Organic Insider Newsletter Archive

Another dairy scandal is tarnishing the integrity of the organic seal. The question now is -- how will the industry respond?

At a recent congressional hearing, the USDA said it is open to discussing gene-edited foods in organic production -- something incredibly worrisome.

A look at how the USDA is allowing glyphosate to be sprayed on the land below "organic" hydroponics farms and what this means for the overall industry.

The abrupt departure of Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cornucopia Institute, raises some very serious questions and will have a dramatic impact on the future of the organic industry.

In an unprecedented move, The Cornucopia Institute has released an organic certifier scorecard. This will give brands, farmers and consumers insight into which certifiers are allowing organic hydroponic and 'factory farm' operations to flourish.

We break down the legal action taken against the USDA in regards to hydroponics and why this move is so important to the integrity of the organic seal.

In a very positive development for small organic farmers, the USDA just ruled that paper pots -- an important planting tool -- will be allowed in organic until further notice.

My recap of last week's National Organic Standards Board meeting in Minnesota. While progress is definitely being made in fighting against fraudulent organic imports, inconsistencies remain.

An exclusive interview with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue who talks about all-things organic, including hydroponics in organic and the status of the GMO-labeling bill.

The Real Organic Project could end up being an incredibly important valuable program for both organic farmers and consumers. More specifically, it will address two main areas of organic that the USDA is falling short -- two areas that are having a real negative impact on the integrity of the organic seal.

At Organic Insider, we have been covering the issue of fraud in organic extensively over the past year and have been extremely concerned about it. Yet, what took place at the National Organic Standards Board meeting in Arizona made me feel very optimistic about things. Here is why.

Rose Marcario, the CEO of Patagonia, is slowly and quietly becoming one of the most important leaders in the organic food movement. What is so admirable about Rose is that she is not afraid to speak her mind and to do the right thing, on behalf of protecting organic and the environment. Here is my candid conversation with Patagonia's fearless CEO.

After the National Organic Standards Board meeting in Jacksonville, it became painfully clear that the USDA is failing our industry. We can recap what happened in Florida and speculate where we go from here.