Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards says it has been named a 2026 SEAL Sustainability Award winner in two categories, earning a Sustainability Innovation recognition for its Planet Positive program and a Sustainable Products honor for its carbon-negative apples, pears and cherries.
CMI says the Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership Business Awards recognize 50 of the world’s most sustainable companies for environmental initiatives that demonstrate innovation, measurable impact and long-term commitment across industries and geographies. The company adds that these dual awards underscore its global leadership in driving regenerative, climate‑positive tree fruit production and advancing sustainability.
CMI says the SEAL Awards recognize its Planet Positive program, which integrates carbon-negative growing practices, regenerative soil health, waste upcycling and transparent environmental reporting into the company’s orchard systems. The program is designed to benefit more than the environment, providing tangible benefits for growers, retail partners and consumers seeking food produced with integrity and accountability.
“At its core, Planet Positive reflects our belief that farming should leave the land better than we found it,” says Bob Mast, president of CMI. “By cultivating carbon negative orchards, regenerating soil, producing nutrient-rich fruit, upcycling waste and operating with transparency and trust, we’re helping move the fresh produce industry forward while giving families confidence in the food they bring home.”
CMI was also recognized with a SEAL Sustainable Product Award for producing carbon-negative apples, pears and cherries with its tree fruit that offsets and surpasses its on-farm emissions footprint. The Soil Center, a facility that operates a closed-loop system that converts orchard waste into regenerative soil amendments, supports CMI’s carbon-negative efforts.
“This recognition highlights meaningful progress in regenerative agriculture and offers consumers fruit that fully offsets its growing emissions,” says Rose Vejvoda, sustainability manager for CMI. “Between 2022 and 2025, The Soil Center project generated more than 700,000 carbon credits by storing carbon in the soil, where it delivers lasting environmental value. We remain committed to expanding these practices, increasing sequestration and strengthening sustainability across our supply chain.”
