Retailer to purchase Braga Fresh regenerative trial crop

Braga Fresh, home of Josie’s Organics, has gained its first retail pre-order to support the company’s commitment to harvest and take to market crops grown using regenerative practices.

Officials with the Soledad, Calif.-based marketer said in a news release that the development is a major step in trialing a low-soil tillage concept designed to increase the carbon content in soil.

The objectives of the regenerative farming trials are to conserve soil carbon by reducing tillage passes that allows for an increase in soil biology diversity and a decreased consumption of diesel fuel that powers the tractors conducting the tillage operation, according to the release. With these goals, the company said it hopes to lessen water and fertilizer usage.

Whole Foods Market, in response to the company’s efforts the last two years, committed to purchasing and selling the scheduled trial crop of organic sweet baby broccoli this summer, according to the release.

Although a small volume, it is a benchmark, officials said in the release.

“This early support from an important customer is helping our team continue the farming trials [that] we do not yet have all the answers or know the ending to yet,” Eric Morgan, vice president of environmental science and resources for Braga Fresh, said in the release.

Regenerative agriculture is a variety of farming principles and techniques that seek to help reverse climate change by rehabilitating soil organic matter and biodiversity. The focus of regenerative farming on soil health promotes the natural cycle of building the soil’s carbon and nutrient content levels, the release said.

This is the third year Braga Fresh is trialing regenerative agriculture practices; 2022 was a learning year and an opportunity to build awareness with the company’s farming peers and retail partners, the release said.

Multiple practices are used to implement the regenerative trials, including plant sap analysis, data management, companion plantings, crop rotation, intercropping, cover cropping, soil testing and water management technology, the release said. All regenerative trials are conducted to meet Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements (LGMA) standards, the release said.

The trial crop of organic sweet baby broccoli will be harvested on the Braga home ranch in Soledad and field-packed under the Josie’s Organics brand.