From Organic Consumers Association:

It is with heavy hearts we share that our beloved International Director Ronnie Cummins has passed away in Mexico on April 26, 2023. Ronnie tragically lost his life to recently diagnosed bone and lymph cancer after dedicating so much of his life’s work to exposing the connections of disease and the toxins in our environment.

All of us at OCA, Regeneration International and Vía Orgánica are heartbroken. We have been reeling from the loss. The outpouring of love and respect for Ronnie that we are receiving about the impact of his life’s work on others is lifting our spirits and is helping us through our own grieving process.

From OCA’s Field Organizer Director, Kaare Melby:

“I’m deep in grief with the loss of Ronnie. I’ve known him my whole life. He has been a mentor and teacher to me, and he taught me about radical populism. He helped me learn how to bring the theory of social change to reality. He taught me to stand up for truth, no matter the consequences. He taught me how powerful the truth is, even in the face of unimaginable power and greed. His lessons will be the stuff we will study for decades. But I still can’t assimilate the reality that he is gone. And when I approach that reality, the emotions are still too much. We needed him. But now that he is gone, the world needs us to pick up where he left off. The regenerative revolution is now OUR responsibility. Let us all find the strength to carry it on and make the future all that Ronnie knew it could be. He never stopped fighting for us, now let’s come together to fight for his regenerative vision.”

From OCA’s Political Director, Alexis Baden-Mayer:

“What a life and person to celebrate! He’s left us a fortune in books, articles, songs and speeches, not to mention farms & organizations. We’ll never have to be totally without him because he’s left so much of himself here with us.”

From Regeneration International Director, André Leu:

“I’m still in shock and deeply saddened by his passing. Ronnie was a genius, a brilliant mind, an inspirational leader, and a strongly principled change agent who promoted regenerative organic agriculture and fought against corruption and corporate greed. He was a wonderful and very close friend. I’ll miss him.”

Ronnie drew much of his inspiration from all of you, the OCA & RI supporters; let us all carry Ronnie’s torch moving forward in our activist work.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at the Vía Orgánica Ranch outside of San Miguel de Allende Mexico, Sunday May 7, at 3 p.m. CT, 2 p.m., Mexico. We invite you to light a candle and join the livestream.

In Solidarity,
OCA and RI staff

Recently, Dr. Mercola had the honor of interviewing Ronnie during our annual Regenerative Food and Farming Week.   

Ronnie’s Obituary

Ronnie Cummins (1946-2023), was a leading figure in the global organic regenerative food and farming movement. His enthusiastic organizing skills were infused with passion, warmth, courage and tenacity. He was tireless in his work for justice and peace.

Ronnie called three places home. He developed deep roots in Finland, Minnesota; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. His work brought him around the world, where he formed close relationships with activists working on organic regenerative food, farming, climate and health freedom issues.

He never gave up his passion for investigating the dangers of industrial food systems, genetic engineering and synthetic food technologies. He fought against the greed of the pharmaceutical, chemical and pesticide industries; he was also earnest and optimistic in the search for climate solutions. Ronnie was the co-founder and international director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and its international affiliates, Regeneration International (RI) and Vía Orgánica.

He had a passion for educating young people, and headed up the creation of Vía Orgánica, an agroecology farm school and research center in Central Mexico. The last few years he dedicated endless time, energy and research to Vía Orgánica and Regeneration International’s Billion Agave Project; he firmly believed this could be game-changing as a way to regenerate the land, make a major impact on carbon sequestration AND the climate crisis, and to ease rural poverty and heartbreaking forced migration of so many small farmers around the world.

Ronnie tragically passed away April 26, 2023. He grew up in “Cancer Alley,” but Ronnie thought he had a fair chance of dodging the cancer bullet with the good medicine of healthy organic food, laughter, connection to nature, and time with family, friends and the inspiration he got from working with those who shared his passion for making the world a better place. Ronnie lost his life to recently diagnosed bone and lymph cancer after dedicating so much of his life’s work to exposing the connections of disease and the toxins in our environment.

We will continue this fight in his honor. Ronnie wrote countless hard-hitting essays relating to the organizations’ campaigns, working to inspire action with information. He edited OCA’s widely distributed newsletter Organic Bytes and was an engaging public speaker. Ronnie was the author of a series of children’s books called “Children of the World,” (Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Cuba) as well as the book “Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers.” His other books included “Grassroots Rising: A Call to Action on Climate, Farming, Food, and a Green New Deal.” Ronnie’s latest book was “The Truth About COVID-19,” co-authored with Dr. Joseph Mercola, which were both published by Chelsea Green. Most recently, he was in the process of writing a new book called “Agave Power.”

Ronnie especially loved daily hikes, swimming in the icy tannin rivers on the North Shore that flow into Lake Superior, singing, playing guitar, researching and writing. He enjoyed gatherings with home cooked food in the company of family, friends and activists, always forthcoming with: “This is the best meal I’ve ever had.” Ronnie has touched the hearts of so many throughout his life’s journey. He will be forever missed, but his lifetime of passionate work leaves a legacy for all of us to carry on.

Ronnie has survived by the love of his life, Rose Welch, and son, Adrian Cummins Welch, as well as many people he cherished, siblings, in-laws, many nieces and nephews, close friends and work family.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at the Vía Orgánica Ranch outside of San Miguel de Allende Mexico, Sunday May 7, (streamed live here at 3 p.m. CT, 2 p.m., Mexico.) There will also be gatherings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 14, and in Finland, Minnesota, at the OCA AgroEcology Center on May 21. Memorial donations may be sent to Organic Consumers Association (OCA) or Regeneration International.
 

SOURCE:

Sustainable Pulse April 28, 2023