Organic Farmers Association Elects New Leadership

18 Governing Council and Policy Committee Members Elected to Serve Organic Farmers

WASHINGTON, D.C., DC, UNITED STATES, December 5, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Organic Farmers Association, a national membership organization working to build a strong voice for certified organic farmers in order to grow a healthier planet, has announced the election of its next Governing Council and Policy Committee members. This is the fifth leadership term elected since OFA’s creation for and by organic farmers to represent their policy priorities in Washington D.C.

For the 2025 leadership term, 18 Governing Council and Policy Committee Members were elected or reelected to serve organic farmers.

Each OFA region is represented by two certified organic farmers and one regional organic farm organization, making up OFA’s 24 voting certified organic farmer members and 12 advisory organizational members across both leadership bodies. Members are elected by OFA farm members and serve 2-year terms, up to three consecutive terms.

The new leadership will officially take their positions during OFA’s Annual Meeting and Farmer Fly-In in Washington, D.C., in March 2025 where OFA members gather to advocate for policy changes that will benefit organic farms and farmers across the U.S.

“I’m always so impressed with the expertise and diversity of experiences that our leadership brings to OFA. This year we have five new organic farmers joining our leadership and one new organic organization. I’m grateful to our high-quality returning leadership willing to serve another term as well. OFA’s strong leadership is incredibly important this year as we aim to keep organic agriculture a strong priority for the incoming administration,” said Kate Mendenhall, OFA’s Executive Director.

Please join OFA in welcoming and congratulating OFA’s newest leaders:

Midwest Governing Council Farmer Seat: Jenn Halpin, Dickinson College Farm, Carlisle, PA

North Central Governing Council Farmer Seat: Matthew Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Organics, Glencoe, MN

North Central Policy Committee Farmer Seat: Russell Olson, River Valley Organics, Inc., Garner, IA

Western Governing Council Farmer Seat: Steve Ela, Ela Family Farms, Hotchkiss, CO

Northeast Governing Council Organization Seat: Katie Baildon, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY)

Southern Policy Committee Farmer Seat: Steven Beltram, TendWell Farm, Asheville, NC

Governing Council
The Governing Council serves as the governing body of Organic Farmers Association and oversees the health and effectiveness of the organization, ensuring it remains a strong, farmer-led voice for the organic movement.

Policy Committee
The Policy Committee ensures that the diverse voices of organic farmers are represented in critical policy decisions by working with OFA members to set the policy agenda for OFA.

A full 2025 leadership roster can be found on OFA’s website.

Madison Letizia
Organic Farmers Association
+1 202-643-5363
madison@organicfarmersassociation.org
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