Biography

Jim Goodman, his wife Rebecca and brother Francis run a 45-cow organic dairy and direct market beef farm in southwest Wisconsin. His farming roots trace back to his great-grandfather's immigration from Ireland during the famine and the farm's original purchase in 1848. A farm activist, Jim credits more than 150 years of failed farm and social policy as his motivation to advocate for a farmer-controlled consumer-oriented food system. A successful conventional farmer in a past life, Jim saw firsthand some of the failures of intensive agriculture and realized that farming sustainably and working with nature made more sense than fighting it. Jim has spoken to farmers, environmentalists and government officials internationally, hosted visiting farmers from around the world, and marched with peasant farmers against the WTO in Mexico. A long-time opponent of globalization and unfettered free trade, his essay "Global Trade is Impoverishing both U.S. and Developing World Workers" is featured in the book Free Trade (Opposing Viewpoints), published by Greenhaven Press and released in September 2008. He frequently speaks and presents workshops on organic farming, direct marketing, local food, international trade and social justice issues. Jim currently serves on the policy advisory boards for the Center for Food Safety and the Organic Consumers Association, and is a board member of Midwest Environmental Advocates.