Soo Kim (202) 720-7476Soo.kim@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), adding new vision and diversity to the organization.
“These highly qualified members of the organic community bring years of experience to the board, and we welcome their expertise and appreciate their dedication to the integrity of the organic standards,” said Vilsack.
The appointees will serve terms beginning Jan. 24, 2011, and ending Jan. 24, 2016. They include:
Mr. Colehour J. Bondera, an organic producer from Honaunau, Hawaii. Mr. Bondera farms at Kanalani Ohana Farm and produces organic coffee, vegetables, avocados, fruit and cacao. He is a board member of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association and has spoken at many workshops on organic agriculture;
Mr. Nicholas C. Maravell, an organic producer from Potomac, Md. Mr. Maravell is owner of Nick’s Organic Farm, which has been operating since 1979. He participates in on-farm research and actively engages in policy discussions concerning organic legislation;
Mr. Robert Mac Stone, a certifying agent representative from Georgetown, Ky. Mr. Stone is the Executive Director for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and oversees the Kentucky Organic Program. Mr. Stone is also co-manager of the Elmwood Stock Farm, a certified organic farm in Georgetown, Ky.;
Dr. Jennifer E. Taylor, a public interest representative from Tallahassee, Fla. Dr. Taylor is the Small Farms Program Coordinator at Florida A&M University. The program is designed to assist and equip underserved farming communities and their families toward sustainable development; and
Dr. Reuben C. Walker, a public interest representative from Lafayette, La. Dr. Walker is a researcher of small scale organic operations and professor and program leader at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La. He is currently involved in transitioning the university’s pork farm to an organic production system.
Authorized by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), the NOSB is responsible for making recommendations about whether a substance should be allowed or prohibited in organic production or handling; assisting in developing standards for substances used in organic production; and advising the Secretary on other aspects of the Act’s implementation. The 15-member Congressionally-mandated advisory board comprises four organic producers, two handlers, three environmentalists, three consumer advocates, a scientist, an organic retailer, and an organic certifier.
As the agency responsible for overseeing the NOSB, the Agricultural Marketing Service ensures that membership accounts for the needs of the diverse groups served by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and, to the extent practicable, encourages membership to include individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
For further information about the appointments, contact Katherine Benham, Advisory Board Specialist, at (202) 720-3252 or at katherine.benham@ams.usda.gov.
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