Join Dr. Bronner’s, Organically Grown Company, and PCC Community Markets for a participatory conversation about the growing interest and focus on regenerative agriculture. Come share your experiences and learn from others in the community about what regenerative agriculture means, how the term is showing up on our grocery store shelves, and why it is important to address regenerative marketing claims.

Note: This workshop will include a survey through the Provender Alliance Conference mobile app, so be sure to install it before the session!

Entering the Natural Products Industry in 2008, Astarae Metcalf has a background in marketing, communications, project management, social enterprises, community organizing, public speaking, facilitation, event production, health & wellness, natural living, and the hard sciences. She has worked on public education, sales and marketing, and political campaigns earning support for regenerative organic agriculture, fair trade, GMO-labeling, industrial hemp, drug policy reform, fair wages, cooperative business, and community bill of rights. Astarae is passionate about developing strategic partnerships to advance social justice and environmental causes. She currently works in Dr. Bronner’s Constructive Capital department as their Senior Planning & Partnerships Manager. She supports the company’s executive leadership in their annual strategic planning and implementation process as well as manages relationships and special projects under Dr. Bronner’s drug policy reform and regenerative organic agriculture philanthropic portfolios. She previously served as Dr. Bronner’s Senior Marketing Manager having working the in their Marketing department from 2014-2022.

Mike Dill oversees organic trade advocacy and sustainability for Organically Grown Company, the Northwest’s largest organic produce distributor. He is the lead coordinator for the Organic Produce Wholesalers Coalition, representing organic wholesalers and growers to the National Organic Program, National Organic Standards Board and Legislators. Mike is also Vice-Chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Produce Sector Council and hold seats on the boards of the Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC), Washington’s Coalition for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). Mike’s sixteen years of experience in the organic trade includes eight years managing food safety, compliance and policy and two years managing stakeholder engagement and advocacy for OGC, along with five years working as an organic inspector, Fair Trade inspector and certification officer for Oregon Tilth. Mike received his Food Science and Technology degree with minors in Horticulture and Chemistry from Oregon State University.

Rebecca Robinson oversees the development and management of product sustainability standards at PCC, focusing on setting impactful, achievable, and science-backed standards. She also guides PCC’s advocacy work related to toxic chemicals in consumer products, and organic regulations, both through direct engagement in federal rulemaking and in collaboration with organizations such as the National Organic Coalition and the Organic Trade Association. Rebecca earned her master’s degree from Humboldt State University’s Environment and Community program; her master’s thesis focused on the commodification of disease and cause-marketing. Rebecca’s focus on interdisciplinary sustainability and human-nature coupled systems has led to her gaining a diverse background in environmental toxicology, climate sciences, political economy, regenerative and organic agriculture, and green building. In 2023, Rebecca received a NextGen award from Progressive Grocer for her work in leading PCC’s product standards program. When not at work, Rebecca can be found hanging out with her dogs, watching horror movies, or in the kitchen enjoying a glass of wine while trying out complicated new recipes.