Acknowledgments

This white paper, and the research involved, was made possible through the Building Ecological Skillsets for Transitions to Sustainability in Agriculture and Food Systems (BEST) Research and Extension Experiential Learning Fellowship for Undergraduates (REEU) program, as part of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Research and Extension Experiential Learning Fellowships for Undergraduates program (grant no. 2021-68018-34620).

The research presented in this white paper was conducted by Adie Cheyne during her 2022 summer internship with Oregon Tilth. Adie would like to thank program co-directors Barbara Gemmill Herren and Robin Currey from Prescott College for their teachings and for their fellowship facilitation. Adie would like to give great thanks to Ben Bowell, for his guidance, support, and advice throughout this project. Adie would also like to thank Chris Schreiner for his revisions and feedback.

INDUSTRY EXPERTS INTERVIEWED:

• Gabrielle Ugalde, Oregon Department of Agriculture

• Andi Emrich, Florida Organic Growers

• Amalie Lipstreu and Carol Goland, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

• Cassie Dahl, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Alexandra Petrovits, MOSA Certified Organic

• Alice Smolinsky, Vermont Organic Farmers

• Katie Baildon, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York

• Scott Rice and Brenda Book, Washington State Department of Agriculture

• Angie Stuehrenberg and Kim Hamilton, USDA-Indiana Farm Service Agency

THANK YOU