Ag Journal: Cairnspring Mills earns The Climate Label certification, a first for a flour mill

Cairnspring Mills, a flour mill west of Burlington, has become the first flour company in the world to earn The Climate Label certification.

The certification was granted this winter by The Change Climate Project, a nonprofit that works to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by creating a global climate standard for companies. The organization has certified 195 total brands.

The certification requires companies to measure greenhouse gas emissions, develop a plan to reduce emissions, and fund climate projects.

Cairnspring Mills' certification highlights its commitment to climate action.

"Cairnspring Mills has woven climate action and accountability into the fabric of their company, not as an afterthought," The Change Climate Project CEO Austin Whitman said in a news release.

Since Cairnspring Mills was founded in 2016, it has operated with the climate in mind by sourcing its grain from farmers who use climate-friendly methods such as crop rotation, animal integration and no-till farming.

"They are among a unique group of climate leaders that choose to factor the costs of climate change into their business and, in doing so, earn The Climate Label certification. Every certified company has its own climate story to tell, and we are proud to welcome Cairnspring as pioneers in their industry," Whitman said.

Cairnspring Mills co-founder and CEO Kevin Morse said the certification reflects the values of the company.

"Adding value and good stewardship are founding principles of Cairnspring. It starts with farmers who are rebuilding their soil and trying to step off the commodity treadmill. We pay premiums that help make that possible, and then we mill in a way that keeps the whole grain intact and connected to the people baking with it," Morse said in a press release.

The Climate Label certification comes as Cairnspring Mills grows the company by opening another mill in Pendleton, Oregon.

Cairnspring Mills expects the new mill to be operational by this fall. The company expects the new mill will generate about $22 million annually for regenerative farmers in the region.

Though The Climate Label certification standardizes its approach to its climate efforts, Cairnspring Mills will continue operating with the same principles it had when it began in 2016: Build a company that values the land, its farmers and the community.

"When you build the system that way, what's better for farmers and their land is also better for the climate," Morse said.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 7:07 AM.