Established in 1976, Pines’ mission is to increase organic farming and grow naturally concentrated dark green, leafy vegetables. In those 45 years, our company and foundation have added more than 2,000 acres to the USDA Certified Organic program.
We also support moving away from using fossil fuel for energy and one-use plastic containers. Products from our farm have always been packaged in oxygen-free glass bottles since 1932. That kind of packaging prevents nutrient and color loss caused by the use of plastic containers.
Our educational foundation is a major contributor to more than a dozen environmental organizations, including our being the largest contributor to a permanent endowment that in perpetuity is providing a salary for a water-keeper and lobbyist to protect our Kansas River.
We grow all our crops with natural rainfall and never use irrigation from potentially contaminated groundwater. We have been activists in protecting what remains of the fossil water of the Ogallala Aquifer in the Western part of our State.
That once-pristine water has been wasted and contaminated growing GMO corn for poor quality ethanol fuel that costs more to produce than the selling price except for subsidies. We, taxpayers, are wasting money sacrificing and contaminating the limited ancient groundwater of the aquifer to grow GMO corn for ethanol that sells for less than it costs to produce.
We have stood for sustainable agricultural practices for all our 45 years. We are encouraged to see more farmers going organic but are also discouraged to see the lack of respect factory farming has for our soils and natural resources.
We hope Earth Day 2021 will inspire more farmers to move toward more sustainable practices. Learn more about Pines at www.wheatgrass.com