Giant Supermarkets Partner with Rodale Institute to Support Organic Farming
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This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Supermarket leader The Giant Company announced it has partnered with the Rodale Institute to step up its support of organic farming as part of the company’s efforts to promote more sustainable agriculture, and to reduce food insecurity, Supermarket News reported. Carlisle, PA-based Giant Foods, a division of Ahold Delhaize, operates 190 supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Widely recognized as a founder of the modern organic food movement, Rodale Institute is a global leader in regenerative organic agriculture, Giant said in a statement. “Through education, research and training, Rodale Institute is quite clearly leading the charge to transform farming for the better,” said Nicholas Bertram, President of The Giant Company. “Their important work complements our other environmental initiatives including offsetting our carbon footprint, creating pollinator habitats, and reducing food waste,” he said. As part of a new “Healing the Planet” initiative, Giant said it will work to support three of Rodale's initiatives, including helping farmers transition to growing organic crops; an internship that trains farmers for a career in regenerative organic agriculture; and a research project aimed at increasing organic land. “Despite the organic food market reaching $55 billion last year, only 1% of U.S. cropland is currently organic," said Jeff Moyer, CEO of the Rodale Institute. "Now more than ever, it's critical that food retailers, farmers, and consumers join together to advocate for the food system they want to see — one that heals both people and the planet." Russell Redding, Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture, applauded the partnership and pointed out that the state is a national leader in organic sales. "These targeted investments grow opportunities for consumers to buy what they want and farmers and grocers to earn more, and investing in regenerative farming improves our soil and water so we can keep growing in the future," he said.