Abigail’s Bakery First NH Bread Producer to Earn Organic Certification

Weare, NH- You want to feed your family nutritious, organic bread, but it’s not always as easy as you’d like. Well, things just got a little easier. Jenny Chartier, owner of Abigail’s Bakery of Weare, NH has earned USDA certification through the NH Department of Agriculture as an organic producer, the first NH bread maker to do so. As always, Abigail’s Bakery USDA Certified Organic products are featured at stores throughout New Hampshire and Maine, and online www.abigailsbakery.com, where they can be ordered and shipped direct to your door.

“It was important to me that Abigail’s Bakery earn the organic certification, so our customers know with certainty that our breads are made with organic ingredients,” says Chartier. “Though we’ve always used organic ingredients, the certification goes one step further. The entire process was very stringent, for good reasons- to protect the consumer and the integrity of the product. We even use organic dish soap to clean our pans.”

Abigail’s Bakery worked with Vickie Smith, an Organic Certification Coordinator for the NH Department of Agriculture which is an accredited organic certifier for the United State Department of Agriculture. The certification was extremely time-intensive for Chartier who was required to research, track, and provide proof of organic certification for every ingredient used in Abigail’s thirteen varieties of bread.

According to Smith, “The public can be assured that any organic producer in NH that has been awarded their organic certification status from the NH Dept of Agriculture, Markets & Food, has gone through a rigorous application review, and inspection visit in order for NHDAMF to verify compliance with the National Organic Program requirements.”


As part of becoming a Certified Organic Processor, 95% of the ingredients that Abigail’s Bakery uses must be USDA Certified Organic and the business also had to undergo two on-site inspections by Smith and other NH Department of Agriculture representatives. Chartier must now keep logs to track every item that comes through the bakery door, and had to update the Abigail’s Bakery labels to include lot numbers so that the tracking can continue past the point of purchase to the consumer. The bakery will be now be subject to an annual review, and will be required to update its organic handling system plan each year.

“Abigail’s Bakery has always used the best ingredients possible. What’s different is that consumers are beginning to come in line with our way of thinking- that we deserve wholesome food that hasn’t been tainted with pesticides and chemicals, and that has been produced in a way that promotes good health for the earth and ourselves,” emphasizes Chartier. “Growers, producers and consumers can work together to be good stewards of the land- growers by using earth-friendly agricultural practices, producers by using the products grown by earth conscious farmers and by maintaining the quality of the organic ingredients, and consumers by insisting on and purchasing products that are grown and made in a way that respects the earth.”

The Hartman Group’s report- Organic Food & Beverage Trends 2004 found that 66% of U.S. consumers report using organic products at least occasionally, a number that had increased 11% in four short years. According to the Organic Trade Association, since 2002, U.S. sales of organic foods have jumped 60% to nearly $14 billion in 2005, with the organization forecasting sales will reach $16 billion by the end of this year. Recognition of the growing trend in organic products is still in its infancy, with the USDA only adopting national standards for certification in October of 2002.

Like Stoneyfield Yogurt and Ben & Jerry’s, who are business role models of Chartier, Abigail’s Bakery’s mission includes being as kind to the earth and educating customers about how they can do the same. To that end, Chartier sees Organic Certification as a natural progression in her business and as a way of giving consumers more marketplace choices that reflect their beliefs and lifestyles.

“We want consumers to understand that their buying practices carry weight, that their purchases have power. Consumers are now demanding the kind of product that Abigail’s Bakery has been producing for years,” says Chartier. “The certification backs up how we bake our breads and our end product.”

Abigail’s Bakery is intent on spreading peace, love and bread and sees the organic label on their breads as in indication of the bakery’s belief that we should live and work in harmony with nature, by supporting practices that take care of the earth. Abigail’s Bakery also participates in the Community Supported Agriculture program and Farmer’s Markets as an extension of that belief and as a way to reach out to more people.

“Interestingly, the certification process gave us the chance to educate even more people – like our shipping vendor, UPS. We had to make sure that shipments to and from the bakery handled in a way that would prevent any co-mingling with non-organic products, as it could affect the integrity our breads. Certification gave us unexpected opportunities to spread the message about why organic products are important and how they support sustainable agriculture,” Chartier explains. Abigail’s Bakery wants to reach as many people as we can with our ‘earth-friendly’ message and our breads. We believe in the goodness of our products and want people to enjoy them, but also feel it is vital to encourage practices that reflect the belief that the earth is our most treasured resource.”

For more information, contact the NH Department of Agriculture at www.agriculture.nh.gov, visit www.abigailsbakery.com, or call Jenny Chartier at Abigail’s Bakery, (603) 529-0782.

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