In this episode, Joel takes aim at one of the modern food movement’s biggest ironies: we’re drowning in “solutions” while starving for common sense. 

He questions whether tech platforms that promise to “connect you to farmers” are actually adding another middleman—and whether our obsession with certifications and labels has distracted us from what really matters. 

From apps that sell authenticity to the alphabet soup of organic, regenerative, and humane certifications, Joel invites us to zoom out and ask: have we complicated food so much that we’ve forgotten how to simply know our farmer? 

This conversation is a refreshing reminder that discernment—not a digital platform or a shiny label—is still the most reliable certification of all.

This Week’s Community Question:

“Have you ever been disappointed with a certification program?”

Things Mentioned in this Episode:

• WAPF Buyers Guide

Other Links:

• Join a Local Beyond Labels Chapter
• Watch the Video Version Here
• Join the Discord Community
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• Find Joel Here: www.polyfacefarms.com
• Find Sina Here: www.drsinamccullough.com

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