“He was the godfather of California organic farming,” said Tom Willey, a Madera farmer and an another elder of the organic movement. “He had such knowledge and authority that he was responsible for taking organics beyond small farmers like ourselves. In 1973, he helped found California Certified Organic Farmers, setting organic standards. AdvertisementLater, his work bridging the divide between small, organic farms and conventional, commercial agriculture sometimes drew the criticism of small farmers who then had to compete with large enterprises for the organic market share. AdvertisementNear the end of his life, Cantisano expressed frustration that organic farming was still only a small slice of agriculture — even as environmental threats increased.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 29, 2020 14:02 UTC