Why is it important for your brand to celebrate Earth Month and how are you celebrating throughout the month?

For 35 years, Applegate has pushed the meat industry forward with meat raised with no antibiotics ever, organic meat, and regenerative agriculture to strive to create a positive impact on people, animals and the planet. The humble hotdog has long been our way of demonstrating how simple ingredients can make an impact.

In 2021, we launched the Do Good Dog, the first nationally available hot dog sourced from certified regenerative grasslands. Applegate defines regenerative agriculture as a series of practices that use animal grazing practices to make a positive impact on the land. These practices prioritize soil health, biodiversity, water retention and farmer livelihoods, with cattle playing a pivotal role in nurturing ecosystems. The overwhelming positive consumer response and environmental impact served as the motivator to set a goal to source 100% of all APPLEGATE® beef hot dogs from certified regenerative grasslands by the end of 2025.

Today, we are proud to say we have achieved that goal nine months ahead of schedule! The achievement underscores Applegate’s commitment to scaling regenerative organic practices. The transition of our organic beef supply for all-beef hot dogs is helping to transition 10 million acres of grasslands to Regenerative Organic Certified ™, tripling the number of acres previously certified by the program.

This Earth Month, we are celebrating our achievement. Our transition to sourcing beef from certified regenerative farms builds on a legacy of innovation and we hope that Applegate’s move can advance regenerative practices across the broader industry. We are also using our social channels to raise awareness of American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund, a grant program which helps small and organic farmers across the country become more resilient.

What does your brand do to help create a healthier environment and to treat the planet more respectfully everyday?

When our consumers invest in Applegate, they are supporting certified regenerative agriculture, increased rural and economic vitality and improved animal welfare. Applegate began as and remains a company with a mission. As changemakers, we work differently to drive social and environmental change.

During Earth Month, and every month, we follow USDA standards for certified organic meaning our farms “use practices that cycle resources, conserve biodiversity and preserve ecological balance.”¹

Why is it important for your brand to be organic?

Our mission is: Changing The Meat We Eat®.  As a federally regulated standard, the organic certification is an essential part of our portfolio.

What does organic do to make the planet healthier?

Organic farmers and ranchers follow strict rules about what animals eat, where they spend their time and how they are treated if they get sick. A few key examples of these rules include:

• All feed is 100 percent organic — no synthetic pesticides or genetically modified crops
• Pasture must be organically managed, which means it isn’t sprayed with toxic, synthetic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
• Organic animal farmers strive to minimize environmental impacts, often recycling manure (to help avoid nutrient runoff and increase carbon storage in their fields) and employing practices such as crop rotation and cover crops to maintain soil fertility and help protect soil and water quality.