Cascadian Farms

zen

I asked Cascadian Farms about their country of origin on some frozen items

BLACKBERRIES BLUEBERRIES FRUIT HARVEST BERRIES  RASPBERRIES STRAWBERRIES

Here is the reply.

Thank you for contacting Cascadian Farm regarding our fruits and vegetables.

 

The majority of our products are grown in the Pacific Northwest and California. However, if we cannot obtain enough organic foods from farmers in this country, we meet our requirements by purchasing from organic farmers from around the world. Whenever the product is grown outside of the U.S., you will find the country of origin stamped on the package.

 

Regardless of where they are grown, Cascadian Farm produce must meet the U.S. Federal Government standards for the production, processing, and certification of organic food. In addition, the produce must also pass our strict food safety standards.

 

Cascadian Farm is committed to providing consumers with the highest quality organic products. We take great care to make certain that every product meets the highest standards and satisfies our consumers.

 

Again, thank you for your interest in Cascadian Farm. We hope you will continue to choose our products.

Sincerely,

Harry Kendall

Consumer Services

Owned by General Mills

Woodstock Frozen Vegetables – Country of Origin

zen

When going shopping for Frozen Vegetables, Woodstock is a great company.  Here is their Country of Origin as of October 2014.

Statement by company rep:

We source products from the U.S. whenever possible; however, we do source certain products from other countries.  With the high demand for organic product coupled with the fact that it takes three years for a farm to become certified organic, organic supplies are sometimes limited in the US . This is why we are so passionate about supporting American Farmland Trust in their efforts to preserve land for sustainable farming.  Our intentions are to help preserve farmland so we can build our supply right here at home and won’t have to source organic products overseas. According to the American Farmland Trust, “In America, we’ve been losing more than an acre of farmland per minute.Between 2002 and 2007, 4,080,300 acres of agricultural land were converted to developed uses—an area nearly the size of Massachusetts.” If you visit farmland.org you can learn more about these issues. We here at Woodstock  have partnered with AFT to spread the awareness. In the fall for every dollar redeemed from our Fall promotional coupons, we donate a dollar to AFT.

Other factors for our decision to source internationally include seasonality, origin of a crop, and quality.  We employ only the highest quality growers overseas whose products are of the highest standards, histories and reputations.  We can’t stress enough that we are committed to quality, both product quality and life-quality. For all of our products, we maintain tracking for certifications and we are also assured that fair labor practices are followed, including no child labor and eight hour work days.

In regards to our certified organic products, a certified quality assurance agency, Ecocert, is employed to ensure all National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines are met by our growers.  In order for a product to be certified organic and use the USDA Organic seal on our products, the strict standards put forth by the NOP must be met. Woodstock employs Ecocert to regulate quality for international growers. Additionally, our growers have Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs in place to identify potential physical, chemical and biological food safety hazards.  These systems are in practice through the production process of the product.

In addition to these quality control measures, the FDA checks all products entering the US at port.  If anything is found, it will not enter the country.

Rest assured, products grown in the U.S. are always our first choice. However,  it all reverts back to the supply and demand. We are always looking to source closer to home and plan to work towards that goal in the future.

I hope this information has been helpful and will help you understand our choices.

FROZEN VEGETABLES
0-42563-01577-0 Organic Boxed/Wet Pack Chopped Spinach 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01580-0 Organic Cauliflower & Broccoli Mix 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01581-7 Organic Cauliflower Blend w/Broccoli & Carrots 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01579-4 Organic Cauliflower Florets 12/10oz USA
0-42563-00164-3 Organic Spinach, Cut 12/10oz MEXICO
0-42563-00749-2 Organic Asparagus 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-00162-9 Organic Green Peas 12/10oz USA
0-42563-00787-4 Organic Broccoli Florets 12/10oz MEXICO
0-42563-00020-2 Organic Petite Peas 12/10oz USA
0-42563-00154-4 Organic Corn, Cut 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01106-2 Organic Tri-Color Peppers 12/10oz USA/MEXICO OR CHILE
0-42563-00748-5 Organic Mixed Mushrooms 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-00158-2 Organic Green Beans, Cut 12/10oz USA
0-42563-00780-5 Organic Edamame, Shelled 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-00747-8 Organic Shiitake Mushrooms 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-01107-9 Organic Baby French Beans 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-00160-5 Organic Mixed Vegetables 12/10oz USA
0-42563-00156-8 Organic Edamame, Whole Pod 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-01243-4 Organic Supersweet White Corn 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01105-5 Organic Sugar Snap Peas 12/10oz CHINA
0-42563-00794-2 Organic Peas & Carrots 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01520-6 Natural Butternut Squash 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01592-3 Natural IQF Kale 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01593-0 Natural IQF Cut Okra 12/10oz MEXICO/GUATEMALA
0-42563-01594-7 Natural Broccoli Rabe 12/10oz USA
0-42563-01595-4 Natural IQF Petite Brusels Sprouts 12/10oz BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS
0-42563-01596-1 Natural IQF Collard Greens 12/10oz USA
FROZEN VEGETABLES – STEAMABLE
0-42563-01519-0 Organic Steamable Cut Green Beans 12/12oz USA
0-42563-01516-9 Organic Steamable Green Peas 12/12oz USA
0-42563-01518-3 Organic Steamable Mixed Vegetables 12/12oz USA
0-42563-01517-6 Organic Steamable Super Sweet Corn 12/12oz USA