The Organic Farmers Association is a national membership body of American organic farmers. The Association’s mission is to provide a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic producers. Its purpose is to build and support a farmer-led national organic farmer movement and national policy platform by: developing and advocating for policies that benefit organic farmers; strengthening and supporting the capacity of organic farmers and farm organizations; and supporting collaboration and leadership among state, regional and national organic farmer organizations.

Members of the Organic Farming Association are represented by a Governing Council, Advisory Committee, and Policy Committee. Recently, new representatives were elected to the Governing Council and Policy Committee for 2019. These representatives will serve 2-year terms, up to 3 consecutive terms (no more than 6 consecutive years). Newly elected members begin their terms at the annual meeting on March 13, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

2019 Governing Council

The Council includes 19 members. From each of the six regions, the council includes 2 certified organic farmers and 1 organic farm organization. In addition, Organic Farmers Association’s fiscal sponsor, Rodale Institute, also has a seat on the council. All Council Members have identical rights and responsibilities, except that only farmer members have the right to vote. The fiscal sponsor, if it has a certified organic farm, also has a vote.

* = Newly elected

Farmers (Voting)

California Farmer Representatives

*Judith Redmond, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, CA

Steve Beck, Kings River Produce, Inc., Hanford, CA

Midwest Region Farmer Representatives

*Dave Bishop, PrairiErth Farm, Atlanta, IL

Joannee DeBruhl, Stone Coop Farm, Brighton, MI

North Central Region Farmer Representatives

*Mike Kelly, High Meadow Farm, Johnson Creek, WI

Harriet Behar, Sweet Springs Farm, Spring Valley, WI

Western Region Farmer Representatives

*Nathaniel Powell-Palm, Cold Springs Organics, Bozeman, MT

Jessica Gigot, Harmony Fields, Bow, WA

Southern Region Farmer Representatives

Jennifer Taylor, Lola’s Organic Farm, Glenwood, GA

*Loretta Adderson, Adderson’s Fresh Produce, Keysville, GA

Northeast Region Farmer Representatives

David Colson, New Leaf Farm, Durham, ME

*Maryrose Livingston, Northland Sheep Dairy, Marathon, NY

Advisory (Non-Voting)

California Organization Representative

Phil LaRocca, Chair, California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)

Midwest Region Organization Representative

Renee Hunt, Program Director, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA)

North Central Region Organization Representative

*David Perkins, President, Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

Western Region Organization Representative

Becky Weed, Board of Directors, Montana Organic Association (MOA)

Southern Region Organization Representative

*Michael Sligh, Program Director, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA)

Northeast Region Organization Representative

*Ed Maltby, Executive Director, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA)

Sponsor Seat

Jeff Tkach, Rodale Institute

2019 Policy Committee

The elected Policy Committee is made up of 12 voting certified organic farmer members and six advisory organizational members. Committee members are regionally diverse and reflect the national diversity of organic farms. The Policy Committee will facilitate OFA’s policy platform, created by certified organic farmer members. From its start in the fall of 2016, Organic Farmers Association has been working to build and support a farmer-led national organic farmer movement with a strong voice advocating for organic farmers.

* = Newly elected

Farmers (Voting)

California Region Farmer Representatives

*Kenneth Kimes, Greensward / New Natives, LLC, Aptos, CA

Mark McAfee, Organic Pastures, Fresno, CA

Western Region Farmer Representatives

*Nate Lewis, Oyster Bay Farm, Olympia, WA

Pryor Garnett, Garnetts Red Prairie Farm, Sheridan, OR

North Central Region Farmer Representatives

*DeEtta Bilek, Tom and DeEtta Bilek Farm, Aldrich, MN

Harriet Behar, Sweet Springs Farm, Gays Mills, WI

Midwest Region Farmer Representatives

*Michael Adsit, Plymouth Orchards, Plymouth, MI

Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Village Acres Farm & FoodShed, Mifflintown, PA

Southern Region Farmer Representatives

*Laura Freeman, Mt. Folly Farm, Winchester, KY

Jennifer Taylor, Lola’s Organic Farm, Glenwood, GA

Northeast Region Farmer Representatives

*Luke Gianforte, Gianforte Farm, Cazenovia, NY

Dave Chapman, Long Wind Farm, East Thetford, VT

Advisory (Non-Voting)

California Region Organization Representative

David Runsten, Policy Director, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Davis, CA

Western Region Organization Representative

*Cara Loriz, Executive Director, Organic Seed Alliance, Missoula, MT

North Central Region Organization Representative

Matthew Miller, Policy Committee Member, Iowa Organic Association, Ames, IA

Midwest Region Organization Representative

*Mallory Krieger, Farmer Training Program Manager, The Land Connection, Champaign, IL

Southern Region Organization Representative

Michael Sligh, Program Director, Rural Advancement Foundation International, Pittsboro, NC

Northeast Region Organization Representative

Edward Maltby, Executive Director, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, Deerfield, MA

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