Organic Farmers Association, a national membership organization for certified organic farmers, sponsored by Rodale Institute, has announced a new Policy Director and elected the first Policy Committee. This new leadership will facilitate Organic Farmers Association’s policy platform created by certified organic farmer members.

Mark Rokala will serve as Policy Director and lead policy work, under the direction of the newly elected policy committee and coordinating closely with the Organic Farmers Association Director Kate Mendenhall and Steering Committee Chair Jim Riddle. Mark will be leading work on the farm bill, helping identify Organic Farmers Association farmer members’ policy priorities, connecting members with Congressional leaders, and ensuring that our federal policies help support thriving independent organic farmers.

Mark Rokala has more than 28 years of experiences in agriculture policy, with twenty-three of those years working on state and federal agricultural policy. He worked for seven years as a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill and sixteen years as a lobbyist in D.C. focusing on agricultural and food policy.

“The Organic Farmers Association is excited to welcome Mark Rokala as our Policy Director,” said Jim Riddle. “Given the proven power of organic production to promote soil health, produce healthy food, and restore rural economic vitality, organic farmers must make our voices heard in D.C. Mark has a great deal of experience working on federal farm policy, and will help members of Congress and federal agencies understand the importance of investing in and protecting organic systems.”

The first 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. This first Policy Committee will help guide this work forward from the ground up.

2017 Policy Committee includes:

California Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Kenneth Kimes, Greensward / New Natives, LLC, Aptos, CA
Mark McAfee, Organic Pastures, Fresno, CA

California Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
David Runsten, Policy Director, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Davis, CA

Western Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Bob Quinn, Quinn Farm & Ranch, Big Sandy, MT
Pryor Garnett, Garnetts Red Prairie Farm, Sheridan, OR

Western Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
Kristina Hubbard, Director of Advocacy, Organic Seed Alliance, Missoula, MT

North Central Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Francis Thicke, Radiance Dairy Fairfield, IA
Harriet Behar, Sweet Springs Farm, Gays Mills, WI

North Central Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
Matthew Miller, Policy Committee Member, Iowa Organic Association, Ames, IA

Midwest Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Michael Adsit, Plymouth Orchards, Plymouth, MI
Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Village Acres Farm & FoodShed, Mifflintown, PA

Midwest Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
Casey Trinkaus, Livestock & Poultry Specialist, The Fertrell Company, Bainbridge, PA

Southern Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Laura Freeman, Mt. Folly Farm, Winchester, KY
Jennifer Taylor, Lola’s Organic Farm, Glenwood, GA

Southern Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
Michael Sligh, Program Director, Rural Advancement Foundation International, Pittsboro, NC

Northeast Region Farmer Representatives (Voting)
Rodney Graham, Oxbow Organic Farm, Hunt, NY
Dave Chapman Long Wind Farm, East Thetford, V

Northeast Region Organization Representative (Advisory: Non-Voting)
Edward Maltby Executive Director, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, Deerfield, MA

Join today and support organic farmers!

Organic Farmers Association members support a strong voice for organic farmers in Washington, D.C.


The Organic Farmers Association is the ONLY national organization where solely independent certified organic farms determine its policies and work agenda. OFA was founded on the belief that the voice of farmers like you should carry the most weight in agricultural policy decisions.

In recent years, OFA has made a difference by putting significant pressure on the USDA to finalize the Origin of Livestock Rule to help organic dairies and finalize the Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule to stop organic fraud and increase enforcement. We testified and advocated to allow paper pots for small-scale vegetable growers, introduced the ODAIRY Act of 2023, and advocated for stronger animal welfare standards for organic livestock and poultry production (OLPS Rule).

We have proved that farmer voices are stronger when we work together. Join us in this movement by becoming a member today! 

Farm
Membership

U.S. certified organic farmers should select this membership. Only farm members are eligible to vote on Organic Farmers Association policy positions and priorities. International farmers, or farms that are not certified organic, should select the Supporter Membership.

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Supporter Membership

Not a certified organic farmer, but want to support the organic farmers that make our planet and food systems a better place? Supporter members will be connected to the discussions about policies that affect organic farmers, and be called to advocate on their behalf.

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Organization Membership

Organizations that have a significant membership (or stakeholders) of certified organic farmers should select this membership. Organization Members receive the tools they need to advocate for policies important to organic farmers and extend their network.

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PO Box 709
Spirit Lake, IA 51360
202-643-5363
info@OrganicFarmersAssociation.org

About the Organic Farmers Association

In 2016 farmers from across the country came together to launch the Organic Farmers Association (OFA) to unite organic farmers for a better future together. In 2020, OFA gained its 501c5 nonprofit status.  Rodale Institute supports this initiative as fiscal sponsor and partner with OFA’s farmer leadership.

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