HARVEST OF IDEAS

Dr. Erin Silva is an Associate Professor and State Extension Specialist in Organic and Sustainable Cropping Systems in the Department of Plant Pathology as well as the Director for the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. After completion of a PhD in Horticulture at Washington State University, Dr. Silva obtained a faculty position at New Mexico State University. During her tenure at NMSU, Dr. Silva taught courses on organic vegetable production, an experiential learning course integrating the working student organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm on campus. Dr. Silva initiated several organic research projects at NMSU, including work on cover crop-based reduced tillage for organic vegetable crops and breeding vegetables for organic production systems.

Glenda Gillaspy became the 14th dean of UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in August 2022. Prior to that, Gillaspy was a professor of biochemistry at Virginia Tech where she served as department head since 2015. In that role she led novel curricular changes to promote student success and a sense of belonging, and implemented a mentoring program for new faculty that fostered their teaching and research success.

Matthew Dillon serves as a co-CEO at the Organic Trade Association. He joined the trade association in January 2024, bringing a lifetime of work in food and farming. Together with the Board of Directors and co-CEO Tom Chapman, he is responsible for defining the association’s mission and establishing shared objectives for OTA’s member companies. Matthew leads the associations public relations, policy agenda, member engagement, and fundraising. He represents both the association and the organic trade in an official capacity when interfacing with members of Congress, the Executive Branch, media, stakeholders, and strategic allies.

Tom joined the trade association in 2022, bringing with him 20 years of industry experience and expertise in policy, organic certification, and organic supply chains. Throughout his career, Tom has advanced certification and compliance, successfully managed global supply chains to source over a billion pounds of organic ingredients, and worked closely with diverse brands, growers, and other stakeholders to promote policies that protect and grow the organic sector. As OTA’s co-CEO, Tom leads the association’s regulatory, international, and technical affairs, oversees the development of association programs and products, and is responsible for operations and financial management. Tom has advised the United States Department of Agriculture on organic policy as the chair of the National Organic Standards Board, served on the California Organic Products Advisory Committee, and is currently a member of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, advising the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on trade matters.

Nicole Atchison, CEO of PURIS Holdings, leads PURIS’ portfolio of companies, which includes ingredient technologies, processing technologies, seed genetic strategies, product development, go-to-market strategies, insights and support for plant-based brands. The family-owned company develops and supports continued innovation in a spectrum of pure, plant-based foods and ingredients from U.S.-based organic and non-GMO soybeans and yellow peas. Nicole also serves as a board member for the USA Pulses commodity group.

Warthesen joined CROPP Cooperative, maker of Organic Valley products and more, in October 2014 and oversees the cooperative’s government affairs and engagement with industry trade groups. His duties include cultivating relations with policymakers, engaging administrative agencies, coordinating co-op business grant development and submissions, and driving forward-facing public relations with numerous food, farm and media stakeholders. He additionally supports cooperative efforts to develop and implement enhanced organic claims, such as Certified Grass-Fed Organic Dairy, that are increasingly prevalent on organic food products. He has extensive experience in U.S. farm policy, organic and dairy regulatory issues, direct lobbying, farmer recruitment and training, coalition-building, and in organizing prominent agricultural focused events. Warthesen serves as board vice president for the Organic Trade Association (OTA). Additionally, he serves as a board member for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, the Organic Marketing Institute, the Organic Plus Trust, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Organic Advisory Council and as a member of the Economic Policy Committee for the International Dairy Foods Association as well as the Policy Committee for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

Lea Zeise belongs to Oneida Nation where she cares for ancestral Indigenous varieties of corn with a non-profit cooperative she co-founded called Ohe·láku (oh-hey-LAH-goo) in 2016. Ohe·láku relies on volunteer labor to cultivate five acres of Tuscarora White Corn for distribution to member families, Oneida Nation, and Tribal Elder Food Box. Our operation weaves traditional ecological knowledge with modern approaches to regenerative agriculture and reconnects community members with Oneida cultural foods, practices, and perspectives.

Rudolfs completed his studies in business administration and gained various work experiences. He and his family returned to their hometown five years ago. In 2015, Rudolfs embarked on his agricultural journey by starting organic cereal farming on both family-owned and rented land. Despite starting from scratch, he managed to develop the farm while simultaneously working full-time in the financial institutions sector. Three years later, he expanded his ventures by establishing a logging company. He believes that his deep-rooted passion for agriculture, forestry, and the land has been passed down through five generations of his family. After serving on the board of the Latvian Young Farmers club since 2020, he was elected CEJA’s Vice President in June 2023.

Passionate about intersection of conservation, community well being and markets. Co founded Keystone, a civil society organization and Last Forest, a social enterprise. Been involved in organic agriculture both at the international and regional levels supporting local governments and institutions to move towards a sustainable and resilient economy. Facilitate small communities to interface with the markets at local levels.

Josefine Pettersson is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and practices to advance organic agriculture. At Australian Organic Limited, she works closely with producers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to enhance standards and improve market opportunities. With a Master’s degree in Organic Agriculture and management experience in livestock and horticultural systems, Josefine brings a deep understanding of the complexities and opportunities within the Australian organic industry.

Chris Wilson is a seventh-generation farmer at Wilson Organic Farms in Cuba City, Wisconsin, where he and his family have been pioneering sustainable agricultural practices. With decades of experience in organic dairy and diversified cropping systems, Chris has been at the forefront of integrating organic no-till, rotational grazing, diverse crop rotations, and cover cropping to build resilient farm ecosystems. Beyond the farm, Chris serves on the Meat Executive Committee for CROPP Cooperative (Organic Valley) and actively collaborates with research institutions to advance regenerative agricultural solutions. His work bridges practical on-farm management with broader industry efforts to improve soil health, nutrient efficiency, and livestock integration within organic systems.

Brad Heins is a Professor of Organic Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research Center in Morris, Minnesota. Currently, Dr. Heins conducts his research and Extension program at the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center. The Center has a 130-head herd in a certified organic system, and a 160-head herd in a conventional grazing system. His research and extension program focuses on best management practices for organic dairy production, forages for grazing, crossbreeding of dairy cattle, group rearing of calves, and renewable energy for dairy production systems.  He serves on the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force.

Dr. Asa Bradman is an expert in exposure assessment and epidemiology focusing on occupational and environmental exposures to pregnant women, children, and residents living in agricultural communities. In 1998 he co-founded the Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH) in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and in 2020 he joined the faculty at UC Merced. Dr. Bradman leads exposure and epidemiologic studies examining pesticides, air quality, flame retardants, metals, emerging pollutants, VOCs, and other contaminants. He participates in extensive community outreach and education and interfaces with other scientists, state and federal agencies, policy makers, and industry. He is past member and Chair of the California Biomonitoring Scientific Guidance Panel (appointments by Governors Schwarzennegger and Brown) and just finished a five year term on the USDA National Organic Standards Board. Many years ago Asa worked in agriculture harvesting grapefruits and apples for export, taking care of chicken sheds, and was the produce manager for a small grocery store.

Kevin is a professor and director of the Breadlab at Washingon State University. HIs research focuses on breeding more nutritious varieties of seed and grain crops, including quinoa, buckwheat, barley, and spelt. He leads the Soil to Society team, which integrates soil science, cropping systems, and plant breeding with food product development and human health research.

Dr. Azizur Rahman: A Pioneer in Clean Technology and Environmental Solutions. Dr. Rahman is a visionary in environmental science, serving as the Research Lead, President, and CEO of the Centre for Climate Change Research, A.R Environmental Solutions, and AR Biotech Canada. Dr. Rahman’s research expertise spans organic agriculture (with a focus on food as medicine), global climate change, biotechnology and human health, biodiversity, ocean and marine biology, urban air pollution, and food waste management. Renowned for his groundbreaking innovations, Dr. Rahman has developed cutting-edge technologies to transform food waste into biofuel and bioethanol, significantly advancing the cleantech sector. His exceptional contributions have earned him prestigious accolades, including the Presidential Honorary Award for Scientists from the University of Ryukyus in Japan and the Global Peer Review Award from the Web of Science Group in 2018 and 2019. His relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation is driving transformative changes in our approach to environmental challenges, making Dr. Rahman a true leader in the quest for a sustainable future.

Oversee research at Rodale Institute. Over 25 years’ experience in the organic industry as a researcher and farmer. Committed to growing the global organic movement through science, practical knowledge transfer, and shear will.

As an environmental scientist excited about high quality food, I am able to link both passions working at FiBL. For several years I dived into the topic of nitrous oxides emissions and soil organic carbon stock changes related to conservation tillage systems. Since three years, I work in the broader area of designing sustainable organic arable cropping systems togehter with a highly motivated group. In a co-lead, I enjoy enabeling my coworkers in their projects and creating a trusting environment.

Born and raised in the central valley of northern California, Dr. Sciligo is no stranger to farming and rural life. She grew up in a small town with a population of fewer than 700, where the region was dominated by conventional, industrialized tree nut and rice farming. While she loved her rural upbringing and community, she wanted an educational experience that couldn’t be offered anywhere nearby and became the first person in her family to leave that hometown and pursue a college degree. Dr. Amber Sciligo is now the Senior Director of The Organic Center where she leads the organization and its projects associated with communicating and conducting research related to organic, sustainable agriculture. During her tenure at The Organic Center, Dr. Sciligo has worked closely with researchers, industry, farmers, and policymakers to identify organic research needs, and she has collaborated on a diverse range of research programs to help fill knowledge gaps identified by stakeholders across the industry. The Center’s projects aim to help farmers and businesses more feasibly and successfully transition to, farm, and sell organic products. The Center then communicates research and results to the general public to help them understand what organic farming and businesses look like, including their challenges and successes, and the benefits they provide to the health of people and the planet. Dr. Sciligo brings the organic voice to communities at international, national, and local levels by serving on advisory committees, councils, and boards for the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR) and the Organic Association of Kentucky, the state in which she resides. She is currently serving as an IFOAM Organics World Board member. Dr. Sciligo received her B.Sc. at the University of California Santa Cruz in Ecology & Evolution, and her Ph.D. at Lincoln University, New Zealand, also in Ecology & Evolution. Her training specialized in plant/insect interactions, specifically pollination services to plants. Her extensive postdoctoral work at U.C. Berkeley included several interdisciplinary projects related to the impacts of farm diversification within the organic system on a range of ecosystem services from biodiversity, pollination, natural pest control, soil health, and climate change mitigation, as well as the livelihoods of farmers. The main goals of her work have been to inform research and policies to include the needs of agroecological farmers so that their businesses can thrive, while preserving the land for future farming.

Vanessa Garcia Polanco co-designs the strategy and implementation of the National Young Farmers Coalition government relations campaigns, ensuring equity-driven, farmer-centric research, policy, and programmatic interventions for a more just food system. She also serves as the organizational council member of the US National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. She has previously worked with the US Department of Agriculture, and the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems. She is an alumna of Michigan State University and the University of Rhode Island. She is a James Beard Foundation Scholar, an Agriculture, Food, Human Values Society Innovation Leader, and a 2023 Grist Climate Fixer. As an Afro-Dominican immigrant, she brings her experiences and identities to her policy and advocacy activities. She leads Dominican Food Studies projects and funnels financial and agricultural resources to Dominican food sovereignty projects. She enjoys reading Dominican authors, cooking and baking, hosting brunches and thematic parties, long walks and connecting with folks over food and beautiful landscapes. She likes her coffee without sugar.

Lilliana holds a diploma in agricultural sciences and a joint international master’s degree of the University of Kassel and Fulda University of Applied Sciences. In March 2021 Lilliana has completed her PhD on the topic “Basis for monitoring the performance of sustainable development goals in organic food systems: A first approximation”. In her dissertation Lilliana was analysing the organic food systems’ transformation vis-à-vis the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals using three European case studies. Lilliana is a research associate at Section of Organic Food Quality of Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences at the University of Kassel, Germany. Till end of July 2022 she has been coordinating the research project “How can or­ganic/bio­dy­namic food sys­tems con­trib­ute to the so­ci­etal trans­form­a­tion to­wards sus­tain­ab­il­ity?” supported by the Software AG Foundation. Between October 2022 and June 2024 Lilliana was coordinating the SysOrg project and since August 2023 till present – the “NEUE WEGE” (“New Pathways”) project. Other than this she is involved in teaching in international master degree programmes of the Universities of Kassel and Goettingen as well as bachelor degree programmes at the FH Muenster University of Applied Sciences. Lilliana’s main research focus is on the contribution of alternative food systems to the food systems transformation towards sustainability, with an emphasis on food sytem outcomes.

Marina Grölz, born on 14.02.1998 studied Agricultural Sciences at Bachelor’s level and Crop Sciences at Master’s level. Both at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Hesse, Germany. During her studies, she focused on plant cultivation, plant breeding and plant protection. In addition to her university education, she conducts her own research on the farm and carries out her own smaller and larger trials. While still a student, Marina took over her father’s 200-hectare organic arable farm at the age of 20 after he died of cancer in 2019. Since then, the farm has been slowly but steadily changing. New opportunities for farm development, such as seed propagation for red clover and direct marketing, have been developed and established. The farm has been certified organic since 2009 and operates in accordance with the even stricter “Naturland” standards.

Dr. Lundgren is an agroecologist, Executive Director of Ecdysis Foundation, and CEO for Blue Dasher Farm. Lundgren’s research and education programs are helping applied science evolve in ways that foster the evolution of a regenerative food system. He regularly interacts with the public and farmers around the world regarding ecologically intensive farming and how biodiversity fuels the resilience and productivity of an agroecosystem and rural communities.

Julie Dawson is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, training students in the plant breeding and plant genetics, horticulture, and agroecology graduate fields. Research interests include the use of genetic resources in plant breeding for organic systems and methods for participatory selection and variety development. She is also the state Extension specialist for regional food systems and does applied research for growers serving local food markets.

Karina Garcia is a postdoctoral researcher with Handsome Brook Farms and the University of Kentucky in the Gonthier Agroecology Lab. Born in Salinas, CA, an agriculturally productive region of California aptly nicknamed “the Salad Bowl of the World,” she was raised in a landscape of endless strawberry and lettuce fields. It wasn’t until she started working with agroecologists shortly after graduating from UC Berkeley that she learned about sustainable agriculture and the importance of biodiversity for resilient working lands. Her research interests include ecosystem services and disservices in organic systems, with her dissertation at the University of Kentucky focusing on wild and managed birds. Her current research focuses on evaluating biodiversity in pastured-poultry agroecosystems.

Dr. Mwatima Juma, the chairperson of the organic agriculture movement in Tanzania, plays a pivotal role in guiding and supporting the organization in promoting Organic Agriculture, known as Kilimohai in Swahili. In her role as the Director of the Practical Permaculture Institute, Dr. Mwatima addresses the existing capacity gap in understanding regenerative and sustainable production systems. She is particularly focused on the impact of climate change and the importance of engaging youth early on in agriculture across its value chain. When discussing organic agriculture, Dr. Mwatima remarks, “For me, it is a holistic way of life. Her mission extends to advocating for sustainable development at both national and international levels, with the belief that it should be embraced as a way of life for everyone.

Eric joined IFOAM Organics Europe as Deputy Director in 2014, after five years working in the European Parliament. Previously he worked for Greenpeace, in France then in Brussels, where he coordinated the European work of the organisation on agriculture issues. He also worked for other NGOs in France on waste reduction and research policy. He coordinates the advocacy work of the organic food and farming movement towards European institutions on a broad range of environmental and agricultural policy files. With around 200 members across the EU and beyond, IFOAM Organics Europe represents the whole organic production chain, from organic farmers organizations to processors, certifiers, retailers, and research institutes.

Agronomist, graduated from the Federal University of Santa Maria (2003), Master in Soil Science from the Federal University of Santa Maria (2006) and PhD in Soil Science from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (2009), with a doctoral internship at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Adjunct Professor at the State University of Rio Grande do Sul, working on the Agronomy course and the Master’s in Environment and Sustainability, and in research on biological inputs for agriculture, plant growth promotion by soil microorganisms, cover crops and organic grain production systems. Organic and regenerative farmer.