The Co-op is Certified Organic! What does that mean?
By Barry Haynes, Store Manager
Did you know that the Ashland Food Co-op is the only Certified Organic Retailer in southern Oregon. Well, that’s great! But what does that actually mean?
Though it sounds like it implies that all of the products we offer are certified organic, in actuality, it’s more about ensuring that the integrity of our certified organic products is maintained from the moment it enters our doors to the moment it leaves. In other words, you can be assured that the organic coffee you bought has stayed clean and clear of non-organic ingredients or contaminants during its stay at the Co-op. “Organic to the last drop!”
As a retailer, the Co-op is not required but we choose to be inspected by a USDA accredited, third party certifier every year.
We do this to verify that we are in compliance with the USDA’s National Organic Program and maintain our Organic Certification. Our third party certifier, Oregon Tilth, has been an integral part of the organic movement for forty years and does much more than inspection and certification. Tilth provides resources for farmers interested in switching to organic production, environmental conservation on the farm, farm viability and even a farmer mentorship program. It also publishes “In Good Tilth”, a seasonal magazine that tells positive stories about the organic trade. Pick up a copy at the Co-op or read it online at tilth.org.
During our annual inspection, we are required to provide organic certificates for all of the organic products we offer in every department of our Co-op. We also have to demonstrate that we have procedures and training in place to ensure that there is no commingling of organic and non organic products during receiving, storage, processing and merchandising. For instance, we would never display non organic produce above organic produce in our wet vegetable displays.
Any water dripping from non organic produce could contaminate the organic produce below. Another example would be in our Meat and Seafood department, where we cut and package all of our organic chicken before we process the natural chicken. All of these steps are very important to ensure organic integrity.
Imagine a store without these procedures in place. They could be preparing non organic product on the same surface as organic. This would obviously compromise the integrity of the organic product.
In addition to reviewing paperwork and procedures, our inspector conducts an in and out audit. This audit reviews the volume of organic products that we have sold and compares those figures to our purchases of those products. This type of audit ensures that a business hasn’t sold non organic products as organic.
This comprehensive inspection process usually takes about seven hours. After the inspection has been completed, the inspector presents their findings to one of Oregon Tilth’s inspection reviewers. Once the review has taken place and they are confident that they have received all of the information they require, a decision on certification is made. We’ve been having voluntary inspections since 2008—and have passed all of them!
Why does the Co-op choose to go through this process when there is no requirement to do so? We want our customers to have confidence that when they choose organic products at the Co-op, we have done everything we can to ensure the integrity of that organic product. This is just one of the ways we let our shoppers know that we try to stay true to our Product Philosophy and they can continue to trust the high standards the Co-op sets for itself and for the health of the community.
More Co-op News
Farm Tour on the Shelves
The Farm Tour shines a spotlight on Southern Oregon - it represents the full range of products grown in the Rogue Valley. The Farm Tour isn't until July 14, but here's a list of tour activities for participating farms that are also on the shelves at the Ashland Food Co-op. Get an early taste of quality local goods!
Planning for Summer... and Smoke
By Emile Amarotico, General Manager
If we are lucky, we’ll only have another seven week smoke intrusion this summer. If we are not, we could be the next Paradise. In less than 13 hours, last November’s Camp Fire wiped out nearly 19,000 structures and more than 80 lives. With community help, we were able to raise over $14,000 to support Chico Natural Foods Co-op’s efforts to feed some of the nearly 20,000 displaced Paradise residents.
The Co-op's "Secret Garden"
Did you know the Co-op employees have a small garden on our campus? Planning and management falls on our fantastic Co-op volunteer: Henry Herting.
Below, Henry shares some background on the garden, what it’s used for, and some additional tales from over the years.
Originally, the need for a kitchen garden arose from having a kitchen classroom in which culinary classes were being held. Visiting chefs have always been invited to use the garden for any ingredients they may have forgotten or items they could use as garnish for their dishes.
Sustainable Ashland Food Co-op: You are the key!
By Steve Bowman, AFC Board Director
Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen
By Mahlea Rasmussen, Education Coordinator
Outside of work I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I find it a soothing space to create nourishing meals and lasting memories. I find it essential to be as eco-friendly as possible and a few changes can transform your kitchen into a sustainable center of your home.
Earth Day Bulk Sale! April 17-21
Save money while working towards a more sustainable shopping experience! The Co-op bulk department is a great "first stop" for your grocery lists - everything from hummus mix to local honey to pet food is available. Plus there's less waste, all the way from shipping to ended up in your shopping cart.
Check out a quick tour below:
Film festival giveaway
Enter your name and email below to be entered to win two film vouchers for the 2019 Ashland Independent Film Festival.
No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by AIFF. US residents only. Entry will be closed at 5pm PT on Monday, April 15.
The state of plastics
Many Co-op owners and shoppers have shared their interest in reducing plastic usage in the store. From bioplastics, to compostable plastics to recycling options, the Ashland Food Co-op continues to research what works best as we move towards our goal of being a zero waste store. Here is where we stand.
Ashland Food Co-op Celebrates 20-year Partnership with ACCESS
We are proud of a partnership with ACCESS that has benefited the community immensely over the past twenty years. Read on for more about the partnership, or watch the short video below.
Food waste at the Co-op
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
How many times in the past month have you reached back in the fridge to snack on some fresh strawberries only to discover… mold?! In the United States, 40% of food is wasted every year. Luckily, how we address food waste can have a major impact. According to Paul Hawkin’s Drawdown, reducing food waste is #3 on the list of best ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. At the Co-op, we use the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy as a guide to bettering our own practices.
Meet Cooking Class Instructor, Gianaclis Caldwell
Get to know Gianaclis Caldwell ahead of her class, "Easy Mozzarella and Burratta - From Scratch!" on March 7. Gianaclis is the author of the award-winning book Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking and owner of Pholia Farm.
Tell us how your love of cooking (or cheese) and food began.
Wellness Secret Weapons
There are still plenty of colds and viruses making their rounds, and we want to help you better defend against them!
In January, we asked on social media what kind of secret weapons you use in the winter to stay healthy. We had a lot of responses, so we'll start with the All-Stars.
With your initial recommendations, our Wellness team reviewed the suggestions and picked the products with the highest quality standards and best feedback. Check those out below.
Mushrooms for wellness
You may have heard about the fascinating discovery that trees can communicate with each other. What’s the secret? The mycelia - tiny strands of fungus - in the soil form a vast underground network through which trees send chemical signals to their neighbors.
The mycelia differs from the fruiting body of the mushroom, which is the reproductive component that contains spores and is thought to be higher in Beta Glucans.
Meet class instructor, Joette Calabrese
This class instructor profile is connected to the February 27 free lecture, "You, Too, Can Beat the Flu!"
On an early Kolkata (Calcutta) morning, thick crowds gather outside the gates of the hospital while officials yell out "Brain tumor, kidney failure, cancer patients form a line here!” Hopeful patients, family members and caregivers arrange themselves by disease symptom.
What to do with all this citrus?!
So you grabbed a few too many extra oranges and grapefruits and lemons (and some finger limes, and some satsumas…), and rather than watch them go bad, we want to provide you with some ideas on how to reduce waste. You’ll also get to enjoy citrus in a lot of new ways!
There are many guides and recipes across the internet (like this one by our friends at Grow Forage Cook Ferment), so here are a few ideas to get your creative and citrus juices flowing.