OrganicEye

U.S. law requires all organic-labeled food come from farms that are certified & inspected annually by independent third-party certifiers.

Despite this mandate, USDA has allowed imports from "producer groups" that are being supervised & approved as “organic” by the corporate agribusinesses that are buying their commodities.

This is a PROFOUND conflict of interest & violation of the law!

Take action and tell your elected officials to stop corporate agribusiness from watering down the USDA Organic Label!

ActionAlert: Stop Corporate Agribusiness From Watering Down USDA Organic Label Tell your congressional delegation to stop corporate agribusiness from watering down the USDA organic label!

SOIL is the root of organic food production. 🌱

It's not just berries!

“It takes nutrients to grow things. And the quality of what you’re going to be eating is dependent on the soil.” — Allison Guidroz, Fullness Farm

This local organic farmer shares 6 tips for fall gardening. Tip #1: Start now. - [225] Ask a serious local gardener about their favorite growing season, and they’re likely to say fall. Sure, summer yields showy, long-awaited crops like juicy tomatoes, plump blueberries and sweet corn, but here in the almost-tropics, summer growing also brings a bonanza of weeds, heat and pests. Fall...

🐛🦋 Know your neighbors...

Organic food + farming are worth protecting! Please consider making a contribution to protect ethical organic farmers + the authenticity of the organic food supply.

You Have the Power to Protect Organic Farmers and the Authenticity of Organic Food Supply You Have the Power to Protect Organic Farmers and the Authenticity of Organic Food Supply by Mark Kastel | Jun 27, 2024 | OrganicEye PostsSupporters of Organic Farmers and Authentic Organic Food,My very sincere thanks to all of you who have made our work possible. Organic food and farming are worth....

U.S. Department of Agriculture has betrayed its commitment to make sure organic food comes from independently certified + inspected farms.

As a result, food is being imported at LESS than the cost of production, forcing U.S. growers — who are complying with the law — out of business.

OrganicEye is asking USDA Office of Inspector General to investigate this systemic failure and enforce federal law.

Our research found that hazelnut farmers in the Pacific Northwest are being shut out of the market and dramatically undercut on price.

And farmers in Florida and Hawaii, who were once successfully supplying the domestic wholesale market with turmeric, have contacted OrganicEye’s hotline to report they, too, are losing their livelihoods — despite the fact that turmeric, a culinary herbal root, has greatly increased in popularity due to its documented anti-inflammatory and other medicinal qualities.

Connecticut farm opportunity! Turtle Ledge Farm is looking for someone to manage growing operations + property maintenance.

This opportunity could work for 1-2 adults dedicated to small-scale organic practices.

The positions include existing cropping areas, irrigation water, lawn-mowing tractor, electric fencing, and affordable housing for 1-2 people.

Email [email protected] for the complete job listing + details on how to apply.

An outbreak linked to micro-dosing edibles has sickened 48 people in a number of U.S. states. Muscimol, a chemical found in mushrooms, is likely the cause.

Four dozen sick, one dead in an outbreak traced to micro-dosing edibles More people are sick, and one death is under investigation in an outbreak of adverse reactions traced to micro-dosing edibles. The implicated edibles —

In this interview with Acres U.S.A., OrganicEye Executive Director Mark Kastel shares how he went from working for Big Ag to pioneering organic farming in the 1980s, challenges and regulatory roadblocks in the organic movement, and the importance of authentic organic certification.

The Acres U.S.A. Podcast: Justice for Family Farmers: Mark Kastel's Mission with Organic Eye. Ep. 8 by The Acres U.S.A. Podcast In this episode of the Acres USA Podcast, host Taylor Henry welcomes Mark Kastel, a passionate advocate for family farmers and organic farming. Mark shares his inspiring journey from working with Agribusiness Giants to pioneering organic farming practices in the 1980s, driven by his personal health....

OrganicEye monitors the increasingly corrupt relationship between corporate agribusiness and government regulators that has eroded the working definition of organics.

Tell your congressional delegation to stop corporate agribusiness from watering down the USDA organic label!

Action Alert: Stop Corporate Agribusiness From Watering Down USDA Organic Label Tell your Congressional delegation to stop corporate agribusiness from watering down the USDA organic label!

New study blames pesticides — particularly neonicotinoids (which are banned in Europe) — for destroying Monarch butterflies in the midwest.

New ‘Detective Work’ on Butterfly Declines Reveals a Prime Suspect Agricultural insecticides were a key factor, according to a study focused on the Midwest, though researchers emphasized the importance of climate change and habitat loss.

As hydroponic berries take over the "organic" marketplace and drive prices downwards, we lose more real organic farms, knowledegable farmers, and truly nutirious food every season.

As stores demand more uniformity and year-round inventory, birds and pollinators lose more habitat, ecosystems lose more groundwater-holding capacity, and communities lose their open spaces, beautiful views, and agricultural identities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is betraying its commitment—and legal requirement—to ensure all organic food come from independently certified and inspected farms.

As a result, food is being imported at below the cost of production, forcing U.S. growers, who are complying with the law, out of business.

USDA Sides with Corporate Agribusiness Lobbyists as Massive Quantities of Illegal Imports Crush US Organic Farmers Mandated Safety Review of Materials/Ingredients Used in Organics Being Conducted by USDA Corporate Appointees and Agribusiness-Funded “Nonprofit”

In his new book, "Barons," Austin Frerick shares his vision for a better food system. 👇

"It’s one in which any American can sit down in a locally owned restaurant or go to a neighborhood grocery store and buy affordable, local food that was grown, picked, processed, transported, cooked, and served by folks earning a fair wage."

CAFO owners Blake and Stephanie Alexandre—certified by the notorious California Certified Organic Farmers—have been accused of animal abuse and neglect. Yet, in 2019, Organic Trade Association gave them "Organic Farmer of the Year" award. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Xhk997

Throwback to when Max Goldberg spoke with Eliot Coleman—one of the most revered and respected organic farmers in the country— about his concerns with organic farming today, what "regenerative" means to him, no-till and more. Four Season Farm

Fun fact: Eliot was a mentor to OrganicEye's Executive Director, Mark Kastel, over 35 years ago when he was learning as much as he could about making the transition to organic farming.

Is "Generative" Farming More Accurate? Is "regenerative" the wrong word?

Bayer is rolling out mustard greens that have been genetically altered to make them less bitter.

Thankfully, organic eaters don't have to worry about genetically altered plants—which have not been thoroughly tested for safety—as GE seed is strictly prohibited in organics.

There's simply no way to know the impact these genetic tweaks have on the nutritional value of the food. And the flavor and nutritional profiles often run in parallel.

So for those who like the authentic, nippy flavor of certified organic mustard greens, you may continue to enjoy them!

Gene-Edited Salad Greens Are Coming to US Stores This Fall Biotech giant Bayer plans to distribute mustard greens that have been genetically altered to make them less bitter to grocery stores across the country.

Consumers value transparency in the food supply and are willing to pay more for food produced in the U.S. And while food labels help tell a product’s story, they can also be misleading.

Country of origin labeling (COOL) is designed to help consumers make more informed food choices. The requirements, however, for COOL differ based on the food. Learn more 👇

What is Country of Origin Labeling? | Labels Unwrapped It appears you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer or an early version of Edge. To fully enjoy this website — and pretty much every modern website in existence — we suggest you upgrade to Chrome or Firefox. You'll be happier.

Since U.S. Department of Agriculture is failing to protect organic farmers and consumers, OrganicEye is helping differentiate between the high-integrity organic certifiers and the ones that have morphed into "corporate agribusiness cheerleaders."

And now time for something completely different...

Why Pringles has ditched the can for its first bagged snack in more than 15 years The snacking masterminds at Pringles have debuted its first-ever puffed snack that drops the can for a bag.

Happy Tuesday, folks.

☀️🐮🌱5am🌱🐮☀️ Our early morning walks to the different pastures to bring the cows in for milking has been pure Springtime blissfulness lately! Look at those happy cows and a very happy Roxy pup!

Beneficial insects are key to growing healthy, organic food.

Ladybug rescue! out of the salad spinner just in time.
Reminder that finding life in organic produce is normal and should be expected from time to time! Our farms are full of living creatures ☀️🐞

A new study confirms organic food is better for the environment than conventional food. Organic agriculture eliminates synthetic fertilizers and pesticides while promoting soil health and human health.

Study Shows Value of Organic Practices in Lowering Environmental Impact of Agriculture - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog Research comparing the impact of organic and conventional food production using finds organic has a significantly lower environmental impact.

It's ironic the Organic Trade Association is complaining about an influx of alternative food labels like "regenerative" or "carbon neutral" when it and its members are responsible for the erosion of the organic label's reputation.

Organic vs regenerative: A classic case of ‘frenemies’ pushing each other to do better? USDA Certified Organic has taken a defensive position in recent years against the proliferation of eco-claims, many of which are not as comprehensive, clearly defined or held as rigorously accountable, but which nonetheless influence consumers’ purchase decisions.

"Sell The Sizzle, Not the Stake." Designer food, who would've thunk it? A $400 pineapple!

California grocery store selling a limited-edition pineapple for $400 The Rubyglow Pineapple, sold exclusively by grocery outlet Melissa’s Produce, is currently retailing at $395.99 online, though according to the store’s website stocks have already sold out

Throwback: OrganicEye Executive Director Mark Kastel discusses the journey to becoming a watchdog for organics + why soil health is crucial to upholding the original principles organic food was founded on.

196. Who Owns the Organic Label? We All Do! This podcast features Mark Kastel of OrganicEye with thoughts on what we can do to protect the organic farming movement.

Unfair to Global Subsistence Farmers
Unfair to US Organic Farmers
An Open Door to Fraud Impacting All of Us

Federal Law Says: Every Organic Farm Needs to Be Inspected Annually - OrganicEye The USDA has created two different standards for USDA Organic Certification this unfair, unjust and untransparent.

There is a Reason Why OrganicEye is Fighting the Importation of “Organic” Food and Ingredients — without the Legally-Required Inspection by a Certifier

Many of the countries exporting the most organic food have long histories of corruption including pirating intellectual property, counterfeiting namebrand consumer products, willful adulteration of food, and contamination by agrichemicals banned in the United States.

Pesticides, Salmonella, illegal colors spur FDA to take action against food imports The Food and Drug Administration continues using import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates

Today we give a special thank you to the truck drivers that pick up our farmers’ high-quality milk and deliver it to the Creamery – snow or shine. Without them, we would be missing our #1 ingredient! Next time you see them out on the road, be sure to give them a friendly wave.



📸 High Grove Farm in Soldiers Grove, Wis.