Apr 9, 2025
Threats to organic watchdog organization linked to employee at nation’s largest organic certifier
A law enforcement investigation into threats against organic industry watchdog OrganicEye has been traced to an employee of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), the country’s largest USDA-accredited certifier.
Following a 15-month investigation, Vernon County, Wisconsin, sheriff Roy Torgerson identified Gabriel Anthony Autio Ramirez, an IT employee at CCOF, as the source of at least one threatening phone call made to OrganicEye’s office in February 2024. That call came minutes after two menacing emails were sent to the organization.
The threats, which began in late 2023, led to a multi-agency investigation involving law enforcement in Wisconsin and California. Detectives obtained search warrants to access telecommunications data, which traced the call to Santa Cruz, California, where CCOF is headquartered.
According to Torgerson, the case established probable cause for an investigation after OrganicEye reported escalating threats. Detective JoEllen Egge, who led the case, coordinated with authorities in California after tracing the call to Ramirez.
Ramirez later sent an apology to OrganicEye, which executive director Mark Kastel described as a “confession.”
“I’ve been doing this work for almost 22 years and have been threatened with civil lawsuits many times by powerful corporate agribusinesses,” said Kastel in a news release. “But in all this time, this is the very first incident where I, along with my fellow staff members, have been threatened with violence.”
Kastel said OrganicEye would not pursue criminal prosecution, citing Ramirez’s apology and lack of a criminal record.
“Unless the continuing investigation turns up new evidence, we will accept that apology as a resolution to the criminal case,” he said.
However, Kastel questioned whether others at CCOF may have influenced the threats.
“If any inaccurate information or inflammatory language was used to incite the threats communicated by Mr. Rodriguez, we are certainly going to explore holding CCOF responsible,” he said.
The threats followed OrganicEye’s legal complaint against CCOF, alleging conflicts of interest and improper financial relationships with large agribusinesses.
An extradition request may be required for Ramirez to face potential charges in Wisconsin, according to Torgerson.
