John Bobbe: Aiding And Abetting Organic Grain Fraud

#192: John Bobbe revisits the investigation and exposure of organic grain fraud that he led, which inspired a series of articles in the Washington Post, and later, the US congress to take action. He also updates us on where things stand today and how bad actors in the organic grain distribution and regulation space still need our deep attention.John Bobbe is the former Executive Director of the Organic Farmers Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM) and a current Policy Advisor for the Cornucopia Institute. He is well known throughout the organic community for his dedicated detective work tracking shipments of organic grain, visiting ports, and inspecting paperwork in order to uncover the story of the international fraud responsible for devastating domestic markets. John holds a Masters in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri.

To watch a video version of this podcast please visit:https://www.realorganicproject.org/john-bobbe-aiding-abetting-organic-grain-fraud-episode-one-hundred-ninety-twoThe 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/farmsWe 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/To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/