
10 takeaways from Organic Week 2026
Another year, another Organic Week! Adrienne Smith is joined by returning guest Nancy Coulter-Parker, sponsored content director at New Hope Network. Nancy has been to too many Organic Weeks to count and brings us the best takeaways and themes from this year’s industry gathering in Washington, D.C. Their conversation centers on the current state and future of the organic food industry, emphasizing the critical need to elevate organic education and support organic farmers. They discuss how we’re still fighting to make it known that the organic certification encompasses much more than just "no pesticides"—it represents soil health, animal welfare, human welfare and food transparency. Something that kept coming up during the week: The distinction between certified organic and regenerative agriculture. Nancy shared concerns about greenwashing when "regenerative" is used without proper certification. One thing’s for sure: younger generations, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are increasingly demanding to know what's in their food and where it comes from, creating opportunities for organic products to align with broader health conversations. Nancy’s shares that organic agriculture enjoys bipartisan political support and stresses the importance of protecting farmland and rural economies. Looking ahead to 2027, which marks the 25th anniversary of USDA certified organic, Nancy and Adrienne both advocate for retailers and companies to actively promote the organic seal, support farmer partnerships and ensure consumers understand the value and integrity behind organic certification. Thank you to our sponsor, GnuSante . Enjoy our vodcasts here or on YouTube . Prefer to tune in via podcast? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts . In this episode: 0:34 – Lip and cheek stain is making a comeback. 1:30 – Welcome to our guest, Nancy Coulter-Parker! 2:55 – Nancy provides the overall takeaways from Organic Week 2026. 3:34 – Thank you to our sponsor, GnuSante. 4:46 – Supporting our current and future farmers has never been more important. 6:15 – Nancy discusses the disconnect and supply chain issues with organic production. 8:08 – We need to create clarity in organic vs. regenerative certification. 9:02 – How can we support the organic industry and the organic seal? 10:30 – The organic conversation is a bipartisan one. 13:15 – Do the midterms offer momentum for the organic industry? 15:00 – A deep understanding of organic is necessary for progress. 15:45 – Adrienne offers an example of a successful campaign to showcase the stories of farmers. 16:18 – It’s not the cost of the product, it’s the value it provides. 17:06 – Nancy highlights programs supporting the organic industry in different aspects.
