7-30-26 How Producers Weigh Cost-Benefit of Organic Certification

How Producers Weigh the Cost–Benefit of Organic Certification

Speakers:

• Brittney Rooney of Beaverland Farms in Detroit
• Jamie Wilbraham of Full Hollow Farm near Belding 
• Zach Goodman of Dogstar Farm near Ann Arbor 

Where: Online Webinar

This interactive session digs into how farmers evaluate the return on investment of organic certification—financially, culturally, and in their markets. We’ll explore how producers think through the costs of certification compared to building trust “organically,” through transparency, consistency, and community relationships.

This webinar shares real‑world farmer stories through a facilitated panel conversation about:

• The financial calculus to guide farmers' organic certification decisions
• How scale and market type shape decision‑making
• The role of relationships and community trust
• Why some producers pursue certification while others rely on marketing 'organically'