For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s Genetic Engineering page, Millions Against Monsanto page and our California News page.

 I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jim “Jimbo” Someck, who has been in the natural food industry since 1973.

 He opened the first “Jimbo’s” store in 1984 and established a stringent non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) policy for all new products sold in his store in 2010.

 He was named Whole Foods Retailer of the Year in 2012.

 If you live in the San Diego, California area, you are probably familiar with Jimbo’s natural food stores, but no matter where you live, the foundation upon which he built the stores – and the work he continues to do to support organic farming and provide an outlet where you can find non-GMO foods – is worth noting.

A Man With a True Passion for Organic Foods

 What you’ll quickly learn about Jimbo if you watch the interview above is that he is truly a man of passion and principle. His love for organic foods started when he began volunteering at a local food coop in San Diego. For the next 13 years, he learned about organic foods and natural foods, while at the same time honing his business skills to help the coop grow.

 Eventually, he branched out onto his own, but kept the strong ideals for providing only wholesome organic food that ignited his passion for this industry in the first place. Jimbo said:

    
“When I started that first store, my philosophy was, ‘Whether I fail or make tons of money, the most important thing to me is to be able to do it with honesty, integrity, and respect.’ As long as I held true to that, I was okay.”

 In this rough economy that we’re going through, Jimbo’s “model” – to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to what it is you feel passionate about – is one that many of you may benefit from.