SimpleMills - Regenerative Agriculture

What we eat matters.

When our founder, Katlin Smith, started looking for ways to improve her health through food, she realized that eating a variety of whole foods contributed to her overall health and well-being. So she started to develop baking mixes in her kitchen, seeking out nutrient-dense ingredients like nuts, seeds and vegetable flours that helped support diet diversity – ingredients that weren’t typically found in products like baking mixes, crackers and cookies. And what we’ve learned since is that a diverse and nutrient-dense diet doesn’t just contribute to a healthier lifestyle, it can also help create a healthier planet.

It starts from the ground up

What we farm matters.

Why does what we eat affect the health of the planet? Because how food is grown – for example how the soil is tilled or how much fertilizer is applied – can have a big impact on the environment. Take this one example: According to Project Drawdown, food, agriculture and land use contribute nearly 1/4 of all greenhouse gas emissions.* This means that agriculture is not only part of the problem; it also can be part of the solution. So knowing where and how our food is grown matters, and even the everyday decisions we make at the grocery store can create positive change. That’s why we’re digging deeper on our impacts to the planet and what Simple Mills can do to be a part of the necessary paradigm shift. Our journey is only beginning. Come join us!

(*Source: Project Drawdown,Greenhouse Gas Sources)

The answer is right under our feet

Healthy soil is the foundation for a healthy planet.

So what’s the solution? For starters, increasing crop diversity. Currently, only four crops – sugarcane, rice, corn and wheat – account for more than 50% of all crops grown worldwide.* We’re growing fewer crops on more land and that lack of diversity means less resilience. That’s why we seek out more diverse ingredients for our products, and why we’re partnering with farmers and suppliers who incorporate practices that prioritize soil health, like using cover crops and organic amendments, and leave the land in better shape for future generations. In a nutshell, that’s what regenerative agriculture is about. It’s a fancy term for getting back to basics. This is why we’re proud to source 17% of our ingredients (based on weight in FY2020) with USDA Organic Certification, which prioritizes soil health, a key regenerative agriculture principle, and we will be growing that number over time.

FAO, FAOSTAT 2018 Production. [Cited 13 October 2020].

We support regenerative agriculture because it can build healthy soil by using practices like:

Reaping the benefits of great partnerships

At Simple Mills, we understand how important it is to know where our food is coming from, and the people that make it possible. We believe farmers are the frontline heroes of food system change –they’re the ones who are driving the movement towards regenerative agriculture. So we’re partnering directly with like-minded farmers, and offering financial incentives that support and encourage regenerative practices. Our goal is to establish relationships directly with farmers and farming communities, and to keep it growing!

To develop this line of crackers, we partnered with 3 farmers across 300 acres in the Midwest to grow organic sunflower seeds.

Strohfus Family

2nd Generation

Hastings, Minnesota

Tersteeg Family

2nd Generation

Erksine, Minnesota

Sather Family

5th Generation

Madison, Minnesota

We are just getting started

We know diversity is the key to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier, more resilient planet. And by changing up the type of foods that we eat, we can help create demand for greater crop diversity and positive change. Of course, we realize that we have so much to learn – and to contribute. But we’re excited to be on this journey, and to plant the seeds of change. We’re inviting you to join us - to keep learning about how to eat healthier; about where our food comes from; and what we can all do to create a healthier planet.