Dave Chapman: Founding Real Organic Project, A Farmer-Led Movement

#050: In celebration of our 50th episode and the launch of our second season of interviews, we've invited guest host Annelise Orleck to interview organic tomato farmer Dave Chapman, one of Real Organic Project's founders, its co-director, and the regular host of our podcast. Learn more about Dave, his farm, and how Real Organic Project came to be.

Learn more about our 3rd Annual Real Organic Symposium here: https://www.realorganic2022.org/

Dave Chapman owns and operates Long Wind Farm in East Thetford, VT, which concentrates on soil-grown glasshouse tomatoes that are produced year round, a true feat in Vermont's cold climate. Dave is a longtime organic farmer, who along with fellow Vermont tomato farmer Dave Miskell noticed the suspicious appearance of  hydroponic tomatoes from other countries being sold with the USDA organic sticker a handful of years ago. Their research led to a web of injustices and untruths affecting real organic farmers throughout the organic industry, including berry growers, dairy producers,  grain farmers and more. The Real Organic Project was founded in 2017 and has evolved into an add-on food label. It is 100% farmer-led organization.


To watch a video version of this podcast with access to the full transcript and links relevant to our conversation, please visit:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/dave-chapman-founding-a-farmer-led-movement-episode-fifty

The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.

The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce, and pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs from products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).

To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/farms

We believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be, but that the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing the ability for small farms who adhere to the law to stay in business. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but still paying a premium price. And the lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.

If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000  Real Fans!

https://www.realorganicproject.org/1000-real-fans/

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