[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you're an herbal supplement user, chances are you’ve heard of or taken
Gaia Herbs tinctures, capsules, gummies or topical products. Headquartered in western North Carolina with their own certified organic and regenerative herb farm, Gaia Herbs has become a trusted brand name in the dietary supplement industry, leading the way with quality, integrity and innovative herbal formulas.
Although the industry was very different when Gaia Herbs launched 35 years ago, its commitment to connecting people, plants and the planet to create healing and a better future has remained steadfast. Here’s an inside look at what helped Gaia Herbs become one of the most recognizable and trusted brands, as well as how they've become an established leader in regenerative herbal farming practices.
Gaia Herbs' commitment to quality, community & environment
Since its inception, Gaia Herbs has been committed to its core values of connecting people, plants and planet to create healing and healthier future.
Gaia Herbs doesn’t just manufacture herbal products, they also grow many of their product ingredients. The western North Carolina farm where Gaia Herbs grows more than 3 million plants yearly was recently recognized as Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC)™ at the Silver level by the
Regenerative Organic Alliance. This certification is granted to farms dedicated to organic farming practices that improve the environment and uphold a commitment to fair farmworker treatment.
Gaia Herbs’ farm leverages its ISO-certified laboratory to determine prime harvest and extraction timing -- when the phytochemicals are at their peak -- to ensure optimum purity and potency.
The company also is a proud Certified B Corporation and believes in accountability and transparency while working toward reduced inequality, a healthier environment, stronger communities and creating more high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose.
Additionally,
Gaia Herbs walks the talk regarding transparency and adherence to cGMP manufacturing standards.
Regenerative agriculture & soil health practices in herb farming
Many people have heard of
regenerative agriculture within the context of food-producing farms and ranches. But what does that look like on an herb farm?
Gaia Herbs applies the same regenerative agricultural practices utilized on other farms and ranches, including:
- Cover cropping: Cover copping slows erosion, improves soil health, enhances water availability, smothers weeds, helps control pests and diseases, and increases biodiversity.
- Herb crop rotation: Rotating prevents nutrient depletion, systemic disease and pest pressure.
- Soil building: After harvest, plant residuals are turned back into the soil.
- Soil fertility plan: Organic-approved fertilizer, minerals and beneficial microbes are applied throughout the growing season to support plant health and yield.
- Biodiversity management: Gaia Herbs plants an average of 3 million plants annually, representing 20-35 species of medicinal herbs and 125 species of fruits, vegetables and flowers. This supports pollinator habitats, which promotes a strong and balanced ecosystem.
- Integrated pest management: Regularly scouting fields for pest and disease thresholds enables a proactive, preventive approach. Habitats are seeded, planted and nurtured to attract beneficial insects, birds and wildlife that deter problem pests while supporting a balanced ecosystem.
- Tree planting: Tree planting benefits the farm ecosystem while promoting habitat and providing windbreaks and additional carbon sequestering.
- Riparian buffers and settling ponds: Gaia Herbs ensures a 30-foot-plus buffer strip between fields and waterways to protect the watershed from erosion and sediment. Settling ponds capture any sediment run-off from farm fields, which can be cleaned and placed back onto fields.
- Seed saving: Seed saving is integral to preserving the Gaia Herbs’ story and plant genetics that impact purity and potency.
- Gaia’s seed-saving initiative also protects agricultural seed supply chain biodiversity. This is important as seed biodiversity is diminishing rapidly. Most of the world’s seed market share is now controlled by a handful of seed companies, who have steadily eliminated the majority of seed varieties.
These practices promote crop resiliency, encourage biodiversity, secure the supply chain, protect the purity of groundwater, produce nutrient-dense plants and fight climate change.
As an added benefit, these practices increase organic matter in the soil, expanding its capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and hold more water and nutrients.
Why Gaia Herbs has been committed to organic regenerative farming for 35+ years
Although regenerative farming practices may seem relatively new, Gaia Herbs has been committed to this type of growing and land stewardship from the very beginning the beginning.
Here’s why Gaia Herbs has invested so heavily in organic regenerative farming:
1. Organic regenerative farming fights climate change.
Did you know plants absorb carbon? However, you have to keep them in the ground vs. leaving the soil bare. By nurturing organically rich soil and leaving living roots across the farm every season of the year, Gaia Herbs promotes carbon draw down from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gasses.
2. It creates healthier communities.
Farming without pesticides and other chemicals produces zero chemical runoff, which would otherwise wind up in local watersheds.
3. Organic regenerative certification promotes social fairness.
The Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) pillar is extremely important and very personal, as Gaia Herbs farm would not exist without the seasonal team members. Many of them have been returning to the farm for over 15 years. Gaia Herbs supports social fairness through ROC, B-Corp certification, Living Wage certification and by being a partner of Vecinos.
4. It creates a secure supply chain.
Regenerative agricultural practices lead to healthy soil, which produces crops that are resilient against droughts, flooding, weeds and pests.
Gaia Herbs regenerative agriculture & sustainability partnerships
The world and its inhabitants are in dire need of healing. However, no person or company can do it alone. That’s why Gaia Herbs has partnered with several like-minded organizations committed to a healthier future. Some of these key partners in change include:
- Doselva is a socially responsible organic farming cooperative in Nicaragua focused on growing turmeric and other herbs. This mutually beneficial alliance allows Gaia Herbs to provide support in developing an electronic and in-person platform to train hundreds of farmers in regenerative farming (specifically agroforestry). In turn, their farmers grow some of the best turmeric on Earth for Gaia’s products.
- Global Farmer Investment Fund invests in regenerative agriculture and community-based projects to support farmers, families and communities. Through this fund, Gaia Herbs supports 300+ farmers in Nicaragua who are diversifying their farming systems beyond coffee and grains to include medicinal herbs.
- Vecinos is dedicated to improving farmworkers and their families’ wellness in western North Carolina with medical outreach and advocates for their social and economic well-being.
- Climate Collaborative is an alliance of concerned businesses from the natural products industry that works collaboratively to catalyze bold action to reverse climate change.
- Kiss the Ground has a mission is to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation in this movement through media, communications, education, workshops, immersive programming and advocacy.
- Sustainable Herbs Program seeks to support high-quality herbal products made through sustainable and ethical sourcing.
- Organic Growers School is located close to Gaia Herbs’ farm in Asheville, North Carolina and provides local farmers with an organic education in growing and farm management.
- Dogwood Alliance is a group that has worked to protect Southern forests in the U.S. for the last 25 years.
These partnerships allow Gaia Herbs to fulfill its core values, emphasizing giving back to communities, enriching the lives of farmers, and stewarding the environment.
Gaia Herbs' future goals for regenerative agriculture and sustainability
As you can see, Gaia Herbs has prioritized sustainability and regenerative practices for years, but they’re not done yet.
Gaia Herbs is working towards becoming zero waste by 2025 and net zero by 2030. They're also committed to improving their Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC)™ level from Silver to Gold in the coming years.
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