water and weed management: In its regenerative organic fields, the Lundbergs drown grass weeds and dry up aquatic weeds instead of dousing the fields with chemical herbicides. This “Dry Up” method of weed management can help reduce global warming potential by 49 percent compared to continuous flooding.
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In-house nursery and resident rice doctors: Lundberg grows 17 different varieties of rice and has a team of rice experts who use natural methods to improve and develop varieties of rice that are compatible with regenerative organic farming instead of chemicals.
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Wildlife protection and habitat creation: California has lost about 95 percent of its natural wetlands. Each winter, Lundberg floods some of its fields to replicate California’s historic wetlands, providing food and habitat for thousands of wintering waterfowl. After the birds fly away, Lundberg returns water to rivers and streams, where zooplankton from the fields can nourish juvenile salmon.
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Cover crops and duck rescue: Lundberg also grows cover crops during the winter, which provides natural fertility to the fields as well as nesting habitat for ducks. When Lundberg finds duck nests on its property, the company hand carries the eggs to safety. They’ve rescued an estimated 30,000 duck eggs.
As part of this transition, Lundberg is also rolling out a new package design inspired by the vibrant ecosystems its farming practices help protect. Available at retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Amazon and Lundberg.com.
Read more organic news from The Shelby Report.
