Episode 8: Cornucopia Institute Kestrel Burcham JD - How Organic Integrity Is Maintained

Kestrel Burcham is the Policy Director at the Cornucopia Institute. Kestrel has a background in Animal Science and English from the University of California, Davis. They have worked as an animal technician in both research and industry settings and have experience with different types of livestock. Organic and environmentally conscious food production is part of their background, having grown up on familial farms and assisted in all aspects of farm management. Kestrel holds a law degree with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resource Law from Lewis and Clark Law School. The Cornucopia Institute uncovers the truth behind organic food and advocates for an organic label you can trust. It continues to be a watchdog within the organic industry, working to protect the character of the organic standards while auditing the integrity of products bearing the organic seal. It researches, issues, and promotes findings, based in science, that are fundamental to maintaining the integrity of organic labeling, production, processing, and marketing. The Cornucopia Institute is also a vocal, visible catalyst for interaction between consumers and producers within the good food movement.   TOPICS EXPLORED 0:00 – 1:19 – Introduction 1:19 – 1:58 – What is the Cornucopia Institute and what type of work does it do? 1:58 – 4:39 – Why is it important for people to support food producers who follow organic practices and are USDA Certified Organic? 4:39 – 6:33 – Why is it critical to uphold the integrity of the organic industry and organic standards? 6:33 – 10:14 – What are some of the organic agriculture issues the Cornucopia Institute has helped address and how has it addressed them? 10:14 – 12:40 – How does Cornucopia watch dog large corporations? 12:40 – 15:59 – What happens if a large corporation violates organic standards? 15:59 – 18:26 – What type of research has the Cornucopia Institute completed and what are some of its findings? 18:26 – 19:40 – What are the different scorecards the Cornucopia Institute creates and what are the methods used to create these scorecards? 19:40 – 21:42 – How does the Cornucopia Institute decide which producers are part of the scorecards? 21:42 – 23:55 – What are some of the findings of the scorecards and some brands people could look out for at the supermarket? 23:55 – 26:30 – What are some of the things you consider for the beef scorecard and what are some of the all-star beef producers? 26:30 – 29:23 – What are some of the things you consider for the eggs scorecard? 29:23 – 31:10 – Are there any other scorecards you would like to share a bit about? 31:10 – 35:01 – What are some of the challenges associated with the cost of certified organic feed for livestock farmers and how could those challenges be overcome? 35:01 – 37:40 – What are some actions people can take to advocate for organic agriculture? 37:40 – 39:02 – Things to share and wrap up   THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE INFORMATION The Cornucopia Institute: https://www.cornucopia.org/ The Cornucopia Institute Instagram: @cornucopiainstitute   RESOURCES Organic Eggs Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/eggs/ Organic Dairy Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/dairy/ Organic Beef Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/organic-beef-scorecard/ Organic Poultry Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/organic-poultry-scorecard/ Plant-Based Beverages Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/plant-based-beverages/ Organic Soy Scorecard: https://www.cornucopia.org/scorecard/soy/   FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION Apple Podcasts: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1 RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet   TAGS Food Environment Health Podcast Sustainability Organic Organic Certified Eggs Dairy Beef Poultry Soy Plant-Based Beverages The Cornucopia Institute