Fall 2025 National Organic Convening
Resource Page
Session II Resources - November 17
Panel & Discussion - Reducing the Burden of Organic Certification
Alexis Dragovich
Farmer, Mud Run Farm
Based in Northeast Ohio, Alexis co-operates her family’s certified organic farm—raising cereal grains, chickens, and goats—and runs a small on-site flour mill. Each week, Alexis participates in farmers markets, where she loves talking about local food systems and supporting the growers and producers who make them possible. Alexis has also served as an organic inspector since 2020, conducting inspections across Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. Outside of work, she loves ALL dogs, swimming, kayaking, and trying new foods.
Nicole Dehne
Certification Director, Vermont Organic Farmers
Nicole began working for Vermont Organic Farmers in 2003, the year after the National Organic Program regulations went into effect. Since that time, Nicole has worked to represent the views of Vermont organic producers at the National Organic Standards Board meetings and as a member of the Accredited Certifiers Association. She has served on the boards of OMRI and the Real Organic Project. Nicole has a BA from the University of Montana and a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Education from the University of Vermont. In her past life, Nicole spent less time in front of a computer and more time wrangling poultry, grading apples with seconds to spare, and teaching people how to milk cows.
Rachel Myers
Organic Inspector
Rachel Cherry Myers has been working in organic farming in various capacities since before the NOP. She started out as a farm hand on the first organic vegetable CSA in western NY while attending University of Buffalo. She later graduated Magma Cum Laude with a major she created, “Sustainable Community”. She has continued working in the food system around the world. Her experience includes managing the organic compliance for a large fully integrated organic dairy start-up in the Midwest, inspecting and reviewing thousands of farms and processing facilities throughout the world, and policy and compliance work in the organic industry. She served on the IOIA Board of Directors for 3 years, including a year as Chair.
Session I Resources - November 3
NOSB Update (Presented by Steve Ela)
NOSB Proposals and Discussion Documents for the Fall 2025 NOSB Meeting
NOC Action Alert: Vote No on Synthetic Compostable Products
NOC Blog Post: Synthetic Compostable Packaging Does Not Belong in Organic Compost
Farmer Panel
Blog post recapping panel discussion.
Angela Jackson Ed.D., PrairieSun Organic Farm
Organic Farmer & Educator
Vermillion, South Dakota
Angela Jackson has been a committed organic farmer since 2006, operating Prairiesun Organic Farm in southeast South Dakota. A long-standing member of the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), she has worked extensively as an organic auditor and organic agriculture advisor. Angela served for 10 years as a lead auditor for IOAS, supporting organic integrity on a global scale.
In addition to her work in inspection and certification, she spent a decade as an agriculture educator and faculty member at a local community college, helping shape the next generation of sustainable farmers. She also served as Quality Manager for the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) and now continues to support its mission as a Farmer Ambassador. Angela currently serves as the Organic Ag Advisor for the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association’s Organic & Regenerative Agriculture Pathway Program, where she champions organic and regenerative practices across the region.
Noah Wendt, A&W Farms
Organic Farmer & Owner
Cambridge, Iowa
Noah grew up near Manchester, IA, a small town in Northeast Iowa. Noah graduated from Iowa State University in 2000 with a major in Ag Business and a minor in International Ag. After graduating ISU he worked in the industry for Cargill until late 2001. Noah learned several fundamental business skills throughout his experience working with Cargill. However, his heart was still in production agriculture. After leaving Cargill he moved on to work for some farmers in Central Iowa and participated in the wheat run throughout Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota for four years.
In 2006 Noah started farming together with Caleb Akin, forming A&W Farms. From 2006 to 2015 A&W Farms was able to build a successful farming operation as first-generation farmers. In 2015 they decided to begin the aggressive transition from conventional to organic production. Since 2015 Noah and Caleb have transitioned over half of their 3000 acres to organic production. Their passion for caring for the land and providing a safe food supply continues to be the driving force in their organic production.
Organic crops include corn, soybeans, sunflowers, oats, wheat, hemp, and field peas. To maximize organic crop rotations, A&W Farms has been using weed control strategies including unique crop rotations, relay cropping, no-till roller crimping, rotary hoeing, and weed burning/zapping.
Steve Boyda, E & V Peeks Family Farm
Organic Farmer & OFARM President
Marysville, Kansas
After retiring from a 27 year career in law enforcement Steve and his wife Kim came back to his family’s farm with a commitment to his grandparents to farm it organically. With little knowledge of farming, they began their adventure by certifying their first part of the farm in 2015 and the remaining ground in 2018. They focus on soil health, crop rotation, cover crops and trying to incorporate their cattle herd into the rotations. Steve is a board member of Central Plains Organic Farmers Association (CPOFA) and President of Organic Farmers Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM).
Their farm was purchased by Steve’s great grandfather in 1903 and is named E & V Peeks Family Farm after his grandparents. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Resources from the Organic Farmers Association:
Workgroup interest form: https://organicfarmersassociation.org/workgroups/
Farmer circles: https://organicfarmersassociation.org/farmer-circles/
OFA Farmer Helpline: https://organicfarmersassociation.org/farmerhelpline/
OFA Policy Survey- will be launched by Nov 17
DC Update on Organic Policy (Presented by Steve Etka)
Appropriations & Government Shutdown
NOC Comments to Secretary Rollins on USDA Reorganization Plans - August 2025
Farm Bill
