This August, I traveled to rural Minnesota to visit one of our domestic farm partners. Lucky for me, there was a break from the previous week's high humidity and peak mosquito activity, which made for a comfortable visit this time around. I met with Jason, a second-generation farmer and now manager of the organic farm. I began my visit at what they refer to as the “home farm” where I got to see Jason’s childhood home and the land he grew up on. They still grow some crops on four acres of this land, but the bulk of their growing now takes place in other nearby plots.

We often get excellent questions and comments from the Mountain Rose Herbs community that inspire us on product ideas, blog writing, and more. We recently had a question about the difference between whole and standardized herbal products and how to choose which to use. We are so glad you asked that! 

At Mountain Rose Herbs, our commitment to sustainability goes beyond the products we provide. It extends to fostering a deep connection with our community and the environment through our employee volunteer program. This unique initiative offers each of our team members 24 paid hours annually to volunteer at local nonprofit organizations, enabling us to make a meaningful impact while fostering a culture of giving and teamwork.

Spring is in full bloom, and there’s no better time to tune up your bike, tighten your laces, or get your bus pass than in May – because May is bike Month! Here in Eugene, your vibrant city comes alive with the spirit of cycling, thanks to the fantastic efforts of the City of Eugene Transportation and their regional partners. From free rides to exciting events, and engaging classes, Bike Month is a celebration of all things cycling, designed to showcase the many benefits of biking and to encourage everyone to join in the fun.

When it comes to waste, we know the basics: reduce, reuse, recycle. But the real question is, how do we transition from these fundamentals to a truly circular system? As the Sustainability Specialist at Mountain Rose Herbs, I am deeply committed to advancing our Zero Waste Program. This means that from the office to the warehouse to the production floor, we collect and sort every piece of discarded material that would normally end up in the landfill. Along with being the first company in Oregon to be certified, achieving the highest TRUE Zero Waste certification level (Platinum) was a significant milestone in 2016, and we have maintained this standard ever since. But even as we reach this goal year after year, our dedication to waste reduction continues to grow.

At Mountain Rose Herbs, our independence allows us to keep corporate social responsibility at the heart of our values. That’s why changing our corporate charter to become an Oregon Benefit Company in 2018 was a natural step for us, formalizing our commitment to making a measurable positive impact on both our employees and our community. Not only did we formalize this change in our legal documents, but under Oregon law we are required to form goals, assess our progress, and report on our activities annually. With accountability at the forefront, we decided to choose B Lab’s rigorous Impact Assessment tool as the third-party standard by which to gauge our impact.

All of us here at Mountain Rose Herbs are thrilled to embark on another year of exciting herbal event endeavors! Last year, we had the much-anticipated opportunity to reunite through in-person gatherings, along with continuing our virtual events to ensure herbal education remains accessible to those out of arms reach in the PNW. In 2024, we're looking forward to watching the blossoming return of herbal events and strengthening the bond of the ever-expanding herbalism community.

In a hyper-connected world full of consumption, how do we make the best choices when purchasing products? How do we determine the impact of our decisions based on our values? Now more than ever, we are faced with businesses greenwashing customers, and as a result, consumers have become detached from where things come from or how they have come to be. Terms like “natural” or “therapeutic” are used with reckless abandon and we are given minimal information to make the best choices for our bodies and our planet.

For over a decade, Mountain Rose Herbs has worked closely with Fair for Life (FFL), a Switzerland-based, fair trade certification program that seriously ups the ante on fair trade practices, making life-changing improvements in labor relationships both externally and internally. The mission is clear in this program statement: Fair for Life’s vision is a world where trade, through ethical, fair, and respectful partnerships, is a driving force for positive and sustainable change benefiting people and their environment.

2023 was quite a year! While we worked hard to ensure access to pure, organic ingredients to support health and wellness, the Mountain Rose Herbs team also completed some exciting goals. As we reflect on the last year, we want to share our most notable accomplishments and extend our gratitude to you. We could not have accomplished these things without your incredible support. Here are some of our favorite initiatives from 2023 and a peek at what’s coming up in 2024.