Sustainable Sourcing
Sustainability is a cornerstone of Gaia Herb's mission, philosophy, and operations. Too much of the herbal supplement and nutrition industry relies on non-organic farming and non-sustainable wild-harvesting practices. Consequently, many mainstream medicinal plants are adulterated with trace pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides--and once abundant native/endemic plant species are now threatened. It's a dangerous spiral. Combine this trend to "commodify" threatened wild plants like goldenseal, American ginseng, or black cohosh with worldwide deforestation, and it's not too hard to see that many valuable, under-researched medicinal plants may be lost to future generations. It is for this reason that Gaia Herbs supports the efforts of the above affiliations and works collaboratively with these organizations to preserve our vital resources within the plant kingdom.
U.S. and foreign regulatory agencies have laws forbidding over-harvesting of endangered plants. But they lack enforcement capacity. The only realistic way out of this impending biological train wreck is for consumers and herbal manufacturers alike to insist on sustainable farming, sourcing, and wild harvesting practices. "If the people lead, the leaders will follow..."
This is why Gaia Herbs, led by Jackie Greenfield, Plant Biologist, Botanical Division Manager, insists on documented and validated procurement methods that trace each lot of raw herbal material to its direct source. Certified Organically grown herbs are procured wherever and whenever possible--your assurance of each herb's purity and quality. Where foreign-grown herbs lack organic certification (e.g., China), Gaia Herbs validates that only ecological cultivation and harvesting methods were used.
Gaia Herbs' Certified Organic farm supplies over 65% of the biomass we extract every year. Wild harvested herbs are procured only from trusted, well-known, reliable sources from whom Jackie can readily validate harvesting locations and practices. Further, with Jackie's leadership, Gaia Herbs is helping to build a network of growers in North Carolina--many former tobacco farmers--who are using Gaia's time-tested organic practices. All of which assures our customers of Gaia's long-standing commitment to healthy, efficient business practices promoting healthy local economies, healthy ecosystems, and healthy bodies!
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