How Certifications Grow Customer Loyalty with Emily Moose from A Greener World
In this episode of the Direct Farm Podcast, we're delighted to host Emily Moose, Director of Communication and Outreach at A Greener World. Listen in to hear how Farmers can leverage food labels and certifications to increase transparency in the food system and enable buyers to make ethical and sustainable food choices.
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Intro
Allyssa Knutson: [00:00:00] Welcome to The Direct Farm Podcast. during today's episode, we hear from well-known nonprofit and advocate for sustainable farming solutions, A Greener World, or AGW for short home of the world's leading labels, including animal welfare approved, certified grassfed, and non-GMO. AGW is a leader in promoting sustainability for the environment, society, and animals across the globe.
At this time, I am delighted to introduce you to today's guest, Emily Moose, Director of Communication and Outreach for A Greener World. Welcome Emily.
Emily Moose: [00:00:33] Thanks for having me Allyssa, great to be with you.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:00:36] So glad you're here and so excited for this conversation. Well, I guess just to start, we'd love to learn and hear a little bit more about the history and the story behind AGW. Maybe touch on the founder when it started and how the organization started as well.
Emily Moose: [00:00:51] So A Greener World started in 2014 and we actually, the seed of A Greener World was born many years before that, and we actually started as a animal welfare approved, which is our first flagship label. And we had that label growing for years and years and had increased demand and increased growth of the program.
And farmers were asking us, Hey, we would like for you to certify my other practices. And so with that growth and that demand for new labels, we realized we needed to be our own independent organization. And so our mission is to identify and promote agricultural systems that have a positive impact on the environment and society, meaning animals.
And we also do a significant amount of education around food choices and the impact of our food on the planet and the way that we serve the function of transparency in the food system, which is our primary goal is through these certification programs and just a kind of a big picture overview, you know, what is third party certification?
Cause sometimes, you know, I think that's a new concept to folks. Most food labels that you'll see don't mean anything really. You know, a lot of it is really just marketing spin, whether it's natural or you know, even sustainable. If there's not a definition behind that term and if nobody is actually verifying that, that definition is true.
Then there's not a lot of meaning in most food labels that you see and so we realized that there was a significant demand for meaningful food labels. And that, that is one of the main drivers behind what we do is to deliver transparency in the food system and so since 2014, we've added a number of labels.
You mentioned a few animal welfare approved, certified grassfed, certified, non-GMO. We also have certified regenerative coming up and certified organic too coming soon, and we also have salmon welfare certified. So we are really dedicated to ensuring that people have a way to choose food that matches their values and a way to choose products that are produced to practices that people can actually we trust.
And so we've been dedicated to that for decades and we are really proud to work with the farmers that we do and really excited about the interest in food labels and in connecting farmers and consumers.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:03:18] I love how you touched on the education piece, because I think it's so important to let, not only the members or current members know, but also the farmers, the consumers of Just giving them the information at their fingertips for where their food comes from. So I understand AGW is actively involved in terms of promoting sustainability, not just in the United States, but also across the globe, but for the United States specifically, what are some of your main areas of focus in this region?
Emily Moose: [00:03:47] So we are really dedicated to helping independent farmers stand out in the market place. And we really want to give farmers a way to differentiate themselves and to communicate their practices to their customer.
And so delivering that transparency and having a focus on integrity and in communication with consumers, because there's such a disconnect between agriculture and people eating the products of agriculture.
You know, like, most of us when we go into a grocery store or, are buying food online or, however, you're, however you're getting food into your household and into your belly, you are interacting with agriculture, but there is often not a real background or visceral connection or, expertise in agriculture.
So most of us didn't grow up on a farm. And so there's a knowledge gap there, and it's no one's fault. It doesn't mean that, consumers are ignorant. It just means, most of us don't have that experience. And so with that, there's a hunger for information about food.
And so that, that creates this opportunity for education and learning and connection, and that is one of my favorite parts about what we do is to connect eaters with farmers and to help them learn more about each other and to meet on the same page around values of sustainability.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:05:09] Definitely. And speaking of just the educational component, I'd love to hear a little bit more about the certifications that AGW offers. What are the most popular certifications with farmers?
Emily Moose: [00:05:23] Right now we're seeing a real interesting growth in grassfed certification. So that is definitely becoming a more and more popular claim. It's also widely misunderstood as well. So a lot of times people will assume when they see a grass fed label, that it means the animals were. Raised out on pasture and had a really good life.
But unfortunately when there's such a range of grass fed labels out there that don't have meaningful standards like ours. And so you really have to be choosy about which grassfed labels. You're putting a lot of confidence in. And so we actually made a comparison chart of different grass fed labels.
That's really helpful for navigating. What would really live up to your expectations around a grass fed label? But it is a really importantly bull in terms of. In terms of facilitating agriculture that is truly pasture-based and that makes the best use of land. As folks listening to this may realize there is a lot of land that cannot be used to grow crops, and that is best suited for grazing animals.
In an effort to use the land that we have to the most efficient way that we can and to feed ourselves in the most sustainable way. Utilizing grazing land for animals that produce milk, cheese, meat animals that are doing that just by eating grass. I mean, it's this, it's amazing like animals that can eat grass and make protein.
That is a true superpower. and it's something to celebrate and it also produces really nutritious food. We're seeing a lot of increased interest. In that from the consumer end and also farmers realizing that demand and wanting to demonstrate those practices to their customers.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:07:07] Definitely. And I love how you keep touching on just the consumer side and the producer side as well. And how those two go hand in hand. So I know in addition to the grassfed label, you also have the regenerative certification that is also recent it's new what prompted AGW to create this new certification?
Emily Moose: [00:07:27] Oh, man, this is a really exciting program. So we developed this in anticipation of a growing interest that has absolutely come to pass in a whole farm assurance of sustainability. So what we've seen in the natural foods industry over the last decade and longer is a lot of these hot buttons, single issue, you know, people gravitating towards one thing, whether it's.
Natural or sustainable or you know, no added hormones or whatever the. You know, the claim of the day may be and at the same time, never really making real change because all of these single hot button issues don't really take into account the full farming system. And so all of our, all the labels that we offer already are high welfare pasture-based environmentally sustainable systems, but regenerative, we saw as an opportunity to we've been.
And not only those aspects, but also looking at the social aspect of it too. And so, you know, how are workers treated? What is the impact of the farm on the community? Measurable progress around air quality and water quality looking at soil health and so really looking at a comprehensive set of sustainability metrics.
And practices that really deliver benefits in a comprehensive, holistic way. And the really cool thing about this program is that it is place-based, it is farm specific and it's very farmer led. So farmers are really taking the lead on writing their own regenerative plans. And so looking at their specific area their land, their farm, their holding, and what.they can do to make it the most had the most positive impact on the planet and so writing that plan, working with experts to write that plan and then delivering that plan over years, and these are comprehensive five ten-year plans that our job as a greener world, as the certifier, is to help them reach their goals in that plan and to hold them accountable to that.
And it's been really exciting because farmers. You know, people keep telling me, these are things that I've wanted to do for years, but I just haven't had, the reason, the excuse, the motivation, the inspiration, whatever, to sit down and actually make it happen. And so we're seeing some really cool goals come out of this.
And we've just launched the pilot. We have over 50 farms from all over the world that are engaged in this and a lot in the US and so we are, we're in the early stages of getting those plans written and working together. It's a really collaborative process, and a lot of cool connections being made from farmers across the world, in working on this program. And so we'll be announcing the first certified regenerative farms toward the end of this year and we're really excited about that.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:10:21] That's awesome. And to hear about the collaboration aspect as well and how each farmer can tailor it to what works best for them. And I'm sure a lot of those farmers kind of jump in with the idea of, you know, how can this not only help the farm, how can this help me as a producer? How can this also help me reach more consumers?
But like you said, global standpoint and for, you know, the earth to make sure that the grounds are taken care of the animals are taken care of the water, all aspects of farming and how it touches so many different areas. So in terms of certification, I know there's a lot of focus on transparency and trust consumer specifically.
Uh, What data can you share in terms of improved customer loyalty and sales for farms and producers who obtain AGW certification?
Emily Moose: [00:11:05] The biggest indicator of that, that I can share is the interest in what we do. So every farm handles certification differently and the people who make the most of it and who use the logo and, you know, put the stickers on their products put it on their website and talk about it to their customers.
Those farms see the highest return of customers, the highest loyalty, the highest benefit from certification. , and it is, you know, it's market specific too , but I've seen it have an incredible impact , on farm businesses. and I have also seen an increase in interest from consumers , just on our website our resources and people seeking high welfare, sustainable products. So we, uh, we launched a page on our website, uh, early on in the pandemic, that was focused on online shopping. And that became the highest trafficed area of our website followed very closely by the directory, which has, you know, it's not just online shopping it's local stuff too.
but those two pages have been the most popular sections of our website and we've had incredible traffic on that. We have seen increase in, uh, signups to our consumer updates of over 500%. So there is incredible demand and incredible interest right now in finding sources of sustainable food, uh, that you can trust.
And people are really looking to credible third-party certifications to help them make those choices because the way the food system is right now, you can say anything you want to, you really can, there's very little regulation about what you, as a marketer, as a business, as a company can say about food.
So it really is up to the consumer to decide whether or not they trust those claims. And so more and more people are finding that to find products that really do match their values. And that really do deliver the kind of sustainability that people want to see in the planet that we all inhabit and that our children are going to inhabit that they want more than just a claim.
They want assurance and they want proof. And so that's what we offer. It's a voluntary program. Farmers come to us and they say, Hey, I believe I meet these standards. you know, w one of the many labels that we offer, whether it's grass fed, non GMO, animal welfare approved, uh, and I want you to come to my farm and verify that I am meeting these standards so that I can offer my customers that assurance and honor their trust in me.
And so that's what we do. And we, are seeing that from both farmers and consumers.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:13:45] And that's great to see, especially looking back on last year and how it was definitely a unique year to go through and kind of, Ooh, and also looking ahead to, you know, we're already in February of 2021, so yeah. I'm sure. The conversation for you with your members has changed or may have not changed from last year to this year.
So how has the pandemic affected your members and what is some of the advice that you're providing to them at this time?
Emily Moose: [00:14:11] I mean it's sucked 2020 was not a great year. I mean, I think, I don't know anyone who wasn't impacted by the events of 2020. Most people, uh, you know, experienced significant impacts, um, whether it was to, you know, losing market, whether it was to restaurants, closing and no longer buying their food, , whether it was having to balance remote schooling on top of farming, uh, and, and, you know, doing business, um, or losing loved ones. I mean, it was a really tough year and we're not out of the woods yet. but there, you know, there does seem to be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel and, and at least a path out.
So, you know, I think it affected different people in different ways, and I think. One of our responses to that was to obviously check on all of our farmers and to make sure that we were supporting people where we could and where they needed it. So making matches and helping people find markets that have lost them, and, and helping to people who were food insecure, newly and insecure, and, uh, you know, and also existing needs.
So we supported a fundraiser to get food from certified farms. To food pantries and other organizations that could distribute it to people who needed it. and, but, you know, those were just a few of the ways everybody had a different situation. And so it was a lot of tailored response and tailored support to help people, get supported balanced and on their feet as as much as he could, at that time. And so I think a lot of it was, working together and supporting each other and recognizing that, that it was going to take all of us all working working together to get through it.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:15:48] for sure. And just thinking about how, like I said, you know, it's February and the first month, I don't know about you, but definitely kind of flew by a little bit in some aspects. So what are some of those kind of diving a little bit more, I guess, into the tactics portion of this, but in terms of spring, like what would you say is best practices are top of mind for you as you're communicating with farmers for how they can best prepare for the spring and summer months coming up ahead.
Emily Moose: [00:16:12] Planning, I would say that is, you know, and it's hard to do because the situation is evolving quickly and, uh, you know, it is, it can be hard to when the future seems uncertain, but you know, you can modify an existing plan when the situation changes , but if you start with no plan, it's a lot harder. what we've seen be most successful is to figure out what are your risks and try to mitigate those risks as much as you can, and to be flexible. Keeping those things in mind, you know, no one's guaranteed success, but if you keep those things in mind, you have a better chance.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:16:46] I think planning is huge and that definitely ties into spring, which is definitely. Quickly approaching for, you know, many farmers and producers. They're looking ahead at the spring and summer months and farmer's markets and you know how they're going to sell direct to market if that's an area of interest for them as well. So what have you found to be the most effective tactic for AGW members who are transitioning their business in 2021 and looking to possibly pursue or adopt a certification with AGW.
Emily Moose: [00:17:17] I would say start early and just go ahead and read the standards. Go ahead and get in touch with our team. Our outreach coordinators are standing by and happy to help. Support you on getting any technical questions answered, helping you with the application. It's a really straightforward process. But you know, it does, you do have to do it.
So, and it is the first step. So we are more than happy to, to assist with that. And you know, it takes a little bit of time, but it's not a long process, but it does take some time to actually get through the certification process. So we want everybody to be ready to go as soon as possible with their marketing.
And so we are really excited about helping folks once they are certified with getting the logo on their products getting, you know getting their certification woven into their marketing plans and making sure that their customers know how amazing they are.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:18:06] And I think it all, like you said, touches to planning ahead controlling your controllables, you know, taking the information that you have available to you and utilizing those resources that you guys have too being able to kind of look into what certification makes sense for your farm since there are several options.
So thank you so much for providing just a little bit more context on that. So before we sign off, is there one final piece of advice that you'd like to share to farmers as they look to build more certainty for their farm in 2021?
Emily Moose: [00:18:35] The biggest advice that, you know, and this is just coming from what I've seen working with farmers every day is to remember that you're a business. And that is not meant to be patronizing in any way. It is more meant to recognize how much heart and soul farmers put into their business. And sometimes it can help to step back and look at it from like a cold calculating perspective.
You know, if this was a business and I wasn't involved in any way, you know, like what would I change? You know, to make plans, to follow the plans or adapt them, you know, as you said, like situations change and sometimes you have to rethink things. But taking care of the farm as a business, make sure that you're getting paid make sure that you're taking a little bit of time to take care of yourself. You know, I know that's really hard especially for farms and anybody, you know, in, in anybody in independent food production, it is hard.
It's hard for small businesses. It's hard. It's hard to make that time, but the business will not survive without you. So making sure to take care of yourself as well as your business.
So yeah, my, I think my biggest hope and advice for folks is really to take that as hard as it is, and farmers are notoriously, you know, they're the last, they're the last priority on their list. But it is important and it makes sure that you're there for the long haul.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:19:57] For sure. I think self care, it starts with self, you know, take care of you and then you can take care of others. And I think that that's definitely an important point to, to make. And also as a reminder, you know, on a daily basis, for sure, especially when things get busy to focus on you and self care.
Emily Moose: [00:20:13] Yeah, and I don't, and it doesn't necessarily mean like, you know, it doesn't mean a visit to the spa just means like, you know, it's like making sure that you're hanging in there too, because you know, you have responsibilities and you can't be there for your business and for your family and your employees, if you're not there for yourself too.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:20:28] Although I spot a day every once in a while, it's not a bad thing, but yes. Obviously not realistic every single day.
Emily Moose: [00:20:36] I don't know. I'd, somebody'll have to show me how to do that.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:20:40] my goodness. That's hilarious. Oh, it's so good.
Emily Moose: [00:20:43] Everybody's got their own thing though. You know, like in some people, you know, some people it's, you know, like, I don't know, like listening to the radio going on and drive whatever or even just walking around the farm. But whatever it is that recharges you.
Allyssa Knutson: [00:20:55] For sure. So important reading, a good book going on a walk, all good things Well, thank you so much, Emily. I also wanted to take the time to thank the entire membership at AGW for all the awesome work that you guys are doing to support farmers across the country and across the globe. so thank you so much for that. At Barn2Door, we are delighted to serve many AGW farmers all across the country who promote sustainable farming practices. And for more information on A Greener World, you can visit their website at www.agreenerworld.org. And also to learn more about Barn2Door, including access to numerous free resources and best practices for your farm, you can go to www.barn2door.com/resources.
So, thank you so much. Again, Emily, truly enjoy chatting with you and the conversation and thank you all for tuning in this week and we will see you next week.
Thank you, Emily.
Emily Moose: [00:21:46] Thank you.
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