What it means to advocate for organic certification

In This Podcast: Greg interviews Linley Dixon from The Real Organic Project to discuss the organization's efforts to maintain the true integrity of organic farming. Linley recounts her journey from farming in Colorado to working with the National Organic Standards Board and witnessing regulatory battles that compromised organic standards. She explains the foundation of The Real Organic Project as an add-on certification emphasizing soil health and traditional organic practices. The conversation covers issues such as the inclusion of hydroponics in organic certification, the influence of large corporations, and the need for better enforcement of organic standards. Linley also shares insights into the project's conference, podcast, and community initiatives aimed at educating consumers and supporting local farmers. The discussion highlights the importance of consumer awareness, local farming support, and continued advocacy for robust organic regulations..

Our Guest: Linley Dixon has been farming organic vegetables in southwest Colorado since 2010, specializing in soil grown greenhouse tomatoes. In 2018 she helped launch the Real Organic Project’s certification program and is now the Co-Director of the non-profit with Vermont organic farmer Dave Chapman. For over a decade she has worked with the organic movement to achieve greater transparency and integrity in USDA Organic. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida and a Masters in Soil Science from West Virginia University’s Organic research farm.

Email Linley at -  [email protected]

Check out their website at  RealOrganicProject.org

Visit UrbanFarm.org/RealOrganic for the show notes and links on this episode!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg, Janis or Ray to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. Click HERE to learn more.

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.