‘Tequila Free of Deforestation’
Jalisco is one of the Mexican states with the most loss of forests and jungles due to their conversion into agricultural land. It is estimated that 40,000 acres of wild land are taken over annually for commercial purposes, mainly for the plantation of Blue Agave. To try and curb the encroachment, the state government along with the CRT (the body that regulates everything tequila) came up with a plan to fight the deforestation caused by the planting of Agaves.
The objective of the plan is that by the year 2027 there won’t be a single plant of Blue Agave that contributed to the deforestation of natural forests. By that year, every bottle of tequila will have a seal remarking that the agave used to make the tequila in it, did not contribute to the decimation of any natural land. Ruisenor tequila is proud to be a part of this effort by the government and industry to do the best for the land that gives us tequila.
As a producer, Ruisenor tequila doesn’t stop there. When growing Agaves, there are two separate environmental issues: first, the runoff of agrochemicals sorely impacts the local microorganisms needed for a healthy soil, as well as the actual local communities living near that land. Second: how do you make agaves grow while at the same time dealing with unwanted weeds, plagues, and sickness. To solve the first issue, and in contrast to common practices, our agaves aren’t treated with chemical fertilizers. Our agaves grow with only 100% organic fertilizers that limit the lasting impact to the soil and void the chemical runoff to water local water supplies. To deal with the second issue, right before the seasonal rains start, our fields are treated with organic herbicides, that while not as effective as regular herbicides, they don’t damage the soil. From then on, the growing agaves are inspected routinely by hand by local workers as well as horses roaming free in the fields eating unwanted weeds. It is less cost-effective but we believe taking care of the soil takes precedence over quick profits.