One of the first and oldest certified organic brewers in the country, we remain as dedicated as ever to organics. Every beer we brew is a manifestation of our commitment to the health of the environment, the health of the consumer, and the health of the farm community. Here’s why:
Organic certification is a guarantee that our beer and its ingredients were produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetic engineering. Decades of evidence demonstrate a wide range of environmental damages caused by these practices. Pesticides find their way into target and non-target species, working their way up the food chain through insects, fish, birds, and mammals, with devastating effects at the individual, species and ecosystem levels. Chemical fertilizers drastically alter the nutrient balance in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, causing soil nutrient depletion, microbial community disruption, invasive species spread, algal blooms, hypoxic aquatic kill-off, trophic collapse, and eutrophication. Furthermore, organic farming is a critical tool in mitigating global warming. Studies show that organic farming practices significantly increase the soil’s carbon sequestration rate by preserving proper nutrient balance. And organic farming is typically less mechanized and less dependent on manufactured inputs, meaning it uses less fossil fuels and emits less greenhouse gas than conventional farming.
Residual quantities of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides inevitably get ingested by consumers, contributing to a variety of proven chronic health effects, including neurological disorders and immune system impairment. Eating and drinking organic not only prevents these health risks, it is also actively beneficial—organically grown plants have demonstrably higher levels of vitamins, nutrients, and anti-oxidants than conventionally grown crops.
FARMERS
Conventional non-organic agriculture is pervasively characterized by large-scale, mechanized, corporate industry. The trend over the last century has been toward consolidation of small family farms, industrialized deconstruction of the agricultural process, and a de-emphasized connection with the land. Organic farming bucks this trend, valuing a holistic approach to the growing process and a strong human presence on the farm. If there is a chance to preserve the landscape, community, and deep knowledge that characterize the agricultural way of life, it lies in stressing these organic values.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
Our brewery and our beer are certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF), the certification branch of the Northeast Organic Farmers Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT). VOF is accredited by the USDA to certify that agricultural products are grown and processed in accordance with the National Organic Program Standards, rigorous federal organic guidelines that insure products sold as organic meet the holistic standards for control of soil fertility, pest management, and plant and animal health.
