Bogle Vineyards in Clarksburg

The vineyards are currently managed by Warren Bogle, the grandson of the founder, who farms 1,000 acres under the “Certified Green” principles (Previously known as the “Lodi Rules”), a sustainable farming program designed to lead to improvements in environmental health of the surrounding ecosystem. This approach encompasses practices in all aspects of viticulture, water management, management of the farm ecosystem, pest management, and even in human resources. Certification is awarded to an individual vineyard based on an annual audit by a third party.

You Shouldn’t Have to Pay More for Eco-Friendly Produce

The Healthy Grown Wisconsin potato label has announced it will price its potatoes at the market price for Wisconsin potatoes instead of at the premium price for eco-friendly grown produce. Protected Harvest certifies and audits all Healthy Grown growers, packers, and shippers to ensure the company adheres to strict environmental standards. Healthy Grown has found sustainability to be economical and is passing these savings on to their customers.

What You Need To Know About Food Labels and Certifications

September 24, 2009
By Earth Promise

What it means: Affiliated with the World Wildlife Fund, the Protected Harvest Program certifies crops that have been raised with integrated pest management. To qualify for the seal, specific crop management practices must be employed and reduce use of toxic pesticides, improve sail and water quality, and protect wildlife habitat.

http://www.earthpromise.com/blog

UW-Madison: Improving the Health of State Potatoes

September 23, 2009
Wisbusiness.com – Madison,WI,USA
Growers and packers are audited yearly and certified by the independent nonprofit organization Protected Harvest.  “If you’re actually going to have an environmental product, it has to have some kind of high bar, it has to be certified to be valuable.” – Deana Knuteson, the UW-Madison coordinator of the Healthy Grown

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Zeal for the environment nets EPA award for FreshSense

Protected Harvest partner FreshSense Wins EPA Recognition: Of the 40 Environmental Awards given by U.S. EPA acting Regional Administrator Laura Yoshii on April 16, only one was given to a food company: FreshSense. The award was given in recognition of the company’s Zeal brand stonefruit grown with sustainable farming practices and certified by Protected Harvest.
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The Rise of Sustainability

Dr. Dan Sonke, Senior Scientist at SureHarvest, discusses the growth in sustainability programs among retail giants such as Wal-Mart and SYSCO and their interest in third-party sustainability certification programs like Protected Harvest.
#via California Fresh Fruit & Raisin News

DPR honors efforts to reduce pesticides

FreshSense, a citrus and stonefruit packing company based in Parlier, California, was honored as an IPM Innovator by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. FreshSense produces citrus and stonefruit using sustainable agricultural practices certified by Protected Harvest.
#via California Farmer

8 out of 10 Consumers Buying Green: Study

Four out of five people say they’re still buying green products and services in the midst of a recession — despite the fact that these items sometimes carry higher costs, according to a new study commissioned by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing and conducted by global market research firm Opinion Research Corp.
#via Progressive Grocer