Kemin Industries has received third-party sustainably grown certification for its vertically integrated rosemary production through SCS Global Services. Kemin is the first to obtain third-party certification for this type of rosemary, according to the company.
“Today's consumers are more interested in supporting sustainable agriculture practices than ever,” said Linda Brown, SCS senior vice president. “This certification assures Kemin Industries’ customers that the rosemary in its rosemary-based products is not just high quality but produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way.”
The sustainable, agronomic path Kemin has chosen differs from a popular but less widely known approach, said the company. Approximately 80% of rosemary that is used as a spice or for extraction is harvested from the wild in the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and North Africa under license from sovereign governments. This alters the natural ecology of these ecosystems and produces varying quality in the product. Dedicated to sustainable and environmental farming practices, Kemin contracts with family farmers in Texas and New Mexico to grow its proprietary rosemary varieties. This partnership not only increases the quality and quantity of crops but improves farming practices, promotes healthy working conditions and builds community relations, said Kemin.
