NOC Welcomes Five New Members to the National Organic Standards Board
On August 17, USDA announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), filling seats that had remained vacant since January.
The National Organic Coalition welcomes these long-awaited appointments. A fully seated NOSB is essential to protecting organic integrity. The Board has statutory authority over what materials can be used in organic production. A full board also ensures that the perspectives and expertise of the entire organic community are represented in decisions affecting the future of organic agriculture.
We look forward to working with the new members as they begin their five-year terms.
Meet the New NOSB Members
Scott Sechler Sr. — Pennsylvania
Organic Producer Representative
Sechler is Owner and Chairman of Bell & Evans, where he launched the company’s certified organic poultry program in 2009. He brings decades of poultry experience and knowledge of organic standards.
Jerry Matzner — Minnesota
Organic Producer Representative
Matzner is a co-owner of Century Farm Organics, a certified organic crop operation in Minnesota that previously included an organic dairy. His experience includes organic grain, dairy, and poultry production.
Jed Murray — Texas
Public/Consumer Interest Representative
Murray has 20 years of experience in agriculture, including 13 years in the vegetable industry. He is Director of Government Relations for the Texas International Produce Association and Managing Partner of 9 Kids Compost LLC.
Dr. Bradley Heins — Minnesota
Public/Consumer Interest Representative
Heins is Professor of Organic Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota and has been engaged in certified organic farming since 2010.
Bryan Buchwald — Oklahoma
Organic Certifying Agent Representative
Buchwald administers the Poultry, Egg, Organic & Produce Section at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and has experience as both an organic inspector and certifier.
Read USDA’s full biographies of the new board members.
A Full Board for the Fall NOSB Meeting
NOSB service requires a significant commitment. Members work in subcommittees throughout the year, review extensive public comments and testimony, and meet twice annually to deliberate and vote on proposals, petitions, and materials.
NOC is grateful to both continuing and newly appointed members for taking on this responsibility.
For nearly seven months, five seats remained vacant, leaving just ten members to carry the work of a 15-member board. The NOSB can now move forward at full strength as it prepares for its virtual Fall 2026 NOSB Meeting in October.
USDA Should Act Now on the Next Three Vacancies
Three more NOSB terms expire in January 2027:
Organic producer: Javier Zamora, JSM Organics
Public/consumer interest: Allison Johnson, Natural Resources Defense Council
Scientist: Dr. Dilip Nandwani, Tennessee State University
NOC urges USDA to open nominations for these seats immediately and move quickly through the selection process.
The lengthy delay in filling the 2026 vacancies should not be repeated. Ideally, incoming members should be named early enough to observe the Fall NOSB meeting and prepare for their roles. At a minimum, appointments should be completed before the current terms expire in January so the Board does not again begin the year with vacant seats.
NOC also encourages the Secretary to consider gaps in expertise when making the next appointments. We are pleased that the newest members bring additional livestock, dairy, and grain expertise. The Board would also benefit from greater experience in organic grain production and from a farmer representing a small, diversified, direct-market operation or a medium size direct-market and wholesale operation. These farms are an important part of organic agriculture, and their production, marketing, certification, and economic realities should have a strong voice in NOSB deliberations.
NOC and the NOSB
NOC has a long history of working with the NOSB to protect organic integrity. Michael Sligh, one of NOC’s founders, served as the founding Chair of the NOSB, and several former NOSB members remain involved in NOC today.
Before each NOSB meeting, NOC’s NOSB Committee brings together coalition members to review proposals and discussion documents and develop written and oral comments.
NOC also convenes a public Pre-NOSB Meeting before each spring and fall NOSB meeting. These gatherings bring the organic community together to discuss challenges, explore solutions, hear from farmers and policy experts, and engage with National Organic Program leadership.
NOC looks forward to working with the five new members—and the full Board—to protect organic integrity and strengthen organic agriculture.