164: Jeff Moyer on Organic Farmers Association

Giving a larger voice to organic farmers in national policy discussions.

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Jeff is a world-renowned authority in organic agriculture. His expertise includes organic crop production systems with a focus on weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design.
Jeff is perhaps most well-known for conceptualizing and popularizing the No-Till Roller Crimper for use in organic agriculture. In 2011, he wrote Organic No-Till Farming, a publication that has become a resource for farmers throughout the world.
In September 2015, Jeff was appointed as Executive Director of Rodale Institute after spending the last four decades there, helping countless farmers make the transition from conventional, chemical-based farming to organic methods.

In This Podcast:  Author Jeff Moyer chats with Greg about the importance of organic farming, the role and purpose of the Rodale Institute, and the new Organic Famers Association.  Jeff has a great passion for a change in food production to a healthier method, and it is obvious as he explains the history of the Rodale Institute.  He explains why it is important to have organic agriculture and how consumers change affect the whole food system with just a simple act.

Listen in and learn about:

• How he discovered that there was something missing in farmer’s ability to talk to policy makers
• The existence of national organizations like Organic Trade Association and Organic Consumers Association
• Why there is a need for a collective voice for organic farmers
• The long history of Rodale Institute in the organic community
• What the Rodale Institute stands for and how they have been helping farmers transition to organic agriculture
• 1945 quote from J.I. Rodale “Healthy soil = healthy food = healthy people”
• The message to organic farmers about what their real goal is
• What happened in 1942-1947 when J.I. was willing to spend his own money at universities to promote organic research and why they turned him down
• How that led to the creation of Soil and Health Foundation which later became the Rodale Institute
• What happens at the 330-acre research facility in SE Pennsylvania, and who they are working with now on projects
• Some of the applied and basic research that is done at the Institute
• How they are focusing on basic principles to help farmers around the world
• How the Institute works to get the message out to both farmers and consumers about organic agriculture through their education programs
• The one change the institute has made to the mission recently
• Maria Rodale’s book The Organic Manifesto and what it covers
• Regenerative Agriculture and why this is an important aspect of the research at the institute
• The challenge to exercise the soil and make it stronger and healthier
• How the act of tilling transforms the soils
• The organic no-till system to maximize the health of the soil
• The purpose and focus of organic agriculture and why it is so important
• The complexity of healthy soil and why there is so much unknown there
• Why the health of the soil is comparable to our own health
• Why cover crops are so important to our soils in agriculture
• The three things we can do to help our soils
• The importance of nitrogen and how to get it into the soil naturally
• Why the salt based nitrogen fertilizer became so popular
• How buying organic makes a difference in the whole system of food production
• The Organic Farmers Association and what it is designed to do
• Who are the 15,000 members and who can join
• What education is available to members
• How the organic famers association shares important information
• The policy messaging voice of the association
• The benefits of being a member as a certified or non-certified organic farmer
• The two magazines that the Institute offers to member gardeners (Organic Farming and Gardening) and farmers (New Farm)

As well as:

• How the driving force behind Rodale is to make people healthy and how they are doing that through organic farming education
• How the Institute is helping policy makers with advice on how to write legislation
• How he became interested in farming
• The power of consumers to change the way food is produced with a simple purchasing technique

Book written by Jeff

Organic No-Till Farming: Advancing No-Till Agriculture: Crops, Soil, Equipment

Jeff’s Book recommendations:        

Organic Manifesto: How Organic Food Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe  by Maria Rodale

Pay Dirt: Farming And Gardening With Composts by JI Rodale

How to reach the Rodale Institute and the Organic Farmers Association:

www.rodaleinstitute.org