#207: Taken from an interview done in 2021, Dave gets the whole adventurous story from California-turned-Vermont farmer Will Allen about his life filled with activism, teaching, and learning, which included founding the Sustainable Cotton Project in 1990 to help farmers grow organic cotton and to convince big brands like Patagonia, Esprit, Levis, and Nike to use organic cotton to make their clothes.

Will Allen is a longtime organic farmer, activist and author who grew up and started farming in southern California. After many years of farming in the west and teaching at universities, Will founded the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) in 1990 to help farmers learn how to grow organic cotton, convince garment makers to use organic fibers, and to reduce farmworker pesticide injuries. Will eventually landed at Cedar Circle Farm in East Thetford VT and is the author of The War on Bugs.

To watch a video version of this podcast with access to the full transcript and links relevant to our conversation, please visit:

https://realorganicproject.org/will-allen-california-chemicals-cotton-cafos-episode-207

The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.

The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce, and pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs from products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).

To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/farms

We believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be, but that the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing the ability for small farms who adhere to the law to stay in business. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but still paying a premium price. And the lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.

If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000 Real Friends:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/real-organic-friends/

To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/

#206: As a special 10 minute bonus episode to the film Organic Rising, director Anthony Suau focuses on the issue of whether or not hydroponics have a place in the market under the USDA organic label. Real Organic Project co-founder Dave Chapman explains the history of this issue and why it has never been properly settled, as well as the current state of the conversation today, now that a core group of certifiers has stepped forward to publicize their unwillingness to certify hydroponic operations as organic.

Organic Rising is a 2024 film that highlights the key differences between organic food and chemically-grown food. Looking into the role of chemical companies, market forces, health and environmental concerns, as well as the cultural landscape that influences farm families and communities, director Anthony Suau gets to the heart of why our food is grown the way it is.

https://www.organicrisingfilm.com/

To watch a video version of this podcast with access to the full transcript and links relevant to our conversation, please visit:

https://realorganicproject.org/organic-rising-film-hydroponics-are-not-organic-episode-206

The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.

The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce, and pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs from products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).

To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/farms

We believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be, but that the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing the ability for small farms who adhere to the law to stay in business. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but still paying a premium price. And the lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.

If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000 Real Friends:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/real-organic-friends/

To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/

#205: Organic California field and row crop farmer Scott Park details the success he's found with his low-input, targeted tillage operation for a room full of real organic certified farmers. Primarily a tomato grower for canneries, Scott's does not shy away from sharing his experiences with slippery price negotiations and the headaches around the regenerative movement's lack of enforceable standards. Scott's full talk and excellent slides can be viewed on our YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdGiGqNTf2M

Scott Park and his son Brian run Park Farming Organics in Meridien, CA and are known for investing excess time, money, and effort into thoughtful experiments aimed at growing food in concert with nature. Scott was the main speaker at our Farmer Friday event this past September, which was held one day before at our conference at Churchtown Dairy in Hudson, New York - Real Organic: A World Movement.

https://parkfarmingorganics.com/

To watch a video version of this podcast with access to the full transcript and links relevant to our conversation, please visit:

https://realorganicproject.org/scott-park-normal-ca-farm-farmed-abnormally

The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.

The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce, and pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs from products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).

To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/farms

We believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be, but that the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing the ability for small farms who adhere to the law to stay in business. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but still paying a premium price. And the lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.

If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000 Real Friends:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/real-organic-friends/

To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/