Jim Riddle to Present ‘Organic Roots and Branches’ at CT NOFA 2026 Winter Conference as Keynote Speaker

CT NOFA is proud to announce that Jim Riddle will be our 2026 Winter Conference Keynote Speaker.

For more than 40 years, Jim Riddle has been a leader in the organic community, as a farmer, inspector, educator, activist, and policy specialist. During our keynote, Jim will discuss the deep roots of the organic movement – what inspired it, how it has evolved, and where it is today – and share scenes from organic farms around the world. Be prepared for an entertaining, enlightening, and thoughtful time, as Jim takes us on a journey through the organic world, near and far.

Jim Riddle grew up with organic values on a small farm in Iowa. He and his wife grew perennial fruits at Blue Fruit Farm in Minnesota and started their local farmers market in the 1980s, before “local food” gained prominence. Jim worked as an organic inspector for 20 years and was founding president of the International Organic Inspectors Association. He has trained organic inspectors and spoken at organic conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Japan, Australia, Russia, Iran, Europe, Jamaica, and more. Jim served as chair of the National Organic Standards Board and originated the organic certification cost share program. Jim and his wife, Joyce Ford, are retired and now live in New Hampshire, where they serve as mentors in the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).

Join CT NOFA for their 44th annual Winter Conference with virtual workshops March 3-5 in the lead-up to an all-day in-person conference on March 7 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, including Jim Riddle’s keynote address.

Click here to learn more about the conference and to register to join the celebration.