Expert Resource Directory

developed Good Natured Family Farms, which is a mission-driven organization that works in the marketplace. Good Natured Family Farms works with farmers, processors, government regulators, university personnel, and non-profit environmental organizations to create supply chains of locally-grown products that satisfy the needs of retail grocers and food service companies and consumers.

for leadership, overall management of the organization, fund raising, and evaluation. Prior to this appointment, she served as MIFFS Programs Manager for 11/2 years. She currently serves on the Michigan Food Policy Council, the Michigan Department of Agricultural Value-Added Commercialization Roundtable, and is Co-Chair of the Mid West Sustainable Ag Working Group Extension Research and Education Committee.

organic dairy near Fairfield, Iowa. Francis and Susan’s farming operation is considered innovative in many respects, including how they integrate livestock onto the landscape in an ecologically sound way, their value-added dairy processing, the design and management of their grazing system, and their use of alternative energy systems.At the appointment of Iowa governors, Francis has served on the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission, the Iowa Food Policy Council, and the Iowa Organic Standards Boards. He was also a member of the 2002-2004 class of Food and Society Policy Fellows.

program implementation consultation for philanthropy. Previously, she was the program director of Food Systems and Rural Development at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she developed and reviewed programming priorities, evaluated and recommended funding proposals, and administered projects. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Imig served as associate vice provost of Michigan State University and as director of the Michigan State University Extension. In these roles, she chaired the National Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, and served on the National Association of State Universities and the Land-Grant College Commission on Outreach and Technology Transfer. Dr. Imig earned a doctoral degree in family ecology and administration from Michigan State University.

direct market beef farm in southwest Wisconsin. His farming roots trace back to his great-grandfather's immigration from Ireland during the famine and the farm's original purchase in 1848. A farm activist, Jim credits more than 150 years of failed farm and social policy as his motivation to advocate for a farmer-controlled consumer-oriented food system. A successful conventional farmer in a past life, Jim saw firsthand some of the failures of intensive agriculture and realized that farming sustainably and working with nature made more sense than fighting it. Jim has spoken to farmers, environmentalists and government officials internationally, hosted visiting farmers from around the world, and marched with peasant farmers against the WTO in Mexico. A long-time opponent of globalization and unfettered free trade, his essay "Global Trade is Impoverishing both U.S. and Developing World Workers" is featured in the book Free Trade (Opposing Viewpoints), published by Greenhaven Press and released in September 2008. He frequently speaks and presents workshops on organic farming, direct marketing, local food, international trade and social justice issues. Jim currently serves on the policy advisory boards for the Center for Food Safety and the Organic Consumers Association, and is a board member of Midwest Environmental Advocates.He was a member of the 2008-2009 class of Food and Society Fellows.

Environmental Education as well as for the regional Buy Fresh, Buy Local, which strives to connect people, restaurants, and stores with local farmers and processors. The winner of the 2008 Sustainable Agricultural Achievement Award from Practical Farmers of Iowa, Kamyar has been recognized for his influential work in local foods and local communities. Enshayan also teaches environmental education classes at UNI, is program manager for Yards for Kids, and is a city council member for Cedar Falls.

Management at the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University, where he works with scientists in many disciplines devoted to simultaneous ecological, economic and social improvements in agricultural ecosystems. His work generally takes a holistic approach to creating knowledge and positive change in several interrelated areas: watersheds, the science and practice of protecting water quality by farmers and their neighbors; food systems, particularly as a means of creating more connections between farms and neighboring communities and building local economies; and energy, both in terms of farm energy efficiency and conservation and sustainable energy production.

and cattle. Upon graduating from the University of Missouri, Kyle returned to the farm and spent the following 20 years farming the land. By the age of 27, Kyle had become involved in politics by serving as Chairman of the Missouri Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Committee. In 1993, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture and served for eight years. As Deputy Director, Kyle served as a flood relief coordinator and had the primary responsibility for planning and start-up of Missouri's Agriculture Innovation Center and building the partnerships required to form the statewide Ag Innovation Network. Kyle is returning to farming and is also working with The Family Farm Opportunity Center on cooperative development projects including pork, beef, dairy products and others. Kyle helped organize the Missouri Farmers Union as a progressive alternative to traditional farm organizations. The Farmers Union is a strong advocate for family farms and is working to build relationships with consumers and those concerned about fairness and responsibility in the food system. He was a member of the 2001-2003 class of Food and Society Fellows.

get Chicago Public Schools to evaluate junk food, launched urban agriculture projects, started a community grocery store and worked on federal farm policy to expand access to healthy food in low-income communities. Redmond is a frequently invited speaker and occasional radio host. In 2009, Redmond was one of 25 citizen and business leaders named a Responsibility Pioneer by Time Magazine. In 2007, she was awarded a Green For All Fellowship. LaDonna attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She was a member of the 2003-2005 class of Food and Society Fellows.

authored and illustrated two children’s books on agriculture, and worked as an Ag-in-the-classroom project volunteer for 15 years. LaVon has hosted over 13,000 visitors on field trips to her family farm, which lies contiguous to the city of Ankeny. She is a member of the social justice committee for her church, a 4-H leader, and has served as secretary of the board of the Wallace House Foundation, and as an assistant soil and water commissioner for Polk County. LaVon was instrumental in the formation of 1000 Friends of Iowa, holding the initial meeting in her century farm home, out of concern for the world-class soil, which was being bulldozed to create subdivisions nearby. In 1990, she won the grand prize at the National County Farm Bureau program exchange for Ag-in-the-classroom. LaVon won the Iowa Farm-City Award in 1993, and in 1995 was runner-up for the Farm Journal Spokesperson of the year Award. In 2000, LaVon and her husband, Craig, won the Wallace’s Farmer Master Farmer Award, and she was the recipient of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation’s Hagie Heritage Award. She was a member of the 2002-2004 class of Food and Society Fellows, and has traveled to Cuba and several countries in Europe researching sustainable agriculture and has presented at several national conventions.