Robin Taylor is president of Sun Grown Organics. He serves on the CCOF Board.
Robin grew up immersed in organic farming. When his parents joined a commune and bought land in Arkansas, Robin moved along with them from Santa Fe to live on the land. “My whole life, that’s all I’ve known, organic farming,” he recalls. “In my teen years, my father moved to San Diego and bought a sprout farm, and that’s where my real farming started.” Robin gained firsthand professional experience working on his father’s farm during his teenage years, then after college, he took over the farm and continued the family legacy.
“To me, organic is important for the long-term environmental impact on the planet. It’s how I was raised, and it just seems to be the right way,” Robin says. “At one point I grew large row crops, so I started using more organic pesticides, but I didn’t even particularly like using the organic versions. If I had to do a conventional farm, I couldn’t handle what I’d have to spray on plants.” Luckily, Robin’s crops—sprouts, microgreens, and wheatgrass—grow quickly enough that bugs aren’t a major problem, and he can avoid pesticide use.
Although his farm always followed organic farming methods, it was officially certified organic in the 1990s. “We’ve been with a couple of other certifiers through the years,” Robin says. “Then I joined CCOF in 2019.”
Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic hit soon after Robin became a CCOF member, and he was unable to participate in Southern California CCOF community events. That’s why he was surprised when he was invited to run for a position on the CCOF Board and got elected. Even though he hadn’t been active in person, he had been asking thought-provoking questions and generating good conversations.
“I’ve been on the CCOF Board for a year and a half,” Robin says. “I like it. There are a lot of very smart people, good discussion, and the board seems to work well together, so that’s nice. I’ve been on a couple of other boards, and they weren’t always the best experiences. This is the best experience on a board I’ve ever had. Everybody does their work, and it’s a good group of people. The staff is great too, and I enjoy their input. CCOF seems to be moving in a really positive direction.”
