Two of the pet industry’s female entrepreneurs are working together in an effort to empower women, improve pet health, and preserve the Costa Rican rainforest.
Terri Entler, the founder of Healers PetCare, Inc., is proud to announce a new partnership with one of her current product partners, Biolley Farms. This time, their goal isn’t just to improve the health of pets – though that’s a happy by-product – but to help save the Costa Rican rainforest.
Since the launch of her dog first aid and safety product company in 2009, Entler has partnered with several other female-owned operations. Among these companies is Biolley Farms, a group of natural farmers located in southern Costa Rica. Like Entler, Biolley Farms’ owner Jennifer Long is committed to growing her businesses while simultaneously empowering women. But that’s not all these entrepreneurs have in common. They also have a shared passion for rainforest preservation, and they’re working together to turn that passion into action.
Besides cultivating organic crops like arabica coffee, black pepper, papaya leaf tea, and turmeric, Biolley Farms provides educational and employment opportunities to farmers in one of the poorest regions of the country. It also aims to turn local farms into organic food forests, and has recently shifted its focus toward protecting the local rainforest – a venture that Entler is happy to be involved with. “Purchasing Healers products now means you are supporting conservation,” she says. “You’re also promoting women-owned businesses, and empowering women and other farmers in the region to earn livable wages so they can support their families.”
Their efforts focus on an area next to the largest international protected rainforest in Central America, La Amistad International Park, in a remote, southern region of Costa Rica. The heart of the project is Biolley Farms “headquarters” in Buenos Aires Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on a farm called Finca Lilo. “Finca Lilo is a model farm, and we’re regenerated the soil on the property and in the different lots where we’re cultivating,” explains Long.
Industrial farming practices are creating disaster zones in the regions surrounding Finca Lilo, leaving them with depleted resources. As part of her initiative, Long is looking for help with land acquisition to protect against such operations, many of which are illegally purchasing land directly next to protected rainforests. Finca Lilo is one of the few protected properties in the area, and though it may not seem like much, even a small impact can make a big difference. “The rainforest is home to four percent of the world’s biodiversity,” says Long. “It’s a very special place, and we’d like to protect it while it still has a chance.”
Additional Healers products will soon be created from Biolley Farms’ ingredients. According to Entler, the goal of supporting Biolley Farms is threefold – to help save the rainforest, improve the lives of families in the region, and improve pet health. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” says Entler, who encourages consumers to invest in any company that works in alliance with Biolley farmers. Some, like Healers, have even committed to giving a portion of their proceeds back to the farm’s initiatives. To learn more, visit healerspetcare.com.
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Animal Wellness is North America's top natural health and lifestyle magazine for dogs and cats, with a readership of over one million every year. AW features articles by some of the most renowned experts in the pet industry, with topics ranging from diet and health related issues, to articles on training, fitness and emotional well being.
