#105: Real Organic Project co-director Linley Dixon addresses a crowd of farmers at the recent Eco-Farm conference, sharing her concerns about the money grab for "climate smart" agriculture projects that are focusing on increased chemical use. Meanwhile, organic, a systems-based approach, got little attention and is deemed too complex to measure.

Linley Dixon is the co-director of the Real Organic Project, as well as the owner and operator of Adobe House Farm in Durango, Colorado. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida and also held a 2-year post-doctorate with the USDA’s Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory. Linley has studied fungal plant pathogens from around the world and has studied the impact of farm biodiversity on plant disease levels. Previous to her role at Real Organic Project, she worked as a scientist for the Cornucopia Institute.

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/linley-dixon-chemical-companies-attack-organic-join-regenerative-episode-one-hundred-five

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 Friends:

https://www.realorganicproject.org/real-organic-friends/

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:

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