From Organic Farming to a Nationwide Food Network: David Stelzer of Azure Standard Ep. 124

In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor sits down with David Stelzer, founder of Azure Standard, to hear the story behind one of the country’s largest organic food distribution networks.David shares how his family’s journey into organic agriculture began in the 1960s after a dramatic change in diet helped restore his health—and how discovering what was being put on conventional seed pushed his father to leave chemical farming behind.He takes us through the early days of Azure Standard, from delivering grain and flour in an old pickup truck to creating the company’s first catalog and developing the drop-point model that now serves communities across all 50 states. David also discusses the challenges of building a food distribution system outside the traditional supply chain and the unexpected role Y2K played in Azure’s growth.The conversation dives into the biggest challenges facing organic and regenerative agriculture today, including the lack of domestic production, limited mid-sized processing infrastructure, and the need for private investment in regional food systems.David will be speaking at Eco-Ag 2026 in Iowa City, December 1–4, focusing on how farmers can connect with consumers and build economically viable markets.Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/Important Links from Today’s Episode:Members site: https://members.acresusa.comAcres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-pageAzure Standard Website: https://www.azurestandard.com/Pre-Order ‘Seeds of Hope’ (David’s Book): https://www.seedsofhopebook.com/