A GREENER WORLD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Amy Price-Neff, Chair, is a family physician and farmer in Nashville, TN. With interests that involve health, human flourishing, sustainable agriculture and ecology, she has worked with underserved populations in healthcare, as well as owning a butcher shop that specializes in sourcing meat from sustainable farms.
Program Director Andrew Gunther is pleased to announce that Animal Welfare Approved farmer Jeremiah Jones of GrassRoots Pork Company in Beulaville, North Carolina has been awarded the 2010 Glynwood Farmer Harvest Award. Glynwood, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable agriculture and farmland preservation, gives this award to highlight innovative work being done to increase access to fresh, locally produced food and to recognize leaders from across the country who are supporting regional agricultural systems. "AWA nominated Jeremiah because he fits the profile perfectly. Not only is Jeremiah a truly great farmer, but as president of the North Carolina Natural Hog Growers Association, he gives of his time and talent tirelessly to lead a group of pasture-raised pig producers in developing niche markets and in the creation of best-practice standards," says Andrew Gunther. "Several years ago when I first started to work in the U.S., this group was the first I helped set up. I was privileged to work with Jeremiah and the group to launch their marketing cooperative, thus assuring the group's viability and stability." NCNHGA is currently seeking new producers to join the cooperative as there is a growing demand for pastured pork. All members of the NCNHGA must be certified AWA, a commitment the group and its customers firmly stand by.
Caitlin Aguilar, Director of Quality, is responsible for ensuring global consistency of A Greener World's certifications. She received her BSc in Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and has spent the past decade in beef and poultry farming. Before joining AGW, she worked in Quality Control and Regulatory Compliance for a California-based poultry producer.
Callie Casteel, Farmer and Market Outreach Coordinator, is a Mississippi native who currently hails from Lyles, Tennessee. Callie has a background in increasing sustainable food in college dining and other markets. As a former sociology professor, she has also worked to incorporate food studies into the academic curriculum. Callie is passionate about connecting certified farms with new markets and teaching consumers about the intrinsic connections between animal health, environmental health and human health. Callie is responsible for farmer and consumer services in the South region.
Charlie Hester, Lead Slaughter Specialist/Auditor, was raised on his family's farm in New Mexico. After graduating with a BBA, he left New Mexico and entered corporate America. After 30 years he returned to his agricultural roots in Texas. Charlie previously served as Business Manager of a vertically integrated family-owned food distribution network which included a grassfed/natural ranch operation, organic farm, meat processing plant, health food store/restaurant and direct sales through 14 area farmers' markets. Charlie is HACCP Certified, an Animal Welfare Office (AWO) and a Poultry Welfare Officer (PWO).
Christine Peckham, Corrective Action Plan Coordinator, holds a MSc degree in Geology from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Previously, Chris performed technical and regulatory reviews of hazardous waste management facility permit applications and provided guidance and support for those facilities seeking permits. She also has extensive experience in the review, approval and oversight of the implementation of corrective action plans for the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater at hazardous waste management facilities. Agriculturally, Chris worked as a scout for a crop management consulting firm, identifying and reporting insect and weed pests, plant diseases, mineral deficiencies and any other potential negative impacts on corn, soybean and wheat crops.
Daniel Brabson, Auditor and Slaughter Specialist, has almost 30 years' experience in the meat industry. Daniel was raised on a small farm in north Georgia, where his family managed cattle, pigs and chickens. After completing high school and four years of military service, Daniel worked as a butcher for 24 years for various companies, as well as a Market Manager for most of the same period. He then spent five years working for USDA as a Meat Inspector, which covered slaughter plants and processing facilities, before joining AGW.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
Daniel Rosenthal, Secretary, a long-time environmentalist and restaurateur, has opened and operated more than 40 restaurants around the country. All his current restaurants have been certified sustainable by Green Seal. In 2007 Dan founded The Green Chicago Restaurant Coalition, which ultimately grew to a membership of over 300 restaurants and 150 affiliated business members.
Job Titles:
- International Farm Animal Welfare Expert, to Lead AWA Scientific and Technical Advisory Board
Dr. Mohan Raj, a world-renowned expert in humane slaughter and farm animal welfare, has been tapped to lead Animal Welfare Approved (AWA)'s newly formed Scientific and Technical Advisory Board, AWA Program Director Andrew Gunther announced today. Raj is currently the Reader in farm animal welfare at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. He is one of the foremost authorities in the field of humane stunning and slaughter and the developer of a novel and humane slaughter system for poultry and pigs using inert gases. Raj has published over 40 original scientific papers and authored chapters in textbooks and reference books. The Animal Welfare Approved program has experienced tremendous growth over the past year, Gunther notes. The creation of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Board is the next step in aiding the program in retaining its reputation as being driven by practical science while still grounding the standards in the everyday reality of farm life. "Dr. Raj will be instrumental in ensuring AWA standards respect and reflect the needs of the animals and farmers while not compromising good care," Gunther says. "We are honored and fortunate to have Dr. Raj at the helm of our new Board. His experience and knowledge is second to none in the field."
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
- AGW Executive Director
Emily Moose, Executive Director, developed a love of agriculture at an early age during summer visits to her cousin's hog farm in eastern Virginia. She is a graduate of UNC-Asheville and the NC State CALS Agricultural Leadership Development Program, and is also a 2019-2022 Castanea Fellow. Based in rural North Carolina, Emily has supported the growth and development of A Greener World programs and initiatives for over thirteen years, helping to establish Certified Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) by AGW as the leading label for sustainable livestock production as recognized by Consumer Reports. With over 20 years working in food, agriculture and communications, Emily has extensive experience at all points in the supply chain from farm to market.
Emily Moose, AGW Executive Director, has supported the growth and development of A Greener World's programs and initiatives for nearly fifteen years, helping to establish Certified Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) by AGW as the leading label for sustainable livestock production as recognized by Consumer Reports.
Frank Morison, Lead Auditor, was raised on a family farm in Maryland producing poultry, cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans, wheat and hay, and eventually took over the farm. Frank has participated in a horse rescue program for racehorses and adopted two horses who are now a part of the family farm. He also works with various sustainable agricultural groups who utilize his technological knowledge and experience. He attends conferences and meetings related to building local food systems and is assisting on a project working toward building local food production.
Jessa Farnsworth, Administrative Assistant, joined AGW in August 2018 and is a native Oregonian that grew up loving animals, especially horses. She has a BS in Animal Sciences from Oregon State University and she brings her experience as a former office manager/administrator at a staffing firm to the AGW team in the Terrebonne, OR office. Jessa is no stranger to wearing multiple hats and helps with creating and sending out farm correspondence, fulfilling merchandise orders, payroll, and any other administrative tasks that are given to her.
Job Titles:
- President of the National Black Farmers Association
John Boyd, Jr., President of the National Black Farmers Association, is now more than ten years into his fight to see justice done for the farmers he represents. Boyd-who once had his loan application torn up in front of him by a USDA agent who later admitted he thought blacks "were lazy"-has been instrumental in compelling the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to own to up to decades of obvious discrimination against black farmers. This year, it appeared he was finally going to meet his goal. In February, the Department of Justice and the USDA announced a settlement with the black farmers, with the money to be allocated by Congress by March 31, 2010. It didn't happen. Instead, according to a CNN profile, Boyd found himself going to the funeral of another elderly black farmer who never received the money due him. According to CNN, Boyd, speaking at the farmer's memorial service, said, "It really hurts to be here and have to deliver a message at Mr. Bonner's going home services that Congress failed to act."
Julie Walker, Director of Operations, is responsible for the day-to-day activities of AGW's certifications. She ensures the program functions smoothly while operating within the guidelines of AGW's ISO/IEC Guide 17065 accreditation. She has over 12 years' experience in non-profit management.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Katie Amos, Director of Communications and Outreach, is a Pennsylvania native, currently living in Lancaster County. Before joining AGW, Katie worked as the Marketing & Sales Manager for a farm in PA, gaining a strong background in working with farmers and agricultural marketing. She is passionate about communicating the benefits of high-welfare animal agriculture to consumers and farmers, and enjoys promoting the program throughout her region. Katie is responsible for leading AGW's outreach team, assists with new programs and initiatives within the organization-including AGW's labeling support and membership programs, and is responsible for farmer and consumer services in the North region.
Peter Mundy, Writer/Editor, spent much of his childhood in upstate New York, before moving with his family to the UK. After gaining a MSc in environmental policy and management in 1997, he joined the UK's largest organic certifier, the Soil Association, where he worked as editor for the ‘Organic Farming' magazine for over 12 years. As a freelance writer, he has worked on several major sustainable food and farming projects, including editing the original content for the European Commission's consumer-facing Organic Farming website. Peter is responsible for producing AGW's triannual Sustainable Farming magazine, as well as contributing to other written material from the program.
Job Titles:
- Communications Coordinato R
Stephanie Wuorenma, Communications Coordinato r, joined AGW in Terrebonne, Oregon, in 2015 with over 20 years' experience in marketing, printing/publishing and commercial art. Stephanie is responsible for website maintenance, social media content and public relations. She strongly believes that we all have a vested interest in helping to provide consumers with high-welfare, sustainable foods-today and for generations to come.
Job Titles:
- Director of Organic Programs
Suzette Edwards, Director of Organic Programs, is a Food Scientist and Microbiologist with expertise in Quality Assurance and Food Regulations, both international and locally. She has fourteen years of experience in inspection and compliance. She has previously served as a Certification Coordinator and a Certification Manager for a USDA Organic certifier and a Senior Organic Compliance Specialist for another certifier. Her expertise includes conducting inspections for all operations, recordkeeping, supervising, training others, coordinating inspections, reviewing applications, and issuing certificates. Her training includes multiple IOIA courses, HACCP training, multiple ISO regulations, and FSMA food safety.
Tim Holmes, Director of Compliance, leads the AGW Compliance team, guiding the compliance process for facilities certified by AGW. He is a graduate of East Carolina University with a BSc in industrial engineering technology. Tim has over 24 years of farming experience. The farm raised multiple-species pasture-based livestock in addition to grain, cereal, forage, and vegetable crops with a grass/forage seed processing operation. Tim has over 14 years' experience in auditing and compliance. This includes auditing, compliance program management and development and implementation of standards, forms and processes.
Wendy Weirich, Auditor, received her BSc and DVM degrees from Michigan State University and her MSc in Livestock Health and Production from the University of London/Royal Veterinary College. She has worked in many aspects of small and large animal welfare, including projects in nutrition, behavior, housing and overall well-being. Wendy is also certified in medical acupuncture for veterinarians. Wendy lives on a farm where she raises and cares for Nigerian dwarf goats, Norwegian Fjord horses and Rhode Island Red chickens. She enjoys bringing together veterinary and animal husbandry skills to help elevate the level of welfare available to all kinds of animals and people, too.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
William Witherspoon, Treasurer, is an entrepreneur and former NFL football player with a longstanding interest in health and sustainability. Growing up in a military family with agricultural roots, he has a long history of experience in both farming and business, raising beef cattle on his family's farm in Owensville, Missouri.