Key Takeaways:
- Cairnspring Mills has become the first and only flour company in the world to receive The Climate Label certification, administered by The Change Climate Project.
- Certification requires annual greenhouse gas emissions measurement, a Climate Transition Budget, and funding of climate projects within and beyond the company’s value chain.
- Cairnspring Mills sources grain exclusively from Pacific Northwest farmers practicing regenerative agriculture, with full traceability to the grower.
- A second mill — the Blue Mountain Mill in Pendleton, Oregon — is under construction in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, with operations expected by Q3 2026.
- The new facility is projected to create more than 20 local living-wage jobs and generate over $22 million in annual income for regenerative farmers across approximately 50,000 acres.
Cairnspring Mills Achieves Global First With Climate Label Certification
Pacific Northwest flour producer Cairnspring Mills has received The Climate Label certification, becoming the first flour company in the world to hold the distinction. The certification is administered by The Change Climate Project, an organisation that recognises companies meeting specific, measurable climate accountability standards.
Founded in 2016, Cairnspring Mills has operated around the principle that environmental stewardship and commercial viability can be pursued together.
What The Climate Label Certification Requires
To qualify for The Climate Label, companies must measure cradle-to-customer greenhouse gas emissions annually, establish a Climate Transition Budget, and direct funding toward a defined mix of climate projects within and beyond their value chain.
Austin Whitman, CEO of The Change Climate Project, said: “Cairnspring Mills has woven climate action and accountability into the fabric of their company, not as an afterthought. 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.”
How Cairnspring Mills Sources and Mills Its Grain
Regenerative Sourcing and Traceability
Cairnspring Mills sources grain exclusively from Pacific Northwest farmers who use regenerative practices, including crop rotation, animal integration, and no-till farming. The company says these methods are intended to rebuild soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce reliance on synthetic inputs. Each lot is identity-preserved and traceable to the individual grower.
Cairnspring Mills’ Milling Approach
Rather than removing the bran and germ as is common in industrial milling, Cairnspring Mills stone-mills grain in small batches to keep those layers intact. The company does not bleach, bromate, or artificially enrich its flour.
Kevin Morse, Co-Founder and CEO of Cairnspring Mills, said: “Earning the label reflects the way we’ve chosen to build this 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. When you build the system that way, what’s better for farmers and their land is also better for the climate.”
What Customers Are Saying
Chad Robertson, co-founder of Tartine, said: “The flour from Cairnspring Mills is the best flour we have ever used. We use it almost exclusively.”
Expansion: The Blue Mountain Mill
A New Facility in Pendleton, Oregon
Alongside the certification announcement, Cairnspring Mills is in the process of building a second milling facility. The Blue Mountain Mill is a 27,000-square-foot site in Pendleton, Oregon, being developed in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). The mill is expected to be operational by Q3 2026.
Projected Economic Impact of Cairnspring Mills’ Expansion
The company says the new facility will create more than 20 local living-wage jobs and generate over $22 million in annual income for regenerative farmers across roughly 50,000 acres. The expansion will increase Cairnspring Mills’ milling capacity twelvefold. The company is currently accepting orders from new customers for its traceable, regionally sourced flour.
