Bryce and Brita Lundberg of Lundberg Family Farms, a rice brand known for regenerative and … [+]
Founded in 1937 in California’s north Sacramento Valley, Lundberg Family Farms has long been committed to leaving the land better than they found it and learning from previous generations. The company has taken many important steps on its journey to be 100% Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) by 2027 and continue to lead the growing influence of regenerative organic agriculture in the US. For example, it recently announced ROC certification for more than 8,500 acres of rice paddies and now offers more than 70 regenerative organic certified products.
As I’ve written before, ROC is an important certification offered by the Regenerative Organic Alliance founded by the Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and Dr. Bronner’s. As the name suggests, this certificate not only requires agricultural practices to protect the environment, but also work to restore it. In addition to soil health requirements, the ROC also has strict requirements for animal welfare and the social welfare of farmers and workers. ROC farms and products must therefore meet the holy grail of farm sustainability: soil health, animal welfare and social justice.
I recently discussed the Lundberg Family Farms journey with Bryce and Brita Lundberg, and they emphasized that a regenerative food brand starts with managing sustainability practices and that the importance of ROC certification holds the industry accountable for making meaningful changes.
Christopher Marquis: What inspired you to continue/expand your recent ROC certification? Why is being the top ROC certified food brand in the US so important to Lundberg Family Farms?
Bryce Lundberg: When my grandparents moved to California in the wake of the Dust Bowl, they brought with them a new philosophy: Leave the Earth better than you found it. This led us to start organic farming in the 1960s and become Regenerative Organic Certified® in 2023. We are for growing the highest quality rice using organic and regenerative farming practices because we believe that the health of our bodies and our planet depends on this.
Britta Lundberg: In California, we’re experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand, from drought to wildfires to atmospheric rivers, and farmers are on the front lines. We have a huge opportunity to positively impact consumers’ plates and the planet by using regenerative organic farming practices that build soil health, support biodiversity and are more resilient to climate change. Our family is betting the farm on it. By becoming the leading Regenerative Organic Certified® food brand in the US, we are proving that it is possible to implement regenerative organic farming practices at scale.
Marquis: What changes to your previous approach to rice farming did you have to make to become ROC certified? Where were there challenges you had to overcome? (Could the ducks and wildlife point be put here or in the question above?)
Bryce: Organic exists on a spectrum, and the USDA National Organic Program sets a floor, but not a ceiling. Our family has always aspired to care for our land and the creatures that call it home. So while we had to provide additional documentation and data to get Regenerative Organic Certified®, the Regenerative Organic Alliance’s pillars of soil health, animal welfare and social justice align with our long-term agriculture. We are grateful to have been able to achieve certification, which validates that our farming practices are consistent with Certified Regenerative Organic standards.
Britain: Usually, when people think of regenerative agriculture, they think of cattle, sheep or chickens. My great grandfather Albert said that one of the best things he ever did was leave the animals in Nebraska. Our family doesn’t have animals, but we do have a connection with wildlife. Our farms are part of the Pacific Flyway, an important migratory path for birds, but the wetlands these birds depend on have been disappearing for decades. So every winter, we flood a portion of our fields to recreate California’s natural wetlands, providing food and habitat for thousands of ducks, geese, swans and sandhill cranes that feast on the leftover rice, insects, aquatic invertebrates and weed seeds. Their feet also press the rice straw into the ground, which decomposes the rice straw and turns it into mulch for next year’s crop. When the birds fly away, we return water to the rivers and streams, where zooplankton from the fields can help feed the salmon.
Marquis: How do farmers like you contribute to the industry standards debate?
Bryce: We believe that regeneration starts with organics because we see nothing ‘regenerative’ about using harmful chemicals that can harm the soil, animals, people and communities. We also believe that third-party definition and certification is essential to building consumer confidence and holding the industry accountable for meaningful change. As an appointee to the State Board of Food and Agriculture, as well as the “Regenerative Agriculture Working Group” formed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), I participate in the process of defining “regenerative agriculture” in California for policies and programs.
Britain: Regenerative systems are often context dependent and certification should not be viewed as one size fits all. Each region and crop should apply different standards based on soil type, weather conditions, ecosystem and crop needs. Food and agriculture stakeholders across the nation are watching how California defines renewable. Yes, I hope we set up a big tent and bring farmers along for the ride, but I also hope we give meaning to “regenerative” based on organic farming practices, so change can also make sense.
Marquis: How does Lundberg incorporate social and environmental values into its business practices in general?
Bryce: For us, environmental stewardship starts with the soil—we feed it so it can feed us. During the winter, we grow cover crops, which can help sequester carbon, restore nutrients to the soil, reduce weeds, prevent erosion, and provide habitat. We also smother and dry out weeds instead of dousing our fields with chemical herbicides. But our farming practices are only the beginning. In our granary, we use natural methods – instead of chemical fumigants – to keep our rice cool and fresh until it is milled to order. We have seven solar arrays on site and have generated or offset 100% of the energy used at our headquarters since 2004. We also collect, sort and divert 99.6% of our waste, including by-products such as husks, bran and broken rice, which we sell as ingredients for pet food, animal feed and more. It is all part of our ambition to leave the earth better from what we found it.
Britain: Our winter cover crops also provide nesting habitat for ducks. So when we find duck nests in our fields, we work with our friends at the California Waterfowl Association to rescue the eggs by hand and transport them to a local hatchery to be incubated, hatched, raised and released back into the wild . Over the years, we have rescued approximately 30,000 duck eggs!
Marquis: What advice do you have for other brands seeking ROC certification?
Bryce: Get started! Reach out to the Regenerative Organic Alliance, start the conversation, and create a roadmap to certification. It doesn’t happen overnight, but we think it’s worth it. Do not wait.
Britta: Do it! We are so proud to be part of the regenerative organic community that farms like the world depend on. But the world is big and we cannot change it alone. We need the community to continue to grow so our impact grows.
Marquis: What’s next for Lundberg?
Bryce: You’ll have to ask the fourth generation. Ha!
Britain: We have set a goal to move all of the organic rice we grow to Regenerative Organic Certified® by 2027. As we continue to transition acres to Regenerative Organic Certified®, we are working with the regenerative organic community to educate retailers and consumers about what regenerative organic media and why it matters. We can’t do this without them. We need people to understand that the real value of food – and conversely, its real cost – goes far beyond how it affects the planet. Our hope is that consumers will not only be the change they want to see in the world, but I eat the change they want to see in the world by discovering where their food comes from, how it was grown, and choosing food that not only tastes good, but is also a force for restoring the land, preserving habitats, and building community. We need people to eat like the world depends on it. Because we believe it is.
