Mountain Rose Herbs - Mountain Rose Herbs

Mountain Rose Herbs is an American herbal distribution retailer based in Eugene, Oregon and founded in 1987. It is the first Fair Trade Certified supplier of medicinal herbs in the United States.

Background

Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar started Mountain Rose Herbs in order to provide herbal materials and supplies to students of the California School of Herbal Studies. The retailer continued as a home-based business in Humboldt County, California until the late 1990s, under several different owners, filling orders by mail from a small catalog. In 1998 the company moved into a larger residential location in North San Juan, California.

Mountain Rose Herbs relocated to a commercial location in Pleasant Hill, Oregon in 2001 to be closer to many of its farms and suppliers. The retailer became a certified organic processor through Oregon Tilth in 2002. In 2010, the company moved again to a larger facility in Eugene, Oregon.

Education and events

In 2011, Mountain Rose Herbs created and hosted the four-day Rootstalk Festival in Salem, Oregon. Over 700 people attended herbal education workshops and classes taught by herbalists, botanists, and environmental experts. All proceeds went to the nonprofit known as Cascadia Wildlands.

In 2013, Mountain Rose Herbs created The Free Herbalism Project: a series of free lectures and events in the Eugene, Oregon area, featuring established herbal teachers from throughout the United States.

Environmental activism and sustainability practices

The company negotiates with farmers who are certified organic through an USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) accredited certification agency. Their herbs are primarily sourced from farms within the United States, as well as from a few international organic farms.

Mountain Rose Herbs is a zero waste company where any perceived waste materials are reused, composted, or otherwise reclaimed. Additionally, the company has redirected their entire energy load into Greenpower, and has created a biologically intact bioswale system which collects and filters all of the waste water runoff from the industrial complex. All commercial fleet vehicles run on locally reclaimed vegetable-based bio-diesel.

Mountain Rose River Project

The Mountain Rose River Project is a grassroots action campaign entirely coordinated and funded by Mountain Rose Herbs. Each year, six to eight restoration projects are staffed by its employees. The project focuses exclusively on riparian ecosystems, fish habitat, and stream health. It has created partnerships with other nonprofit organizations to protect the local watershed.

Awards and recognition

The company has received several local and state awards for their efforts in sustainability, conservation, and workplace environment, including the Governor's Sustainability Award (Grand Champion 2012), the Oregon Organic Coalition Award for Excellenceâ€"Wholesaler of the Year 2011, and the 2011 Emerald Awards Environmental Values Award.

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