Farmers win when new technologies lighten their work load while improving crops and soils at the same time. So we’re happy to introduce FilmOrganic, offering a full line of biodegradable mulch films for producers looking to boost yields, reduce their environmental footprint, and improve efficiency.
We spoke with co-founder Roger Tambay to learn how the company was founded on a commitment to farmers’ success and ecological sustainability. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, FiilmOrganic!
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Certified Naturally Grown (CNG): How did FilmOrganic get started?
Roger Tambay (RT): About seven years ago, Hugo Meunier and I founded the company because we saw a pressing need to reduce the use of plastic mulch on farms by providing a more sustainable alternative: biodegradable mulch film. We had known each other for nearly 25 years and gained extensive knowledge and experience making polyethylene mulch film while working in the plastic film industry in different companies.
Mulch film is the #1 source of plastic pollution on a farm. Each year farmers lay out enough black plastic in their fields to travel to the moon and back – four times! For the sake of the environment and soil health, this black plastic should be taken up at the end of the season, which has enormous labor costs and overflows our landfills. We knew biodegradable mulch film could provide a better solution.
For a long time, there were two kinds of biodegradable mulch films. The first were expensive and ill-adapted to most growers’ needs. The others simply did not live up to their biodegradable claims. By founding FilmOrganic we set out to change the options available to farmers.
CNG: What are FilmOrganic’s core values?
RT: We want to see farmers succeed, and to offer tools that save money, improve soils, and reduce solid waste.
CNG: How did you make the decision to support CNG as a Business Ally?
RT: It was easy. CNG’s core values perfectly align with FilmOrganic’s. It was a natural fit.
CNG: How does Certified Naturally Grown support FilmOrganic’s customers?
RT: CNG’s history as a grassroots organization has always been about educating and promoting sustainable agriculture. CNG can support FilmOrganic by continuing to increase consumer and grower awareness about the benefits of using cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more convenient methods of farming.
CNG: What developments at FilmOrganic can the CNG community look forward to?
RT: We have developed a full line of certified compostable, seedling certified and biodegradable, affordable mulch films, including:
- Black mulch films with lifespans from 3 to 18 months
- CoolWhiteTM, white on black mulch films with either a 6 or 12 months lifespan
- For hemp producers, FilmOrganic’s Smart StripesTM, proven by Colorado State University to boost yield by as much as 10% in most climates
- For tomato producers, FilmOrganic’s reflective biodegradable mulch film, known to extend the production cycle in most climates
- The all new Reflective biodegradable mulch film provides growers with a sustainable means of controlling aphids and increasing plant health
FilmOrganic has several distribution centers strategically located in CA, OR, CO, LA, KY, GA and NY to provide a cost-effective means of getting product quickly.
CNG: If you had a magic agricultural wand, how would you use it to improve farm systems in North America?
RT: We would eliminate the pollution caused by single-use disposable plastic mulch film.
CNG: Is there anything else the CNG community should know?
RT: We are here to help growers choose the most effective products and techniques for their specific crops. Our expertise runs much deeper than mulch films. We want to see farmers succeed, so we solve problems and help improve techniques to reduce cost and increase efficiency. By having worked directly with over 300 farms across the nation, we are continuously adapting and improving our products.
At FilmOrganic, we are the mulch film experts.
…are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog?