FAQs
Questions About The Farming Behind Our Products
Q: What is Regenerative Agriculture?
đ Modern farming practices play a big part in climate change. Emissions from agricultural production, use of toxic chemicals, water pollution, loss of precious topsoil, pollinators and insects, as well as irresponsible animal management are all results of how the majority of our food is grown and managed today.
A regenerative farming model, instead, uses the highest organic farming standards as a baseline and goes beyond. It does so by farming more in tune with the natural rhythms of nature, in the ways in which farming was done for thousands of years before the need for GMOs, toxic and synthetic chemicals, mono-cropping and other destructive farming practices. Learn all about the farming principles here!
Q: What is the difference between Regenerative Farming & Biodynamics?
đ Biodynamic farming is regenerative farming! BiodynamicÂź farming is certified by an internationally recognized group called Demeter. The Demeter certification is the oldest ecological certification in the world dating back almost 100 years. It is also the oldest and largest regenerative farming certification in the world and a forerunner for all organic certifications as we know them today. Biodynamic farms envision healing the earth through agriculture and are a perfect example of a regenerative farming system.  Learn more about all of the certifications and badges here (i.e. organic, biodynamic, regenerative)!
Q: What is the difference between WLP and other certified organic foods in the market?
đ White Leaf Provisions is a US-based, female-founded, family-run business that focuses on sourcing all ingredients from family owned farms that grow healthy, pure and transparent fruits and vegetables. These farms only employ biodynamic and regenerative farming practices, a growing movement which focuses on producing food that is more nutritious while reducing pollution and restoring health to land, water, crops, animals, and air.Â
Being certified organic, GMO free, Kosher and 100% regeneratively farmed, White Leaf Provisions believes that the health of the foods that we feed our kids and families, is as important as healing and protecting the planet that our kids will inherit.Â
Q: Are regeneratively farmed ingredients healthier for me & my family?
đ Scientific research into the health benefits of organic food -- which applies to biodynamic, regeneratively farmed food as well -- is well documented. In addition, repeated experiments for many years by people who grow and eat regeneratively farmed produce, and by biodynamic research establishments, confirms that it regularly produces high quality nutrient-rich foods, that keep fresh longer, store better, and have greater vitality. Anecdotal evidence suggests that eating biodynamic food reduces allergic reactions and contributes to improved general health as well. Read more about how and why regenerative farming is the pinnacle in purity here.Â
Q: What is regenerative farmingâs position on GMOs?
đ While the rise of genetic engineering has created crop species that can withstand droughts, pests, and other challenges, there has been an intense backlash against their use. Many people believe that the research on the long-term impacts of GMO food is incomplete and that they contribute to health problems like allergies. Others worry that the altered genes will make their way into wild plant populations and permanently change the ways they work for the worse.
The Demeter certification has a zero tolerance for genetic modification (GM) in agriculture, gardening, packaging (compostable packaging can be made with GMO crops). Demeter standards also forbid the use of any GM organisms and ingredients, including animal feeds.
Q: What is Glyphosate? What does it mean that you are the first shelf stable baby food to be Glyphosate free in the US?
đ Glyphosate, also known as Round Up, is a likely carcinogen and is the most commonly used pesticide in the world. A recent report found that 90% of the families tested have the chemical in their bodies, and most kids had much higher levels than their parents. The Environmental Working Group published results of a new study earlier this year, demonstrating that 43 of the 48 cereals, oatmeals, and snack bars they tested contained Glyphosate.Â
Not only are our ingredients certified BiodynamicÂź Organic, assuring they are grown without glyphosate application to start with, but our products are the only U.S. shelf-stable baby food to be certified âglyphosate residue freeâ by the Detox Project. To be certified, all products must be tested regularly and show no glyphosate residues down to government-recognized limits of detection. Learn more about Glyphosate here!
Q:Â Why are White Leaf Provisions biodynamic, regeneratively farmed products priced higher than other products in their category?
đ Regeneratively farmed products are generally priced slightly higher than other products in their category for a few reasons.
- The first and possibly the most important is that the biodynamic farms that we work with are small family run businesses. We always like to pay a fair wage to our farmers as we value and support all of the hard work our farmers do to grow our cropsAs regenerative farming forbids the use of all chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, the farmers require more labour. They manually care for their crops and manufacture their own herbal sprays and natural compost to replace the damaging effects that these chemicals have on our health and environment.
- Regenerative farmers perform a lot of crop rotations to keep their soil healthy and prevent weed growth, this promotes healthy soil and helps with pest control but comes at an additional cost to the farmer.
- To reassure the customer of the quality that they are purchasing, certification costs are high on a Biodynamic organic farm. White Leaf likes to assist in this process to help change and encourage more regenerative farming
- To learn more about what sets regenerative agriculture apart, read more here!
Questions About Our Products
Q: When can my baby begin eating your products?
đ„ All White Leaf Provisions products are suitable for ages 6 months to hungry adult, with the exception of our Pumpkin/Nectarine and Kiwi/Banana/Pear. We recommend feeding these blends to infants eight months and older, due to the natural acids found in nectarines and kiwis, which your child may be sensitive to.
Q: Is the baby food meant to be refrigerated? How long does it last?
đ„ Our baby food is shelf stable, meaning that the pouches can be safely stored at room temperature without refrigeration and are considered non-perishable (without spoilage). As always, please make sure to check the expiration date on your baby food pouches. We do recommend that you refrigerate after opening for up to 24 hours.
Q: Do your products contain any allergens (i.e. dairy, gluten, nuts)?
đ„ No. Our products do not contain any of these ingredients, and are all certified gluten-free, vegan, kosher, dairy-free and nut-free. They are also manufactured in a facility without any exposure to dairy, eggs, gluten or nuts.Â
Q: How are your products manufactured? Are your products cold pressed?Â
đ„ Our baby food blends are made via heat pasteurization. We chose this method, due to a few key benefits: Heat treated baby food kills 100% of potential dangerous bacteria. Additionally, many of our products include root vegetables, such as carrots & sweet potatoes, and gently cooking them helps babiesâ systems to absorb more essential nutrients. Our products also require no additional refrigeration, making them the perfect on the go snack that does not sacrifice nutritional value for convenience.
Q: Are kiwis safe for babies? Are the seeds taken out beforehand?
đ„ Our manufacturing process removes all kiwi seeds, resulting in a completely pure and smooth blend. And yes, kiwis are safe. They are naturally low in sugars, especially compared to most fruits, and contain a plethora of essential nutrients, such as potassium and immunity-boosting Vitamin C.Â
Because kiwis are acidic in nature, we suggest waiting until your infant is at least eight months of age to introduce them to the fruit. If your baby shows sensitivities, such as digestion issues, tummy troubles, mouth or diaper rashes, or spits the mashed fruit out when you first introduce it to him, try again after a few months.Â
Questions About Our Packaging
Q: What is your packaging made from? Is it BPA-Free?
đ Our pouches are made from multi-layer films produced without the use of BPA or phthalates. Our packaging is BPA, BPS, BP, and BPF as well as Phthalate free. The outer layers are polyethylene blends designed for durability and printability. The middle layer is a bonded aluminum layer for moisture and vapor impermeability. The inner layer (the only layer that touches the food) is bonded virgin food-grade polyethylene. The food cannot contact the middle aluminum layer. Our applesauce cups are also BPA free and fully recycled through your county's recycling program. Â
Q: How can I recycle your packaging?Â
đ Our entire line is recyclable. Our applesauce cups are 100% curbside recyclable. All packaging for our baby food line can be completely recycled and/or up-cycled through TerraCycle, a free mail in recycling program available to customers in all 50 states. Our mail in recycling program utilizes the USPS to safely and effectively manage your empty pouches, caps and spouts. Learn all about the program here!
Q: Why are your pouches slightly smaller than others?
đ Single use packaging has a very negative impact on our planet. When we set out to bring our baby food line to market, we also wanted to address this issue. Other brands put similar amounts of product in larger unnecessary packaging only to increase shelf presence to make their pouches more eye-catching. We value minimizing our carbon footprint over our appearance (we still think our pouches look great!) on the shelf by only using the minimum amount of packaging necessary to safely package our fruits and vegetables. We also offer a free mail-in recycling program for our pouches, caps and spouts via our partnership with Terracycle.
Questions About Shipping & Subscriptions
Q: What is your Shipping Policy?
đ Orders placed Monday-Friday prior to 2:00 pm EST are usually shipped out that same day. Because of this, we are unable to accept cancellations and refunds once an order has been place.Â
Over the past year and a half the global supply chain has taken a hit, leading to increased transportation costs, a shortage of shipping containers and drivers, all compounded by increased consumer demand. Due to these inflationary pressures and the surge in transportation costs, and as a small (but growing!) family owned brand, we have raised our free shipping minimum spend to $89+ per order (**please note, does not apply to Hawaii, Alaska, PR, US VI, Guam, which are subject to a tiered rate structure, pending associated carrier costs).Â
For all orders under $89, there is a $7.95 flat rate fee. If your cart totals more than $89, we offer free shipping via FedEx, UPS ground or USPS, depending on your location.
Q: What is Your Subscription Option? Does it Save Money?
đ White Leaf Provisions is proud to offer 10% off your ongoing purchase with our Subscribe and Save feature! With Subscribe & Save, you are able to receive a 10% discount off your order and set an auto-ship of your product to ship each month! You may cancel your subscription at anytime, simply email us to let us know! Â
Our Subscribe and Save is set to ship your products every 24 days, however, if you would like to change the frequency of your order, simply email us to make this change and we'd be happy to assist you! For all questions or feedback, please contact info@whiteleafprovisions.com.Â
Please note that with the Subscribe and Save feature, we are not able to accept any other discount offer, as we offer 10% off your purchase price automatically. Â
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