014 - Dave Chapman - Real Organic Podcast

About this episode

Dave Chapman of Real Organic Podcast --- SUMMARYSebastian sits down with Dave Chapman, a lifelong organic vegetable farmer from Vermont and creator/host of the Real Organic Podcast. Dave shares the origin story of the Real Organic Project, founded in 2018 as a response to what he sees as regulatory failures and corporate corruption within the National Organic Program. He explains how the podcast emerged almost by accident during COVID, evolving from a virtual conference into a long-running interview series that now spans over 280 episodes. The conversation explores the philosophy behind organic and "real organic" certification, the difference between organic and the increasingly popular but loosely defined "regenerative" label, and the regulatory capture that allows large corporations to influence food policy. Dave and Sebastian also discuss building an audience through grassroots community-building and email newsletters, the role of YouTube and video in podcast growth, balancing hope with realism when fighting systemic issues, and the importance of trust between podcasters and their audiences in an increasingly fractured media landscape. --- IN THIS EPISODE 0:12 – Introductio