My humble beginnings in the organic industry began in 1976 in a small co-op in Iowa. The people were eclectic, and I was drawn to the culture as much as I was the idea of providing healthy organic foods to my community. We were a nascent movement, getting back to the land and nature.
Commodity check-off programs have been around for decades. Many producers forced to contribute to those check-offs have rebelled because they are taxed without receiving any benefits.
I’ve been among the most vocal critics of those check-offs through the years.
The organic food industry should not shy away from the label "Big Food" because the industry's growing market clout will help it fight any political challenges in the Trump administration, former Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said recently at an Organic Farming Research Foundation fundraiser in Anaheim, Calif.
A new journal article published in Science Advances highlights many areas where organic agriculture excels: higher biodiversity, improved soil and water quality, greater profitability, and higher nutritional value.
The Trump Administration again decided to delay the effective date of the final rule on organic livestock and poultry practices that was published in the final hours of the Obama Administration. The first delay came in February 2017, followed by another delay in May. The latest slowdown has the agency waiting to evaluate the rule until May 14, 2018.
On November 9, 2017, USDA pre-published an announcement in the Federal Register that the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule would be further delayed until May 14, 2018.
Maintaining the integrity of the USDA Organic seal requires constant vigilance—and that includes enacting widely agreed upon stricter animal welfare standards, says the cofounder and chairman of Stonyfield Farm.
Organic is not a scam. Organic is the most heavily regulated and closely monitored food system in the United
States. It is also the most transparent. Organic standards are developed through a transparent process involving
the government, a citizen advisory group, industry representatives and the public. Julie Kelly (Congress should
A bill introduced in Congress would toughen inspections of imported organic produce to ensure the food items are genuine. Reps.
It comes as no surprise that the organic sector continues to grow at a faster pace than other agricultural production systems. And while vegetables, fruits and livestock account for the lion’s share of organic production, organic field crops have gained in acreage and value, according to a new USDA report.