The Cultivator – Summer 2021

The Summer 2021 Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter, is now available online. Download the PDF. In it you’ll find: A Portrait of Better Beef Celebrating Berry Season The New Editor of the Cultivator The Living Soil Campaign A Spirit of Resilience Hot on the Tracks of Organic Beef Fraud

Origin of Livestock Rule Up for Comment — Again

Dairy Calf

The National Organic Program (NOP) recently re-opened the comment period on the 2015 Origin of Livestock rulemaking, soliciting stakeholder input on a few questions that will likely inform the rule’s next iteration. Despite the clear intent of organic law, some organic certifiers allow dairies to transition conventional cows into their operations. Offending dairies with established… Read more »

Organic Beef Report and Scorecard Now Available

Cows

A newly published report from The Cornucopia Institute tells a story few are writing about: Underneath the dark cloud looming over the beef industry is a commendable sector that’s vital to retailers, chefs, eaters, and local farming communities. Published at the very moment magazines, restaurants, and the public are reconsidering their relationship with meat, Value… Read more »

Is General Mills Organic a Marketing Gimmick?

gunsmoke farm

In March of 2019, when General Mills made a commitment to “advance regenerative agricultural practices on one million acres of farmland by 2030,” organic enthusiasts gasped – and we have been holding our breath ever since. No doubt these acres would include some organic production, necessary to fuel the quickly growing demand brought by popular… Read more »

Why the USDA Should Support Climate-Smart Organic Farmers

Soil

By Patrick Myers and Kestrel Burcham The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently stated its commitment to climate change mitigation. If true, the USDA must focus on improving and supporting authentic organic farmers—systems thinkers who farm with the ecology of the land in mind and work with natural systems to foster healthy soil and support… Read more »

Nourishing Community 

Chris Dilley

Building capacity for change at Kalamazoo People’s Food Co-op  An iconic mural in downtown Kalamazoo paints the picture of community: food, farming, music, intergenerational work and play. The artist was commissioned to create a scene that would proudly display the vision and values of the People’s Food Co-op (PFC), housed behind that brick and mortar canvas… Read more »

A Letter to Secretary Vilsack

Authentic organic farmer and former NOSB member Francis Thicke appeared before the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) during the public comments webinar on Thursday, April 22 to share concerns regarding the integrity of the national organic standards. He was speaking on behalf of 40 former NOSB members who served on the Board from 1992 to… Read more »

The Top Issues Impacting Organic Policy in 2021

hilltop

The Cornucopia Institute is focused on community resilience; access to clean, nutrient-dense food; and supporting the farmers who produce organic food and contribute to the health of the planet. But there’s no rulebook for the common good. Corporations consistently erode the boundaries of organic regulations, hurting authentic organic farmers who have suffered the consequences of… Read more »

Court Defers to USDA: Soil Is Optional in Organic

hydroponic lettuce

On March 19 a California court delivered a gut punch to the USDA organic label, betraying the trust of consumers and demoralizing authentic organic farmers. The ruling announced by the Northern California federal district court allows soilless produce operations to remain certified organic under the law. The lawsuit filed last year by the Center for… Read more »