In Memory of Michael Sligh: Founding Member and Lifelong Advocate for Organic Agriculture
“Is there anything else for the good of the cause?”
“I do believe it is not too late – if real organic is to remain the gold standard, and if we who gave the bloom of our youth to this movement wish to leave a truly enduring legacy, environmental and humane organic standards will not be sufficient. There must also be justice for all that labor in agriculture.”
We are deeply saddened to share that on November 7, 2025, the organic community lost one of our most influential leaders, Michael Sligh. Michael was a founder of the National Organic Coalition, the first chair of the National Organic Standards Board, a longtime leader at RAFI-USA, and a mentor and friend to so many across the food and farming movement. A farmer at heart and an organizer by calling, he devoted his life to protecting organic integrity, advocating for family farmers, and advancing equity and fairness throughout our food system. His steady leadership helped shape the National Organic Program and safeguard the principles that continue to define organic agriculture today. Michael’s vision—rooted in collaboration, justice, and care for the land and the people who steward it—remains a guiding force for NOC’s mission and work. We honor his legacy by carrying forward the values he so deeply believed in and worked tirelessly to uphold.
Reflections on Michael’s Legacy
“Michael fostered a community at NOC that feels like a family and demonstrated the power of shared leadership. His wisdom and guidance continue to inform our daily work and our commitment to the values he championed.”
Abby Youngblood
Executive Director, National Organic Coalition
“I worked very closely with Michael, and Elizabeth Henderson (and of course many others) as we were considering, debating, and writing recommended policy language for OFPA. I had a full 25 years actively engaged in certification issues, and the opportunity to work with amazing people from all corners of the United States has been one of the great honors of my life. Michael was always kind, practical, thoughtful, deeply engaged, and ready to be a champion. The true gifts of working with passionate, smart, and committed activists are the opportunities to see how others think, communicate, and share brilliance. Michael taught that to all of us.”
Anne Schwartz
Farmer, Blue Heron Farm
“Michael was such a thoughtful advocate for organic agriculture and for organic farmers. He brought passion and vision to his work. I appreciated getting to collaborate with him on projects such as the National Organic Action Plan.”
Brise Tencer
Executive Director, Organic Farming Research Foundation
“I learned so much from Michael about the importance of the bigger picture. He somehow could scan all the efforts for a more sustainable food system and see what was missing in what he called ‘the architecture.’ A cross-sector effort that built solidarity among farmers, farmworkers, and independent businesses was missing—so we helped create the Domestic Fair Trade Association. That instinct—to see the gaps and quietly build what was needed—ran through everything he did.”
Elizabeth Henderson
Farmer Emeritus, Peacework Farm
“Michael was a hero, mentor, and friend, as he was to so many. There are no words to fully account for the depth of this loss. His impact will reverberate, and his example of a life of service to people and the planet will continue to inspire. We will carry forward the work in his memory, standing on his shoulders with gratitude and devotion.”
George Kimbrell
Co-Executive Director & Legal Director, Center for Food Safety
“Michael has left a tremendous legacy and showed us the path forward. His voice for farmers and farmworkers will continue to guide us.”
Jay Feldman
Executive Director, Beyond Pesticides
To be inspired by Michael’s own words, watch his 2014 Beyond Pesticides Forum talk on Justice, Equity, and Sustainability (Michael begins at 2:49).
Read Jim’s poem - Consensus Man - Honoring Michael Sligh.
Jim Riddle
Organic Farmer & Owner, Lamb’s Breath Seeds
“Embedded in this blueprint was Michael’s uncompromising commitment to the founding principles of organic agriculture. I can still hear him asking, ‘Does this pass the fairness test?’ He was like a moral compass for the organic movement.”
Kiki Hubbard
Researcher & Organic Seed Advocate
Read Kiki’s full tribute to Michael.
“The organic movement owes much of its roots to the work of Michael Sligh. RAFI had the honor of working with Michael for 29 years where he was the Just Foods Program Director. He was a visionary and leader of the sustainable and organic movement and played a crucial role in the creation of the National Organic Program. He had a gift for both articulating the problems small and mid-scale farmers face and bringing people together to form coalitions to solve those problems. Michael’s work was pivotal in laying the foundation for much of the policy and seed work RAFI is still doing today.”
RAFI-USA Staff
Read RAFI’s full tribute to Michael.
Michael’s Legacy
Michael Sligh helped build the modern organic movement in the United States by pairing policy rigor with an unwavering commitment to farmers, fairness, and organic integrity. He played a formative role in translating grassroots organic principles into durable public standards—work that shaped the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the federal framework that followed. As the founding chair of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from 1992–1997, he helped set the early direction of the National Organic Program and remained a respected, steady voice in NOSB deliberations for decades. Over 29 years at RAFI-USA, Michael’s leadership advanced farmer-centered policy, coalition-building, and a long-view approach to systemic change. He also helped found and strengthen institutions—including the National Organic Coalition (NOC), the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the Domestic Fair Trade Association, the Agricultural Justice Project, and the Organic Farmers Association—insisting that organic must stand not only for environmental stewardship, but also for justice for everyone who labors in agriculture. Today, NOC carries forward Michael’s vision: protecting organic integrity while building a more fair, inclusive, and farmer-empowering food system.
Key milestones
Shaping national organic policy (OFPA era): Helped drive farmer-led organizing and recommendations that informed the development of federal organic standards and the framework that became the National Organic Program.
Founding chair of the NOSB (1992–1997): Led the first NOSB as it tackled foundational questions about what belongs in organic, helping safeguard the integrity of the label from the start.
RAFI-USA leadership (29 years): Served as Just Foods Program Director, advancing farmer advocacy, organic integrity, and coalition strategy across the South and nationally.
Building NOC and cross-sector organic advocacy: Helped found the National Organic Coalition and bring together a cross-sector coalition—farmer gruops alongside consumer and environmental groups, businesses, retailers, scientists, and other allies—to ensure the organic movement had strong representation in Washington, D.C. and a credible, values-grounded voice in organic standards. He also shaped NOC’s commitment to consensus-based decision-making, a practice that continues to guide the coalition today.
Advancing fairness and labor justice in food systems: Co-founded the Agricultural Justice Project and helped launch efforts like Domestic Fair Trade Association, linking organic integrity with fair pricing, worker justice, and farmer empowerment.
Championing public plant breeding: Was a leading advocate for public plant breeding and the development of farmer-ready cultivars, pushing USDA and Congress to invest in regionally adapted and organic-appropriate varieties that serve farmers rather than corporate seed monopolies.
A blueprint for the future: Was a driving force behind the National Organic Action Plan—a grassroots-informed, long-term vision that was published in 2010 and created to ensure organic growth supports family farmers, protects health, and benefits the environment.
From the NOC Archives
NOSB Meeting Minutes from 1995 - Michael Sligh, Chairperson
NOSB Norms - Michael Sligh
Testimony to the Senate Agriculture Committee in 2010 - Michael Sligh on behalf of NOC
How Can NIFA Support Public Cultivar Development - Testimony from Michael Sligh in 2012
Michael’s voice and values remain woven through the work of NOC and the broader organic movement. We honor his legacy by continuing the work he so passionately advanced—to ensure that organic agriculture remains grounded in integrity, fairness, and care for people and the planet.
If you would like to share a memory, photo, or reflection to include on this page, please email info@nationalorganiccoalition.org.