greenmarkets

Name any influential food agency and organization and chances are that Gus Schumacher has been a part of it. From the USDA (where he was Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services from 1997 to 2001) to the World Bank (where he was the Senior Agri-lender) to Foreign Agriculture Services (where he was Administrator) to his position as Massachusetts Commissioner of Food and Agriculture, Schumacher has been a major influence in food policy circles for decades.

Everyone knows that buying organic is better for the environment and possibly for your health. But buying organic food isn’t always as simple as looking for the USDA seal. At farmer’s markets in particular, it’s worth your time to ask farmers who aren’t certified organic: how they grow their produce, if they’re applying for certification, and if not, what their reason is behind their decision. The answer could surprise you.