Organic Insider Newsletter Archive

The organic industry is in for a very, very rough ride if former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp secures the USDA Secretary post in the Biden administration.

The NOSB's continued delay of dealing with synthetic "inerts" is betraying the trust of organic consumers.

Developed countries need to be much smarter in how they are adopting organic policy measures.

We need full-disclosure as to how organic produce is grown -- either in the soil or not in the soil.

Bolstering the domestic organic grain market is an important part of the solution.

It is time for members of the National Organic Standards Board to assert their statutory authority, which was granted to them by Congress.

Hydroponics is one of the most controversial issues in the organic industry, and a lawsuit against the USDA will seek to get this practice removed from organic.

A look at the five new NOSB board members and why their votes matter so much.

When ingredients get placed on the National List, it is becoming next to impossible to get them off. And with this comes real consequences.

At last month's National Organic Standards Board meeting, the vote over conventional celery powder raised serious questions about what organic means.

A recap of the National Organic Standards Board meeting in Pittsburgh and how the two new add-on labels may cause a change in the status quo.

The lack of clarity regarding the Origin of Livestock rule has been a major problem for all organic stakeholders, and Congress has finally stepped in to address it.

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.

At the 37th National Pesticide Forum in NYC, activists from around the country showed how they are having real success in banning toxic chemicals from their local cities and states.

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.

A look at how the USDA is harming the organic sector by not clarifying the rules.

The USDA just released its Agricultural Trade Promotion Program recipients, and organic was allocated just $547K out of $200M. What this means and the lost opportunity it represents for our industry.

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.

Passage of the long-awaited Farm Bill appears imminent, and we take a look at how organic food fared in this important piece of legislation.

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.