At Stonyfield Organic, Good On Purpose has always been about healthy farms, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. We’ve been Good On Purpose since 1983, even before there was one national standard for the term “organic.” Back then, there wasn’t even enough organic milk available to make our yogurt.
Today, Good On Purpose reflects our holistic embrace of organic. It begins in the farms and communities at the roots of our supply chain, runs through everything from our packaging to our public policy work, and ends up with a little extra love on your breakfast table.
Below are notes from Chief Organic Optimist Gary Hirshberg, and Stonyfield CEO Bill Cassidy.
A NOTE FROM GARY HIRSHBERG
More than 40 years after Stonyfield started as an organic farming school, the same organic farming values still define our company: making the world a better place.
Our mission, “Good on Purpose,” drives initiatives for healthy farms, healthy people and communities, and a healthy planet. This begins with the way we source our milk, fruit, and other ingredients, and is part of everything we do — from working toward sustainable packaging to removing chemicals from the fields and parks where families spend time together.
We’ve also proven over the decades that doing good is also good for business. That movement continues to grow: The U.S. organic sector, which barely existed when we started, reported over $70 billion in revenues last year.
As the broader “better for you, better for the planet” movement has grown, many companies and farms have adopted the term “regenerative” to describe their agricultural practices. However, there is no actual agreement of what that term means, let alone an enforceable federal definition, or a means of third-party verification of “regenerative” claims.
The term regenerative can be used to imply climate-friendly techniques. But the term does not prohibit the use of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. We see this as a profound deficiency. Not only do these toxic and persistent chemicals threaten health and the environment, but synthetic nitrogen fertilizer production and usage generates enormous outputs of nitrous oxide, a compound that has far more negative climate impacts than CO-2. Put simply, at Stonyfield we do not believe any system that allows toxic persistent chemicals can be “regenerative.”
In contrast, “certified organic” is federally defined. It has been our benchmark from the start, and that term meets all our criteria for what regenerative farming should be. We work closely with our farmers to establish climate-smart practices that build soil health, protect biodiversity, and ensure the well-being of people and animals. These practices follow strict federal criteria, are tracked, audited, and never rely on toxic persistent chemicals.
Over 41 years in, organic certification remains the foundation of our commitment to a better world. We continue to make organic our guiding principle for a healthy planet, one farm and one family at a time.
Sincerely, Gary Hirshberg
Chief Organic Optimist, Stonyfield
A NOTE FROM BILL CASSIDY
Stonyfield has always been a pioneer in sustainable business. Long before it was popular, we created a successful business model in which our customers, the farmers we work with, our communities, and our planet can all win.
Organic is the cornerstone of that commitment — for good reason. Organically raised cows live twice as long. Organic family farmers are more profitable. Organic farms typically have smaller herds that roam thousands of chemical-free acres, benefiting water quality and biodiversity.
Organic can help to slow climate change by sequestering more carbon and avoiding fossil-fuel-based inputs. Millions choose organic to avoid cumulative toxic persistent pesticides especially harmful to young children. These benefits explain why organic has grown into a $70 billion industry.
In 2023, I’m particularly proud of the work we did to measure soil carbon baselines across our direct supply farms, secure significant USDA funding for organic farms in New England, and convert conventional farms to organic. We also supported access to organic produce across underserved communities in our backyard, worked steadfastly toward our overarching 30 by 30 carbon reduction goal, as well as our renewable energy and packaging commitments, and much more. Additionally, we’ve noticed that younger consumers, who represent a growing segment of our market, have higher expectations for sustainability and corporate responsibility. They demand transparency, authenticity, and meaningful action from the brands they support, and we are committed to meeting and exceeding these expectations.
We look forward to pursuing organic practices for the next 40 years, and taking bigger and better steps that will benefit our company, people, and our planet. We are excited to continue leading the way in sustainability, inspired by a new generation of consumers who are more environmentally conscious than ever before.
Bill Cassidy Stonyfield CEO