The USDA Has Announced New Members for the National Organic Standards Board

On December 6, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB is responsible for keeping toxic substances out of organic food and farm systems. This Board holds public meetings twice each year to discuss agenda items, vote on proposals and materials for use in organic production and processing, and to make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture.

The new members will serve in five-year terms beginning in January of 2020. The new members are:

·       Nathaniel Powell-Palm, who operates a 1,000-acre certified organic farm, Cold Spring Organics, outside Belgrade, Montana and will serve in a farmer seat. 

·       Kimberly Huseman, who serves as the Director of Specialty Ingredients for Pilgrim’s, where she developed and oversees a large-scale organic grains and oilseeds origination program. Ms. Huseman will serve in a handler seat.

·       Gerard D’Amore, who works at Munger Farms, and will serve in a handler seat.

·       Mindee Jeffery, who is the Grocery Manager of Eastside Food Co-op, and will serve in the retailer seat.

·       Wood Turner, who serves as Senior Vice President of Sustainability for Agriculture Capital, and will serve on the environmental protection and resource conservation seat.

NOC would like to thank the four outgoing members of the NOSB, Ashley Swaffar, Lisa de Lima, Harriet Behar, and Tom Chapman, for their service to the organic community. NOC looks forward to working with current and new members of the board to protect organic integrity.

Learn more about the new board members and about the National Organic Standards Board and it’s role in protecting organic integrity.