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Home / Podcast / Policy

Policy

The Real Organic Podcast examines the critical battle for organic certification integrity against industrial agriculture forces. For over a century, farmers have understood the crucial connection between soil health and food quality. Today, this founding vision faces unprecedented challenges as corporations influence organic policy and reshape what “organic” means. Many problems stem from regulatory interpretation and enforcement within the organic community itself. American certification decisions impact global standards, making organic policy development internationally significant. True organic farming transcends paperwork and marketing—it represents farmers’ authentic identity and practices. Our conversations reveal how farmers, regulators, corporations, and consumers collectively determine organic standards. Real farmers possess solutions to agriculture’s pressing challenges, but only if we preserve and strengthen authentic organic certification systems.

JM Fortier, sitting in front of a microphone in the Market Gardener Institute studio, smiles in a baseball hat and sweater
  • Podcast
JM Fortier: Farms For Food Sovereignty Read More
Scott Myers, a smiling man wearing a plaid shirt, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #217."
  • Podcast
Scott Myers: Organic Grain Against the Odds Read More
Liz-Graznak, a smiling woman wearing glasses and a hat, holds leafy greens for the "Real Organic Podcast #215."
  • Podcast
Liz Graznak: Surprise! 25% Of Your Market Is Gone Read More
Elena Álvarez-Buylla, a smiling woman with glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast BONUS".
  • Podcast
Dr. Elena Álvarez-Buylla: The Science of GM Corn Risks Read More
Dave Chapman and Anthony Suau are featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #206".
  • Podcast
Do Hydroponics Belong In Organic? Anthony Suau Interviews Dave Chapman Read More
Anna Jones-Crabtree on stage at Churchtown Dairy
  • Podcast
Anna Jones-Crabtree at Churchtown: Farming With Nature Read More
Tim Wise speaks at Churchtown Dairy for the "Real Organic Podcast #202: The Battle for the Future of Food".
  • Podcast
Tim Wise at Churchtown: The Battle For Food System Resilience Read More
Paul Holmbeck speaks at Churchtown Dairy for the "Real Organic Podcast #199: Getting Organics on the Offensive".
  • Podcast
Paul Holmbeck at Churchtown: Getting Organics On The Offensive Read More
Dave Chapman speaks at the Churchtown Conference for the Real Organic Project.
  • Podcast
Dave Chapman At Churchtown 2024 Real Organic Project Read More
Hugh Kent speaks at Churchtown Dairy for the "Real Organic Podcast #193: Losing Our Agriculture".
  • Podcast
Hugh Kent at Churchtown: Losing Our Agriculture Read More
John Bobbe, a smiling older man with white hair and glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #192".
  • Podcast
John Bobbe: Aiding And Abetting Organic Grain Fraud Read More
Daniel O'Connell, a man with glasses and a graying beard, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #189".
  • Podcast
Daniel O’Connell: Industrial Ag’s Rapid Degradation of California Read More
John Ikerd, a smiling older man with white hair and glasses, sits in an orange chair for the "Real Organic Podcast #186".
  • Podcast
John Ikerd: Why Animal Confinement Is The Norm Read More
Mwatima Juma, a Black woman with short hair and glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #178".
  • Podcast
Mwatima Juma: Chemical Companies Pressuring Farmers In Africa Read More
Tim Wise, a light-skinned man with short gray hair, speaks at a table with a laptop and microphone for the "Real Organic Podcast #175".
  • Podcast
Tim Wise: Today’s Green Revolution In Africa and Iowa Read More
Kat Taylor, a smiling woman with blonde hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #172".
  • Podcast
Kat Taylor: Funding The World We Want Read More
Hans Herren, a smiling older man with gray hair, glasses, and a beard, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #171".
  • Podcast
Hans Herren: Controlling Pests With Biology Read More
Barbara Gemmill-Herren, a smiling older woman with long blonde hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #169".
  • Podcast
Barbara Gemmill-Herren: Big Chem’s Eyes Are On Africa Read More
Zephyr Teachout, a smiling woman with long blonde hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #168".
  • Podcast
Zephyr Teachout: Today’s Antimonopoly Movement Has Legs Read More
Hugh Kent, a smiling man with short gray hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #167".
  • Podcast
Hugh Kent: How The USDA Supports Bad Agriculture Read More
Seth Godin, a bald man with glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #166".
  • Podcast
Seth Godin: No Society Thrives With Monopolies Read More
Allan Savory, a smiling older man with glasses and headphones, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #165".
  • Podcast
Allan Savory: Desertification’s Causes, Problems + Solutions Read More
Austin Frerick, a smiling man with short brown hair and earbuds, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #164".
  • Podcast
Austin Frerick: Modern Day Robber Barons Rule Our Food Read More
Three individuals are featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #162".
  • Podcast
Zephyr Teachout + Dave Chapman: Live Panel w/ Matt Sheffer At Churchtown Dairy Read More
Alan Lewis, an older man with white hair and glasses, speaks at a podium for the "Real Organic Podcast #152".
  • Podcast
Alan Lewis: Food System Betrayal Read More
Ben Dobson, a smiling man with short dark hair, speaks into a microphone at a podium for the "Real Organic Podcast #151".
  • Podcast
Ben Dobson: The Politics Of Farming For Climate Read More
Zephyr Teachout, a woman with blonde hair and a microphone, speaks for the "Real Organic Podcast #148".
  • Podcast
Zephyr Teachout at Churchtown: Break’em Up Read More
Linley Dixon, a woman with brown hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #146".
  • Podcast
Linley Dixon: Saving Organic: The First Five Years of The Farmer-Led Real Organic Project Read More
Jim Riddle, a man with graying hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #133".
  • Podcast
Jim Riddle: Lobbyists Not Farmers Have Access To USDA Read More
Dave Mortensen, a light-skinned man with short gray hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #128".
  • Podcast
Dave Mortensen Part 2: Big Ag’s False Claims Of Environmental Consciousness Read More
Dave Mortensen, a light-skinned man with short gray hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #127".
  • Podcast
Dave Mortensen Part 1: Today’s Drastic Rise Of Biocides Read More
Ben Dobson, a smiling man who appears to have light skin and dark curly hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #116".
  • Podcast
Ben Dobson: Beware The Regeneration Of The Corn And Soy Model Read More
Sarah Weiner, a smiling woman with long brown hair and glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #115".
  • Podcast
Sarah Wiener: EU’s Farm To Fork Aims To Increase Organic Acreage Read More
Michael Pollan, a man with a bald head and glasses, is featured in front of bookshelves for the "Real Organic Podcast #114".
  • Podcast
Michael Pollan: Does The US Need A Third Kind of Agriculture? Read More
Melissa Aronczyk, a woman with long dark hair and glasses, is featured in front of bookshelves for the "Real Organic Podcast #112".
  • Podcast
Melissa Aronczyk: How Corporate Public Relations Coopts Environmental Sustainability Read More
Charlotte Vallaeys, a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, is featured indoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #110".
  • Podcast
Charlotte Vallaeys Pt 2: Why Organic Is Worth Fighting For Read More
Charlotte Vallaeys, a smiling light-skinned woman with shoulder-length brown hair, is featured outdoor for the "Real Organic Podcast #108".
  • Podcast
Charlotte Vallaeys Pt 1: The Pitfalls Of Outcome Based Agriculture Read More
Liz Carlisle, a smiling light-skinned woman with long brown hair, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #102".
  • Podcast
Liz Carlisle Pt 2: Healing Grounds And Reciprocal Relationships Read More
Liz Carlisle, a smiling light-skinned woman with long brown hair, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #101".
  • Podcast
Liz Carlisle Pt 1: Agroecology And The Green Revolution Read More
Vandana Shiva, a woman with graying hair and a red dot on her forehead, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #100".
  • Podcast
Vandana Shiva: The Poison Cartel Should Get Their Own Label Read More
Ronnie Cummins, a smiling older man wearing a "Cook Organic" shirt and a cap, is featured indoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #096".
  • Podcast
Ronnie Cummins: Connecting Organic Food And Climate Activism Read More
David Zuckerman, a man with thinning brown hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #088".
  • Podcast
David Zuckerman: Vermont’s Political Farmer Read More
Lisa Stokke, a smiling woman with blonde wavy hair, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #086".
  • Podcast
Lisa Stokke: Food Democracy Now! And Forever Read More
Doug Crabtree, a man with a beard and a beanie, is featured indoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #079".
  • Podcast
Doug Crabtree: Thoughtful Tillage Is An Important Tool Read More
Bob Quinn, a man wearing a cowboy hat, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #075".
  • Podcast
Bob Quinn Pt 2: Lack of Research Dollars + Incentives Plague Organic Read More
Bob Quinn, a smiling older light-skinned man wearing a cowboy hat, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #074".
  • Podcast
Bob Quinn Pt 1: Organic Grain Farming Vs. Chemical Grain Farming Read More
Lindsey Lusher-Shute, a smiling woman with curly brown hair and sunglasses on her head, is featured in a greenhouse for the "Real Organic Podcast #071".
  • Podcast
Lindsey Lusher-Shute: Technology + Cooperation to the Organic Rescue Read More
Alan Lewis, a light-skinned man with glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #068".
  • Podcast
Alan Lewis: Corruption and Anticompetitiveness in Dairy Read More
Bernward Geier, a man with a bald head and a white goatee, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #066".
  • Podcast
Bernward Geier, Pt 2: Asia- Where Organic Is Winning Read More
Bernward Geier, a man with a bald head and a white goatee, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #065".
  • Podcast
Bernward Geier, Pt 1: Europe – Where Organic Is Winning Read More
Amanda Starbuck, a woman with long curly blonde hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #064".
  • Podcast
Amanda Starbuck: Corporate Consolidation + Our Food System Read More
Jon Tester, a smiling man wearing a white shirt and orange striped tie, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #054".
  • Podcast
Senator Jon Tester: Farmers Need Capitalism With Competition Read More
Michael Pollan, a smiling bald man with glasses, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #053".
  • Podcast
Michael Pollan: Antitrust and Democracy at Your Dinner Table Read More
Mark Kastel, a man with glasses and a mustache, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #052".
  • Podcast
Mark Kastel: An Organic Watchdog Goes After Big Dairy Read More
Chellie Pingree, a smiling woman with light skin and short blonde hair, wearing glasses and a blue jacket, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #051".
  • Podcast
Chellie Pingree: Failures + Opportunities of US Agricultural Policies Read More
Eric Sideman, an older man with white hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #045"
  • Podcast
Eric Sideman: Organic Means You Must Love Soil Read More
Annelise Orleck, a smiling woman with short white hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #033".
  • Podcast
Annelise Orleck: Invisible Farm Workers + Unconscious Consumers Read More
John Ikerd, an older man with white hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #029".
  • Podcast
John Ikerd Part Two: Scaling Organic Farms To Fit Nature And Communities Read More
John Ikerd, an older man with white hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #028".
  • Podcast
John Ikerd Part One: Industrial Food Can Never Be Sustainable Read More
Bill McKibben, a man with glasses and thinning light hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #024".
  • Podcast
Bill McKibben: Winning The Climate Argument But Losing The Fight Read More
Enid Wonnacott, a smiling woman with her hair pulled back, is featured outdoors for the "Real Organic Podcast #019".
  • Podcast
Enid Wonnacott When The Organic Floor Became A Ceiling Read More
Paul Holmbeck, a light-skinned man with short graying hair, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #012".
  • Podcast
Paul Holmbeck How Denmark Went Organic | Episode Twelve Read More
Peter Whoriskey, a smiling light-skinned man, is featured for the "Real Organic Podcast #006".
  • Podcast
Peter Whoriskey Uncovering Fraud in Organic Meat, Milk, Eggs and Grain | Episode Six Read More
Al Gore, a light-skinned man with gray hair, is featured against a backdrop of Earth for the "Real Organic Podcast #005".
  • Podcast
Al Gore Climate Agriculture and Human Migration | Episode Five Read More
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