Latest news with #organicfarming
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Todd Anniversary: From Research to Reality
LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- You know what they say: April showers bring May's flowers. But they forget to mention that it also brings Todd's once-a-year discount for new clients. To celebrate Todd's anniversary, the generative agriculture firm hosts its biggest offer of the year around this time, and they're happy to announce it's finally here. Committed to setting a new standard in sustainable agriculture, Todd has transformed into a renowned agriculture firm by partnering with small and medium-scale organic and biodynamic farms. Todd has earned widespread recognition from world-class farms, retailers, non-profit organizations, and consumers, enabling clients to restore farmland and surrounding ecosystems through natural soil enrichment, watershed restoration, and differentiation in direct-to-consumer markets. Since its founding in 2018, Todd has led groundbreaking advancements in soil science and crop production, solidifying its position as a pioneer in the regenerative agriculture movement. "My mission has always been to offer services that resonate deeply and provide real, lasting value—whether it's soil development that enriches the farm or seed products that transform what can be grown," said Vincent Todd, Founder and CEO of Todd. "A business that sets money-making or marketing targets looks at the world differently, its products differently, and its customers differently—our goal is to constantly strive for what will become the foundation of tomorrow's reality." Todd is entering a new phase of the regenerative agriculture shift, where decades of research are becoming tangible management practices that further advance soil health and production. Through this effort, Todd has the opportunity to make an impact on reversing some of the public health and environmental crises facing our planet today. With plans to announce major partnerships starting in 2026, Todd is poised to reshape the agriculture industry as it's known today—details forthcoming. About Todd: Todd is a first-generation generative agriculture firm that seeks to partner with high-growth, market-leading branded organic and biodynamic farms. The firm's primary focus is on identifying culturally relevant farms to deliver outstanding services and products, drive emotional connectivity and help meet the needs of modern consumers. Further information on Todd is available at as well as @toddagriscience on Instagram and LinkedIn. Press Contact: todd@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Todd Agriscience
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Organic Living Soil LLC Joins Easy Environmental Solutions as Exclusive Dealer in Louisiana and Mississippi Following Initial Shipment
WELCOME, Minn., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. (OTC: DUTV), now doing business as Easy Environmental Solutions Inc., is proud to announce that Organic Living Soil, LLC has agreed to be the exclusive dealer / warehouser for Easy Environmental Solutions within the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Headquartered in Lafayette, LA, and with a warehouse/distribution center in Brousard, their initial focus will be as a reseller, transporter, and servicing agent for Terreplenish ®, a proprietary organic microbial solution that serves as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Organic Living Soil, LLC warehouse and distribution hub – Broussard, LA After extensive testing over the past 2 years, Managing Partner Wayner Landry is convinced that Terreplenish ® will serve a dual purpose for their customer base - both as a living microbial soil additive and as non-chemical remediation for pond and lake cleanup in the 2-state area. "I have seen the positive results of Terreplenish in a variety of environments and conditions", said Managing Partner Wayne Landry. "Whether growing sugar cane or cleaning the algae from our customers' ponds, Terreplenish surpasses our expectations." Terreplenish® is comprised of LIVE-ACTIVE microbes, combined with green biomass, to form the OMRI-listed regenerative solution. It revitalizes soil biology, reduces chemical dependency, and strengthens plant immunity while delivering up to 60 lbs. of plant-available nitrogen and 20 lbs. of phosphorus per acre, up to 20% less irrigation required, with enhanced resistance to disease and environmental stress and zero synthetic additives or runoff pollutants. It has shown great yield results for many of the common crops in the area, including sugarcane, rice, corn, and sorghum. In addition, the same live-active microbes have shown to be instrumental in the cleanup of ponds and lakes by eradicating the surface formulations of algae, duckweed, and many other local species. By utilizing the natural effectiveness of the Terreplenish® microbes, area hospitals, schools, golf courses, and recreation areas will no longer need to pour caustic chemicals in their water systems. A key aspect is that the Terreplenish® microbes are naturally reproductive and continually devouring of the pond algae as a food source. The partnership with Organic Living Soil is the next stage in the growth of Easy Environmental Solutions from their Midwest origin to a national and international presence. 'There is a tremendous need for both soil and water restoration', said Mark Gaalswyk, CEO. 'We have environmentally sound… and effective ….solutions that alleviate the need to pour dangerous chemicals into our farmland, grass fields, golf courses, ponds, and lakes. We look forward to partnering with Organic Living Soils to introduce these alternative solutions to their customers.' For more information, visit About Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. (OTC: DUTV), now doing business as Easy Environmental Solutions Inc., is an innovative company developing modular technologies to solve major world problems. With a strong goal for sustainability and efficiency, DUTV aims to provide solutions for various industries through its unique approach to manufacturing and technology development. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains discussions that may constitute 'forward-looking' statements. Often these statements contain the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or similar expressions. These statements are made in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. For more information: Source: Easy Environmental Solutions, Inc.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That's the recipe for Agritopia
GILBERT, Ariz. (AP) — Just steps from the porticos, patios, clay-tiled roofs and manicured lawns of suburbia, Kelly Saxer has gotten used to questions. As she weaves through tomato vines, snaps asparagus and generally gets her hands dirty, visitors and even some nearby residents want to know what she's doing — and how the farm where she works wound up here. 'Sometimes it feels like we're animals in a zoo a little bit because people will walk by and they'll just stare, you know, like gawk at us,' Saxer said. This is Agritopia, an 11-acre (4.5-hectare) organic farm that's all that remains after miles of alfalfa, corn, cotton, durum wheat and sugar beets were swallowed up by Phoenix's roaring development. In this 'agrihood' — a residential community that includes a working farm — kids play outside at a school that borders vegetable fields or in communal green spaces nestled between homes. Well-dressed couples and boisterous teenagers flock for selfies and picturesque photos. Lines form at the diner featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network show. On the farm itself, people can walk the dirt roads, rent out plots to grow their own foods or buy its produce. Some developers have turned to the agrihood concept in the past couple of decades to lure buyers with a different kind of amenity. At least 27 U.S. states and Canadian provinces had agrihoods as of a 2018 report from the Urban Land Institute, and more have cropped up since then. Experts say agrihoods cater to buyers interested in sustainability, access to healthy food and a mix of urban and rural life. The core aim of many projects is to 'create a feeling for people,' said Matt Norris, one of the lead authors of that report. Agritopia's founders saw change coming, and made a planIt was the late 1990s when the family behind Agritopia saw 'the writing on the wall,' said Joe Johnston. The family farm was some 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Gilbert then but it was clear the Phoenix area's rapid growth was going to bring development to their doorstep. With his parents mostly retired and a pair of brothers interested in doing other things, Johnston got their blessing to develop the land himself rather than simply selling it. Johnston, with a background in design engineering, was intent on 'creating place,' as he puts it. The neighborhood features narrow streets and homes within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, small parks and fitness businesses. The farm is at the center of it. Melissa Checker, a professor of anthropology at City University of New York and author of a book on environmental gentrification, said agrihoods can appeal to people in different ways — their desire to feel environmentally conscious, nostalgia for an imagined idea of the past, increased interest in food 'self-sufficiency' and even a heightened desire to be safe and connected to neighbors after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'You have a kind of convergence of some commercial interests, you know, something that you can sell to people, and then also this real desire to change the way we do things,' she said. Agritopia, but not utopia In an ideal world, using green community space to grow food could especially benefit people who are food-insecure, Checker said. But because agrihoods are often tied to real estate prices and developers want a return on their investment, 'it's much more likely that these kinds of projects go into gentrifying neighborhoods or more affluent neighborhoods,' she said. It's not clear just how big a role the farm plays in attracting buyers. At Agritopia, for example, few of the 500 homes participate in the farm box program that offers them first pick of seasonal fruits and vegetables. (The farm also sells at a market in downtown Gilbert and donates to a local food pantry.) Johnston said he knew 'not everyone's going to be passionate about agriculture.' That's why he was intent on creating a village where people have spaces to come together; it's up to them how much, if at all, they want to be involved in farming. Still, farms are a selling point for developers especially across the Sun Belt who compete to offer pools, gyms, parks and other perks to would-be residents who have a wide range of planned communities to choose from, said Scott Snodgrass. He's founding partner of a developer that created Indigo, an agrihood outside Houston, and also of a company called Agmenity that runs farms for agrihood developers. How the farm and the neighborhood intersectAs the sun rises, the farm's workers snip the roots off scallions and pull up thick bunches of lettuce and green garlic. Before he started working at Agritopia, Ernesto Penalba didn't know all the steps involved in growing garlic — harvesting, cleaning, plus packing and transporting. 'But we only perceive it as one process. So it was really interesting to understand that,' he said, speaking in Spanish. CC Garrett, who goes by 'Miss Hickory' when she's leading educational tours for kids on the farm, said she loves watching young people connect with their food in new ways — eating and maybe even enjoying salad for the first time or learning why you can't grow tomatoes year-round. 'It's amazing for me just because this community, it just really speaks to me, being built around an urban farm, which I think is such an important American concept,' she said. For some who live here, this place is more than a typical neighborhood. In Agritopia's 'kid pod,' a cluster of families with 23 kids between them, parents let the young ones roam freely, knowing at least one guardian will always be looking out for them. The rest of the parents make dinner or plan a date night. Just across the street, a peach and citrus orchard sways in the breeze, occasionally wafting the smells of fruit into front yards. Maria Padron lives in the 'kid pod' with her husband and two children. She loves living in Agritopia for the sense of camaraderie with her neighbors. Her own family in Virginia had to give up their farm when her grandfather couldn't take care of it anymore. She wishes it had stayed in the family, but it's a vineyard now. Asked whether she would have wanted her grandfather's land to become an agrihood, she says maybe — if it was done right. 'There's something obviously beautiful here that's going on, but there is some grief there too, if you've watched this land be a certain thing and then it changes within an instant,' Padron said. ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ Follow Joshua A. Bickel on Instagram, Bluesky and X @joshuabickel. Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That's the recipe for Agritopia
Just steps from the porticos, patios, clay-tiled roofs and manicured lawns of suburbia, Kelly Saxer has gotten used to questions. As she weaves through tomato vines, snaps asparagus and generally gets her hands dirty, visitors and even some nearby residents want to know what she's doing — and how the farm where she works wound up here. 'Sometimes it feels like we're animals in a zoo a little bit because people will walk by and they'll just stare, you know, like gawk at us,' Saxer said. This is Agritopia, an 11-acre (4.5-hectare) organic farm that's all that remains after miles of alfalfa, corn, cotton, durum wheat and sugar beets were swallowed up by Phoenix 's roaring development. In this 'agrihood' — a residential community that includes a working farm — kids play outside at a school that borders vegetable fields or in communal green spaces nestled between homes. Well-dressed couples and boisterous teenagers flock for selfies and picturesque photos. Lines form at the diner featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network show. On the farm itself, people can walk the dirt roads, rent out plots to grow their own foods or buy its produce. Some developers have turned to the agrihood concept in the past couple of decades to lure buyers with a different kind of amenity. At least 27 U.S. states and Canadian provinces had agrihoods as of a 2018 report from the Urban Land Institute, and more have cropped up since then. Experts say agrihoods cater to buyers interested in sustainability, access to healthy food and a mix of urban and rural life. The core aim of many projects is to 'create a feeling for people,' said Matt Norris, one of the lead authors of that report. Agritopia's founders saw change coming, and made a plan It was the late 1990s when the family behind Agritopia saw 'the writing on the wall,' said Joe Johnston. The family farm was some 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Gilbert then but it was clear the Phoenix area's rapid growth was going to bring development to their doorstep. With his parents mostly retired and a pair of brothers interested in doing other things, Johnston got their blessing to develop the land himself rather than simply selling it. Johnston, with a background in design engineering, was intent on 'creating place," as he puts it. The neighborhood features narrow streets and homes within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, small parks and fitness businesses. The farm is at the center of it. Melissa Checker, a professor of anthropology at City University of New York and author of a book on environmental gentrification, said agrihoods can appeal to people in different ways — their desire to feel environmentally conscious, nostalgia for an imagined idea of the past, increased interest in food 'self-sufficiency' and even a heightened desire to be safe and connected to neighbors after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'You have a kind of convergence of some commercial interests, you know, something that you can sell to people, and then also this real desire to change the way we do things,' she said. Agritopia, but not utopia In an ideal world, using green community space to grow food could especially benefit people who are food-insecure, Checker said. But because agrihoods are often tied to real estate prices and developers want a return on their investment, 'it's much more likely that these kinds of projects go into gentrifying neighborhoods or more affluent neighborhoods,' she said. It's not clear just how big a role the farm plays in attracting buyers. At Agritopia, for example, few of the 500 homes participate in the farm box program that offers them first pick of seasonal fruits and vegetables. (The farm also sells at a market in downtown Gilbert and donates to a local food pantry.) Johnston said he knew 'not everyone's going to be passionate about agriculture." That's why he was intent on creating a village where people have spaces to come together; it's up to them how much, if at all, they want to be involved in farming. Still, farms are a selling point for developers especially across the Sun Belt who compete to offer pools, gyms, parks and other perks to would-be residents who have a wide range of planned communities to choose from, said Scott Snodgrass. He's founding partner of a developer that created Indigo, an agrihood outside Houston, and also of a company called Agmenity that runs farms for agrihood developers. How the farm and the neighborhood intersect As the sun rises, the farm's workers snip the roots off scallions and pull up thick bunches of lettuce and green garlic. Before he started working at Agritopia, Ernesto Penalba didn't know all the steps involved in growing garlic — harvesting, cleaning, plus packing and transporting. 'But we only perceive it as one process. So it was really interesting to understand that,' he said, speaking in Spanish. CC Garrett, who goes by 'Miss Hickory' when she's leading educational tours for kids on the farm, said she loves watching young people connect with their food in new ways — eating and maybe even enjoying salad for the first time or learning why you can't grow tomatoes year-round. 'It's amazing for me just because this community, it just really speaks to me, being built around an urban farm, which I think is such an important American concept,' she said. For some who live here, this place is more than a typical neighborhood. In Agritopia's 'kid pod,' a cluster of families with 23 kids between them, parents let the young ones roam freely, knowing at least one guardian will always be looking out for them. The rest of the parents make dinner or plan a date night. Just across the street, a peach and citrus orchard sways in the breeze, occasionally wafting the smells of fruit into front yards. Maria Padron lives in the 'kid pod' with her husband and two children. She loves living in Agritopia for the sense of camaraderie with her neighbors. Her own family in Virginia had to give up their farm when her grandfather couldn't take care of it anymore. She wishes it had stayed in the family, but it's a vineyard now. Asked whether she would have wanted her grandfather's land to become an agrihood, she says maybe — if it was done right. 'There's something obviously beautiful here that's going on, but there is some grief there too, if you've watched this land be a certain thing and then it changes within an instant,' Padron said. ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ Follow Joshua A. Bickel on Instagram, Bluesky and X @joshuabickel. Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Free Malaysia Today
From PR to pumpkin fields: Lavinesh is big on agriculture
Lavinesh Vimalanathan left his corporate career to pursue organic farming. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle). PETALING JAYA : Lavinesh Vimalanathan, 30, once thrived in the high-energy world of public relations and corporate communications. But after a while, it wore him down. Speaking to FMT Lifestyle at his home in Petaling Jaya, he said: 'I needed to take a step back – do something more calming.' That 'something' turned out to be agriculture. Even as a child, Lavinesh was drawn to the outdoors. 'I used to dig random holes in the garden just to play with the soil,' he said, laughing. 'And when my dad saw the mess, of course I'd get a scolding.' Like many amateur gardeners, Lavinesh started small, helping his parents care for plants at home. His efforts soon expanded to his relative's plot in Banting, where he once harvested 25kg of tapioca. 'That moment was the biggest highlight of my agricultural journey,' he said. 'But, it didn't even make a scratch in the time and money I'd put in. Still, it was a good start.' Lavinesh often played with soil as a child, the beginning of his love for agriculture. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle). During the pandemic, he pivoted to hydroponics, turning his guest bedroom into a mini indoor farm. 'I had enough kangkong and mint for like, one family lunch,' he said. But it wasn't until 2022 that Lavinesh made his boldest move – leasing a 0.8 hectare-plot of land in Temerloh, Pahang, and leaving behind his childhood home in the Klang Valley. This marked the beginning of Project Kebun, his social media platform chronicling the ups and downs of his new life as a farmer. 'Of course, it was a scary move. I was leaving the security of a monthly salary to do something on my own.' Lavinesh was able to harvest thousands of kilogrammes of pumpkins from his farm in Temerloh, Pahang. (Lavinesh Vimalanathan pic) What followed was a full-blown culture shock. 'Here, traffic jams are caused by people in cars. There, it's cows or chickens crossing the road,' he laughed. He began with curry leaves. 'I didn't know that the leaf I'd been eating all these years would be my first official crop,' he recalled. 'I still remember the date – May 3, 2023. After planting the first 10 curry leaf plants in the soil, I called around 20 people to announce that I'm officially a farmer. It was the proudest moment of my life.' Setting up the farm took six months of bulldozing, excavation and fencing. He had big dreams of planting various crops. But the wildlife had other plans – monkeys, wild boars, even water buffalo were regular visitors. So he pivoted to pumpkins. 'Pumpkins take about three months to grow. The back of my Hilux was full of them – it was a beautiful sight.' His first harvest yielded over 1,000kg. Yet, despite the bounty, he made a loss. His second round didn't fare much better as monkey attacks worsened. Then in January, disaster struck: the main bridge to his farm was swept away by floods. 'I went there and the bridge was just… gone. Floating.' Despite bidding farewell to his farm in Temerloh, Lavinesh continues to garden. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle). He tried reaching the farm through muddy estate roads, getting his car stuck multiple times. Though he managed to get through, he knew he couldn't keep this going for long, not with the bridge still unrepaired. 'It took me a month to muster up the courage to tell myself it was over. It was heartbreaking. I could go on forever if you let me. But at the end of the day, it's not a hobby, it's a business. How much more can I bleed before I can't recover?' By the end of 2024, he said goodbye to the farm. But not to agriculture. Lavinesh still keeps pots of curry leaves and lime trees around the house. And now, he's sowing seeds of a different kind, with a new website called Project Harvest, dedicated to gardening tips tailored for Malaysians. The former farmer has since pivoted from 'Project Kebun' to 'Project Harvest' where he offers gardening tips to Malaysians. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle). 'I realised there's no platform like this for us. I still have all this real, hands-on knowledge. Why not share it?' Lavinesh said. He's also offering services such as house visits to help Malaysians with their own gardening woes. And if the opportunity ever presents itself again? 'I would love to go back to farming,' he said without hesitation. 'If I had the means to do it, I wouldn't think twice.' Check out his Project Harvest website and follow Lavinesh on Instagram and Tik Tok.
