Coworker Q&A: Organic Harvest Month with OGC’s Mike Dill
September marks Organic Harvest Month and a time in which we in the Northwest find ourselves engaged in that last big push of the local growing season. It’s a busy and beautiful time of year! While we rejoice in the bounty this season yields, we’re also thrilled to recognize the integral role that organic growing methods play at every stage in this ecosystem. OGC is teeming with organic experts and one of them is our own Mike Dill.
We sat down with Mike for a Coworker Q&A to tap his wealth of knowledge!
Q: Mike, what’s your official job title at OGC? It’s pretty long.
A: My official title is Food Safety & Compliance Manager, Organic Trade Policy Analyst, which yes, is a mouthful.
Q: It really is! Describe what that role actually has you doing at OGC.
A: My role at OGC is one that is very diverse, which I love. It keeps me connected with our coworkers, vendors, customers and other stakeholders, all of whom are passionate about the organic trade.
I have the pleasure of managing OGC’s compliance program including food safety and organic certification, which is so critical to our mission to deliver healthy and safe organic produce to consumers.
I also act as OGC’s organic trade policy analyst. This position allows me to be involved in advocating for organic standards and policies, at both a Federal and State level, that are not only fair for farmers and food handlers, but also robust enough to keep organic principles alive.
Q: You’re dealing with very complex safety systems and policies. Of that work, what do you love the most?
A: Safety and policy are hugely important and very fulfilling, but the part of my role I love the most is interacting with people that have the same passion for organic as I do, and being a resource for them when they need it.
Q: From your perspective, what is the most meaningful impact of choosing organic.
A: I get asked the question a lot, why do I choose to eat organic food? To me, the answer is simple. I choose to support the farmers that have taken it upon themselves to produce food in a manner that is more sustainable, healthier for the environment and builds soil rather than degrades it.
Organic farming is a much more responsible way of producing food, one that not only preserves our precious natural resources but also improves them for future generations. I want my dollars, and my life’s work, to support that. Other great reasons to grow and buy organic foods are that organic practices preserve water quality by decreasing nitrogen run off, promote biodiversity and protect wildlife from toxins, and minimize toxic exposure to farmworkers.
I firmly believe that we can produce enough food for today and the future population without reliance on synthetic inputs if we take care of our soil and focus more on biological practices, like those used in organic production.
Q: How does your policy work help to ensure the organics industry contributes to soil health?
A: The principles of organics and the Federal organic standards and certification all work hand-in-hand to ensure the health of the whole ecosystem. Organic principles mandate that organic production should sustain and enhance the health of the soil and the plants, which is accomplished through biological practices – feeding the soil, not the plant. When farmers provide the soil with what it needs, the ‘biology’ or soil ecosystem can provide the plants with what it needs. And the organic standards require this through practices such as cover cropping, crop rotations and incorporating compost and manure. It’s the reliance of these biological practices, as opposed to the use of synthetic fertilizers that provide for a living, ecological soil system rather than a sterile one.
If you take care of the soil, the soil will take care of the plants, that’s a concept I think we can all agree with. To me, it is so critical that we have organic standards and certification that support the process so that we can be confident organic producers are truly doing their part to protect and enhance the valuable resource that our soil is.
My work helps to ensure those policies are maintained and we work to continue to expand the adoption of organic practices.
Q: What are you most excited about in the current landscape of organic agriculture?
A: There is so much to be excited about right now. Aside from the geeky stuff that OGC is currently involved with, working on organic standards reform through the National Organic Program’s Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule, I like that organic is growing. Sales of organic food continue to increase, as is the number of acres of organic production. It seems that many young, new farmers are choosing to farm organically and the passion and dedication they bring are amazing.
Organic practices are becoming more respected and are even being incorporated into conventional agriculture. Conventional growers are seeing the benefits, both financially and ecologically that organic practices can provide.