Josie’s Organics is the organic arm of Braga Fresh, a 3rd generation family farm dating back to 1928. It is currently run by Rod Braga, President and CEO of the farm. The Josie label is named after “Nonnie Josie,” Rod’s grandmother, and the woman who first started the farm with her husband, Sebastian Braga, back in 1928.

While the Josie’s Organics label officially came about in 2013, the farm had started transitioning away from conventional and toward organic about 30 years ago. Of the 20,000 acres that the farm uses, roughly 70% of it is dedicated to organic farmland.

According to Rod Braga, sustainability means taking care of the water, the soil, and the people who work it. This focus on sustainability is why Braga Fresh has a bee program on the farm; 10% of the farm is dedicated to improving and expanding pollinator and beneficial insect habitats. They even have an in-house beekeeper and use bees as part of the organic farming process.

They also till cover crops into the earth to add nutrients back into the soil, and use the latest technologies, such as GPS-equipped tractors for the best accuracy and productivity, and fuel-efficient engines that save millions of gallons of fuel each year.