I haven't found any evidence that American Spirit is owned by Native Americans.
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From the American Spirit website (you have to log in to look)
"The Purity Residue Clean (PRC) program uses cultivation practices that leave no detectible residues of agricultural chemicals on the cured tobacco."
"The small, independent farmers who follow the rigid guidelines of our PRC and Organic growing programs are dedicated to their craft. Following the farming techniques and best practices developed over generations, our growers ensure that we have only the highest quality, whole leaf, natural tobacco from which to make Natural American Spirit cigarettes and Roll-Your-Own. It’s a relationship that helps them to continue supporting their families while helping to protect the environment."
From the parent company, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco:
"What is organic?
In lay terms, it means growing and producing tobacco as the Native Americans did for centuries.
That's right. No chemicals. And using only what Mother Nature provides. That's...organic.
Our technical definition of Organic is the same as any other agricultural product in the United States according to the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP). If a product is labeled organic, such as our tobacco, it followed the NOP’s approved growing techniques.
These practices bring together biological, cultivation, and mechanical practices to create a system that recycles resources, promotes balance and conserves the land’s biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.
The NOP extends beyond the field and into our manufacturing process. We store our organic tobacco in a separate facility from our other tobacco. Our machines and facilities are scrubbed and cleaned before organic tobacco enters the system to prevent any contamination.
Growing organic may start as a commitment, but it soon becomes a way of life. And one we rather enjoy.
What is PRC?
Before our foray into organic tobacco, we started our Purity Residue Clean (PRC) program to grow tobacco. Farmers in the program must follow a strict regimen and are only allowed the use of chemicals that don’t leave behind detectable residue once the tobacco is cured.
Being enrolled in the PRC program also promotes the sound cultivation and farming practices prescribed by SFNTC. Farmers must follow guidelines such as leaving buffer strips of land between PRC and conventional crops, guaranteeing that water runoff from non-PRC crops doesn’t come in contact with PRC crops to avoid cross-contamination.
And it’s not just tobacco that these chemicals affect; they can remain in the land itself for years. Just ask our PRC farmer Richard W., whose tobacco tested positive for a banned chemical. Richard dug deep in his records and discovered the last time the reported substance was used on his fields was seven years before. Seven years.
Our growing programs are a commitment — from the farmers, to the earth. "
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