Here’s what stood out most—and what matters for your farm heading into 2026.
1. Organic paperwork is still a major headache
If you’ve been through organic certification, this won’t surprise you—paperwork is still one of the biggest barriers to becoming and maintaining certification. Across the board, farmers agreed: organic certification takes too much time. Farmers across the country echoed the same issues:
The big question: how do we reduce paperwork without weakening organic integrity?
What’s needed:
There’s growing momentum to simplify and standardize the process, especially for smaller and repeat growers. This could mean simpler applications, standardized forms, and less repeat paperwork—without lowering organic integrity. Farmers want to spend more time farming—and less time translating paperwork.
Many farmers expressed a need for:
2. Farm labor challenges aren’t going away
Labor wasn’t just a side conversation—it was front and center. From January to September 2025, the U.S. food system saw a drop of 750,000 documented workers, while the industry continues to rely heavily on undocumented labor. As workers leave, those remaining are expected to take on more—putting additional strain on farms.
One major takeaway: organic agriculture must do more to support and protect farmworkers, especially undocumented workers who are most vulnerable. This conversation tied back to the four principles of organic agriculture—Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care—with a strong emphasis on fairness in labor practices. Key policies discussed included the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would:
There was also discussion of the Equitable Food Initiative, which works to verify fair labor practices on farms. Some sobering realities shared:
Bottom line: These are complex, systems-level challenges—but the message was clear: complexity cannot be an excuse for inaction. Mechanization alone won’t fix it, and a resilient organic system must include a stable and protected workforce. A long-term solution would need to address immigration and worker protections.
3. Organic vs. regenerative—what’s the difference?
You’ve probably heard more about “regenerative” lately. Here’s the practical difference:
Watch-outs with regenerative:
There was also discussion of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), which measure environmental impacts across production systems. While widely used, their accuracy depends heavily on methodology. Ongoing research aims to improve data quality and fill gaps.
Bottom line: Organic remains the foundation—but conversations around measuring outcomes are evolving.
4. Organic needs to do a better job telling its story
Organic is still a $70+ billion industry, with over 80% of households buying organic at least occasionally and still, there’s concern that organic is starting to feel like just another label—especially to younger consumers. There’s a need to better communicate the “why” behind organic—its environmental, health, and social benefits—while maintaining trust. There’s also a growing realization that branding and storytelling matter. Organics can’t rely on the label alone—customers want to know the “why” behind the product.
Takeaway for farmers:
Your story, your practices, and your transparency matter more than ever.
Other insights:
There was also reflection on how organic is perceived today. Some younger consumers see it as part of the broader food system they distrust—raising the question:
How can organic stay true to its roots while operating within a regulated, large-scale market?
5. Domestic supply still matters
Supply chain resilience was another key theme. The organic market is strong (over $70 billion), but supply chain gaps remain. There’s increasing interest in strengthening domestic organic production and infrastructure, which could create real opportunities for farmers—if policy and investment follow through.
Big picture:
There’s real opportunity for U.S. growers if infrastructure and policy catch up. We see this in examples such as:
Opportunity:
Strengthening domestic organic production and infrastructure could create more stability—and more market opportunities for U.S. farmers.
