CLAREMONT, N.H. — Trends toward non-GMO, organic foods may seem like the best thing to hit the food scene since sliced bread, but for North Country Smokehouse, the rest of the world just joined the dinner table. The company celebrated 16 years of organic farming last summer, marking the occasion with a pasture to plate luncheon on Egli farm, one of the first-ever farms to join the company’s organic program.
“We spent 3-full days on the farm,” said Alicia Baker, Director of Marketing for North Country Smokehouse. “It is easy to get caught up in the business of making better-for-you food accessible. Having feet on the ground and seeing the story in action is inspiring. It’s tangible. The impact on the farmers, the livestock, and the land are evident.”
The agri-food producer quite literally puts their money where their mouth is. They have been committed to humanely raised and organic farming for decades, long before the movement began. “We realized there was a demand for clean label, organic pork and meeting it would require adding more certified organic suppliers to our 400-farm, family-owned operation.” says Aaron Corbett, North Country Smokehouse, CEO. No easy feat considering the transition to organic requires farmers to shut down operations for 3-years, the time it takes to remove chemical pesticides and other synthetics from the soil and water.
“Our farm model is designed to help farmers transition to organic. We subsidize the farms with fair market prices during their transition and share our years of learning. These partnerships have an enormous impact on family farmers and ultimately – impacts the entire food system.” Corbett says.
Once the farms have successfully converted to organic, they become a premium supplier under the NCS organic program, which credits their off-market operations for the quality, consistency, and stable pricing the brand has become well known for.
About North Country Smokehouse
As one of America’s few remaining family-owned smokehouses, North Country’s mission is to hand craft premium, artisanal smoked meats through culinary excellence, exceptional animal care standards, and respect for the land. Located in the heart of New England, their authentic charcuterie features only the best hand-selected, natural ingredients and small batch smoking process over embers of local hardwoods.
The NCS product line features smoked bacon, ham, sausages, deli meats, and unique offerings like smoked chicken, and Cajun Pork Tasso. Voted America’s Best Bacon by Men’s Journal, New England’s Best Meat by Yankee Magazine, and The Best Bacon in America by Food & Wine, North Country is noted for balancing taste with time-honored tradition and modern food trends.
Visit ncsmokehouse.com for more information.
