Kemin has announced that more than 50% of its rosemary production is certified as Sustainably Grown following a third-party audit conducted by SCS Global Services (SCS). The remaining fields are scheduled to be audited this year and certified before the 2014 cropping season.
Sustainably Grown is one of the world’s most stringent certification standards, supporting long-term sustainable agricultural production by identifying crops grown in accordance with exceptional environmental and social responsibility as well as quality and safety requirements. This certification signifies that Kemin is able to provide natural rosemary extract-based ingredients to customers who wish to have the highest level of sustainable agricultural practices validated and recognized by consumers.
Kemin uses conventional plant breeding to develop proprietary lines of rosemary that generate raw material for a range of natural rosemary extract-based ingredients for the food, pet food, health, and personal care industries. Kemin has over 1,000 acres of conventionally bred, genetically identical rosemary plants in production.
“This certification verifies the investment we have made in developing a sustainable approach to growing our proprietary rosemary plants,” said John Greaves, Kemin Vice President of Specialty Crops. “Our vertically integrated system produces a consistent and reliable supply of rosemary extract-based ingredients.”
After developing its proprietary rosemary varieties, Kemin research agronomists conduct field testing to determine the best growing practices for yielding a sustainable and cost-effective supply of rosemary. With agronomic best practices in place, Kemin contracts with family farmers in Texas and New Mexico to grow its proprietary rosemary varieties. This partnership not only increases the quality and quantity of crops but improves farming practices, promotes healthy working conditions, and builds community relations.
