True organic farms promote biodiversity Original watercolor by Dan Hazlett The Munsch family farm, Coon Valley, Wisconsin (courtesy of The Country Today) The Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farm, Crescent City, California. Proving that organic dairy farming can be done at a larger scale with true access to pasture and high integrity. Wisconsin heifers enjoying a late… Read more »
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Farmer Blows the Whistle on Fraudulent Imports
Cornucopia continues to investigate organic grain imports and monitor USDA efforts to stop the flow of fraudulent organic grain into the U.S. John Bobbe and Cornucopia’s Anne Ross The article below features the impactful work of John Bobbe, the former executive director of OFARM, the largest organic grain cooperative in the U.S. Bobbe has worked… Read more »
Missing: The Organic Label
How Cornucopia’s DIY Certification Guide helps you determine which farms provide the best food in the absence of organic labeling Spring marks the return of fresh eggs, colorful produce, and more diverse offerings at farmers markets and CSAs. Signs and advertisements make many claims about production methods, but it is important to know what the… Read more »
Proxy Letter from Certified Organic Farmers to Certifiers
If you are a certified organic farmer or business owner, please consider printing and filling out the proxy letter below. If you return it to Cornucopia, we will send it on to your certifier along with proxies from other farmers who share your certifer. Here is the letter text: Dear (Name of certifier) CEO, As… Read more »
Judge to Allow Evidence of Monsanto’s Alleged Ghostwriting at Trial
Cornucopia’s Take: Edwin Hardeman, one of over 9,300 plaintiffs charging that Monsanto’s Roundup caused their cancer, has received tentatively good news. The presiding federal judge has allowed evidence pointing to Monsanto’s alleged ghostwriting of scientific research and attempts to influence regulators and scientists regarding Roundup’s safety. The order applies to two more upcoming cases before… Read more »
Organic or “Organic?”
Cornucopia’s Take: Organic producers meet regularly in communities, conferences, and online to share stories and seek solutions to the growing crisis in the organic marketplace. As outlined in the article below, there are now two organics: life-affirming agricultural practices adhering to the spirit and letter of organic regulations and industrial-scale production methods, based on conventional… Read more »
Is 53 Square Miles of Organic Wheat Really Organic?
Cornucopia’s Take: While Cornucopia is as happy as anyone that this large tract of land will be spared the spraying harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, we do have to wonder how mono-cropping on this scale is truly organic. Biodiversity in the field prevents the spread of disease and the proliferation of pests. Monocropping creates an environment… Read more »
Top 10 USDA Organic Crimes
Dear good food advocates, I’ve always said that the organic seal is the best guide to good food when you can’t talk to the farmer directly. I still say that, and I mean it. If you follow the work we do at Cornucopia, you know we’re vocal watchdogs of organic policy because we want to… Read more »
Take Action: Sign the Petition — It’s Time to Remove Carrageenan (Intestinal Inflammatory Agent/Carcinogen) from Organics!
[This alert is over – and we won! The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted in November 2016 to remove carrageenan from the National List for use in organics. It will be some time before all organic products are carrageenan free. Until then consult Cornucopia’s buying guide.] The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will be voting… Read more »
Take Action to Oppose the Senate’s Killing of Organic Animal Welfare Regulations
This alert is over. Outcome: The Senate Appropriations Committee decided on report language instead of a rider. The report language is an advisory statement, whereas the rider would have been a mandate. Here is the report language: Organic Livestock Proposed Rule. – The Committee is aware that USDA released a proposed rule on April 7,… Read more »
