The Cornucopia Institute

Community-scale organic farmers work extraordinarily hard to bring us the food future we all need. And now, they need us in their corner. The House passed a Farm Bill that has gravely disappointed the organic community, and now that bill is headed for the Senate. Please take five minutes today to call or write your senators and urge them to fight for organic farmers and food in the Farm Bill.

After the scheduled October National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting in Omaha was cancelled due to the government shutdown, the NOSB reconvened online  (January 13 & 14, 2026 ) in a makeup meeting. The meeting was truncated to only two days and did not include oral comments.

The current draft of the Farm Bill hurts ethical farmers. And it’s bad news for human health and animal welfare. So, who comes out on top? Industrialized agribusiness. The bill attempts to shield pesticide companies from lawsuits related to human health impacts. And it restricts the freedom of some state or local jurisdictions to maintain their own health standards.

After the scheduled October National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting in Omaha was cancelled due to the government shutdown, the NOSB reconvened online  (January 13 & 14, 2026 ) in a makeup meeting. The meeting was truncated to only two days and did not include oral comments.

The National Organic Cost Share Program pays part of the ever-rising certification costs for organic farmers. Congress authorized these payments last year, but the money has not been delivered. Without this reimbursement, many small organic farms cannot afford to remain certified. Raise your voice with us and our colleagues at the National Organic Coalition! First, reach out to USDA.

Farmer Chris Damewood will never forget the evening during the pandemic when a panicked stranger knocked on his door asking how soon he could get meat from Ayrshire Farm. Damewood’s response: Your local food system isn’t going anywhere. Ayrshire is a fulcrum of that food system.

In honor of National Co-op Month, we’re shining a light on Equal Exchange, a worker-owned business that has been building long-term, economically just partnerships with small-scale organic farmer cooperatives around the world for the past four decades. The organization was founded to create an alternative trade model that puts power back in the hands of farmers and eaters.

Equal Exchange is a worker-owned business that has been building long-term, economically just partnerships with small-scale organic farmer cooperatives around the world for the past four decades. The organization was founded to create an alternative trade model that puts power back in the hands of farmers and eaters.

VIROQUA — Sept. 15, 2025 — The Cornucopia Institute, a national nonprofit watchdog, is celebrating National Organic Month by joining “We the Soil,” a campaign that offers a tangible way to support a more hopeful food future. “Farmers are the caretakers of our soil, our food, and our future,” said Cornucopia Executive Director Melody Morrell.

By Kestrel Burcham, JD, Policy Director The organic and environmental conservation communities have lost one of our leaders and great advisors: Dr. Barry Flamm passed away recently at 92 years old. Barry was a wonderful friend and ally in Cornucopia’s work to protect organic integrity – and he knew firsthand the environmental benefits of growing food organically. Barry was also one of the first people to really welcome me into the world of organic advocacy.