PCO`s 17th Annual Meeting

Sponsors and Contributors
PCO’s 17th Annual Meeting
Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.
Organic Valley
Common Ground Farm
Oyler’s Eden Valley Farm
Custom Co-Pak
PASA
Dairy Marketing Services, LLC
Phillips Mushroom Farms
Del Grosso Food, Inc.
Seedway
Frankferd Farms Food
Gardens by Grace
Shiloh Farms/
Garden Spot Distributors
Harney and Sons Tea Corporation
Anna Smith
Julie Hurst
Soergel Orchards
Keystone Food Products
Spiral Path Farm
Knouse Foods Cooperative
Lady Moon Farms
Steigman Enterprises
Tait Farms
Heritage Poultry Management
Services/Laurel Grove
Upstate Niagara Cooperative
Allen Matthews
Theresa Shay TriYoga
McGeary Organics
Trickling Springs Creamery
Mother Earth LLC
Uncle Matt’s Organic
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Penn Stater Conference Center • State College, PA 16801
www.paorganic.org
About PCO
Annual Meeting Agenda
4:30 to 6:15pm
Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) is a membership-based non- profit organization
that educates and certifies growers, processors and handlers of organic crops, wild crops,
livestock and livestock products in Pennsylvania and adjoining states. PCO is a USDAaccredited organic certifying agency and is also accredited under International Standards
Organization (ISO) Guide 65.
PCO was founded in 1997 by a group of farmers who believed Pennsylvania’s organic
community needed its own certification organization. We offer individual assistance in
understanding and meeting organic standards. We also hold informational meetings and
educational workshops throughout the state and organize forums where producers can
share their expertise.
PCO serves more than 600 organic farmers, processors, handlers, distributors and brokers, including those involved in produce and grain crops, dairy, poultry, mushrooms,
maple products, beef and value-added operations. PCO provides certification services in
the greater mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., including Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of
Columbia. In addition to U.S. organic certification, PCO certifies products for export to
Canada, Europe, and Asia.
4:30pm
Call to Order- Phil Coles, President
Approval of Minutes — Kathy Soder, Secretary
4:35 – 4:45pm
Presentation of Annual Report — Leslie Zuck, Executive Director
4:45 – 4:55pm
Presentation on Strategic Plan — Strategic Planning
Subcommittee and/or Leadership Team member
Other Business
4:55 – 5:00pm
Meeting Adjourned — Phil Coles, President
5:00 – 5:05pm
Introduction to Seth Goldman
5:05 – 5:40pm
Keynote Presentation by Seth Goldman
5:40 – 5:50pm
Questions
5:50 – 6:15pm
Awards
Presentation of the 2013 PCO Award Recipients
Board, Committees & Volunteer Recognition
Note: If you were presented with an award, please stay after the meeting
for a brief photo.
PCO Staff (Left to right) Front row: Matthew Kelterborn, Certification Specialist; Lee Rinehart, Director of Education and
Outreach; Amanda Birk, Staff Inspector; Adam Seitz, Certification Specialist; Penny Zuck, Certification Specialist; Johanna
Mirenda, Policy Director; Sabine Carey, Materials Specialst; Marissa Pyle, Certification Specialist/Compliance Manager;
Sandie Elder, Office Manager.
Back row: Leslie Zuck, Executive Director; Robert Yang, Quality Systems Manager; Joshua Brock, Technology Coordinator;
Liz Amos, Staff Inspector; Lia Sandoval, Administrative Staff Assistant; Kyla Smith, Certification Program Director; Diana
Underwood, Director of Operations; Heather Donald, Assistant Certification Specialist.
Not Pictured: Rebecca Robertson, Outreach Specialist; April Fix, Public Relations Coordinator.
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Keynote Presentation
Seth Goldman
Co-founder, President, and “TeaEO” of Honest Tea,
a PCO-Certified organic beverage company
2013 Award Recipients
Advisory Board Award
We wish to recognize the following outgoing
board member for the important work she has
contributed to our organization.
■ Kathy Soder, Board Secretary
Outstanding New Organic Producer
For attentiveness throughout the certification
process, innovative management, and dedication
toward creating and maintaining a successful
organic plan.
■ The Young Families
Young Crest Farm, Kodru Dairy,
& Young Contracting
Antwerp, Governour, and Theresa, New York
Seth will discuss trends
in organic marketing
and share some insights
from his innovative and
entrepreneurial history.
Seth and co-founder Barry Nalebuff recently published a business book in
comic format, Mission in a Bottle: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently
— And Succeeding. The book shares personal insights and lessons about scaling a
mission-driven business in a profit-driven world. Mission in a Bottle will be
available for purchase, with author proceeds donated to the Rodale Institute.
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“Farming has always been in our blood. One way
or another we’ve been involved with dairy and
crops,” says Tommy Young. While Tommy, his
brother, Andrew, and their nephew, Adam, may
be new to organic certification, they been farming with “just manure and hay” since they could
walk. Tommy and Andrew, along with their 2
brothers and 4 sisters, grew up on a small dairy
farm in Governeur, NY, where their 72-year old
dad still takes 100 acres of square bale hay off the
land by himself. Tommy credits his dad along
with his eldest brother, Jimmy, who has been
organic dairying for 20+ years, as his inspiration
to farm organically. Tommy farms 57 acres of
hay and corn , although he is planning to add
dairy soon too. Adam farms 212 acres of hay,
pasture, and corn with 35 dairy cows. Andrew
farms 140 acres of hay, pasture and corn with 40
dairy cows and 25 heifers. While they all have
their own farms, they are constantly helping each
other and working together. Adam, Andrew and
Tommy are dedicated organic farmers with
strong family ties to the organic community.
Hats off to the Youngs.
Terry Ingram
Going the Extra Acre
For sharing knowledge and expertise with fellow
farmers and the organic community. Great systems are built on collaboration.
■ Terry and Alyson Ingram
Threlkeld Farm Dairy
Brandy Station, Virginia
A smart man learns from his mistakes, Terry
likes to say, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. “I’ll never claim to be a wise man,
but I’m at least a smart man. Once you experience what it’s like to farm organic, your eyes
open to how abundant nature is. I am blessed to
see it every day. I feel privileged to be able to farm
this way.” Terry and his wife, Alyson, their two
small children, Terry’s parents, and his brother,
live on and work the farm where Terry was born
and raised. The Ingrams milk about 220 cows on
their 100% grassfed, organic dairy. “I have gotten
much more in tune with feeding the soil, and I
can actually see the return on that effort. I have
grass when other people don’t, because healthy
soil retains water so much better.” Terry credits a
lot of the farm’s success to his mother, Boo, and
his brother, Rush. “They’ve supported my
efforts, and we all live right here on the farm. It’s
great to raise my kids like this with their grandparents and uncle around them.” Terry and family have welcomed numerous visitors to their
farm for the many field days they have hosted
and openly shared their farming practices so others can learn from their mistakes and successes.
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2013 Award Recipients (continued)
Staff’s Choice
Organic Research and Education
Inspector’s Choice
For special dedication to the organic certification
process and use of innovative practices.
For furthering the cause of organic farming
through research and education.
■ Floyd and Eli Summy
■ The Ranck Families
For excellent management, thorough records,
positive attitude towards the inspection process
and exceptional effort in creating and maintaining a successful organic plan.
Salisbury, Pennsylvania
Annemarie and Samuel Yoder
Sustainability Award
For furthering the sustainability of farms, families, communities, and the environment.
■ Samuel and Annemarie Yoder
Green Alchemy Farm
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Annemarie and Samuel Yoder VMD are passionate about and have been integrally involved in
educating, facilitating and promoting renewable
energy and sustainable living much of their lives.
After several years of academic and veterinary
ventures, they returned to Samuel’s family farm
to found and build from scratch Silver Maple
Veterinary Clinic while working toward their
life-long goal of self-sufficiency. Toward that end
they began operating an organic farm, growing
most of their own food, generating most of their
electricity from solar photo voltaic and wind,
and powering cars and tractors with biofuels.
In 2005, Samuel and Annemarie founded the
Pennsylvania Renewable Energy and Sustainable
Living Festival, the first original green festival in
Pennsylvania. Samuel has spoken widely at energy and organic farming organizations and has
succeeded in promoting a widening perception
of green issues in the mid-Atlantic States. In
2010, Annemarie and Samuel started Green
Alchemy LLC, an organization driven to supporting self-empowerment of the individual and
the local community, producing organic beef
and sunflower oil, and conducting “on farm”
experimentation on topics from organic parasite
prevention to organic sunflower production.
Samuel and Annemarie are happy to Live what
they Preach!
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Floyd and Eli Summy farm 260+ acres of hay and
pasture, and milk about 30 cows. They are conscientious organic farmers inside and out, with
well managed fields, healthy animals, and
detailed paperwork. They consistently call the
PCO office should they ever have a question
regarding compliant practices and materials and
have thus been free from any issues of concern
and notices of noncompliance for many years.
“Floyd and Eli are extremely thoughtful, sincere
and open people who enjoy talking about organics,” commented a recent organic inspector. The
same inspector noted that when she arrived for
an unannounced inspection Eli was in the middle of spreading manure but was not phased at all
by the interruption. Instead, he was willing to
spend as much time as needed to answer all questions and he recognized the importance of unannounced inspections and residue testing for
organic integrity.
Charvin Organic Farm
Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Elvin and Charlotte Ranck and their son and
daughter-in-law Michael and Krystal operate a
180-cow organic dairy and crop farm on 1,000
acres in Juniata County. After years of conventional farming Elvin had the opportunity to
observe a biologically managed farm and the soil
tilth thereof and so began his inspiration to pay
careful attention to the life of the soil. Elvin and
family have been farming organically since 1987,
are grateful for the healthier crops, healthier animals and healthier environment such practices
afford, and are eager to share their knowledge
with others. “While we don’t have all the answers
to all life’s problems in organic farming, we’ve
learned and mastered a few things along the way
and would like to pass that along to other people.” From soil consulting, hosting field days,
and conducting seed trials to collaborating on
research projects, the Ranck families play an
important part in furthering organic agriculture
research and educating the organic community.
In addition to their domestic pursuits, Elvin
travels to Africa several times a year to do ministry work and agriculture education. Many
thanks to the Rancks for their great work.
■ Bill and Mary Jane Yoder
Mar-Bil Jersey Farm
Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
Mar-Bil Jersey Farm has been in Bill Yoder’s
extended family since the 1700’s, and his grandfather built their big red barn nearly 100 years
ago. Now Bill milks 45 organic Jersey cows with
help from his wife, Mary Jane, and the two
youngest of their six children. Bill and Mary Jane
manage their 150-acre farm exceptionally well
and keep very detailed records. From 1999–2003
the Yoders extended their management skills
beyond their own farm to facilitate the set up of
a 20-cow model dairy farm in Mongolia with a
vision of putting into practice principles of modern dairying that they knew would work and
were unknown in Mongolia. The model farm has
since been replicated many times throughout the
country and has played a significant part in revolutionizing the Mongolian dairy industry. The
Yoders are now training a farm manager to care
for their operation in Pennsylvania while they
take another two-year trip abroad to Asia to provide missionary care and visit their Mongolian
village.
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2013 Award Recipients (continued)
Outstanding Organic Producer
Outstanding New Organic Processor
For exceptional commitment to high quality
organic production, promoting organic products
and supporting the integrity of organic goods in
the market.
For attentiveness throughout the certification
process, innovative management and dedication
toward creating and maintaining a successful
organic plan.
■ David and Ruby Troyer
■ Perdue Agribusiness
Meadow View Dairy
Lindenville, New York
Salisbury, Maryland
David says, “In all farming you need to stop and
think…give it a lot of effort. Put your heart into
it. It’s a lot of responsibility, especially in the
organic world and with that comes accountability.” When looking at David and Ruby’s 165-acre
exemplary dairy farm, it is clear that they take the
responsibility quite seriously. From their detailed
recordkeeping and maps to their grazing rotation
and forage planning, the Troyers’ conscientious
manner shines through. Their hard work of
reclaiming land that had been conventionally
crop/vegetable farmed for 50 years is certainly
paying off with rewards of increased soil fertility
and organic matter, improved animal health, and
augmented dry matter yield — from 500lb per
acre in their first year to 2ton per acre just 4 years
later! In addition to all the soil and yield benefits,
David and Ruby appreciate the safe environment
in which their family can live and learn. Their 5
boys are very much a part of the farm. When a
driver told the well behaved boys that they were
little angels, they replied, “Oh no — we are farmers!” That brought a smile to David’s face. In
recounting the story later, David said, “that’s an
avenue of sustainability that I can look at.”
Due to delays in approval legalities we were unable
to print a biography of Perdue Agribusiness.
2013 PCO Hall of Fame
For continuous, extraordinary dedication of time and energy
to furthering the mission of Pennsylvania Certified Organic.
■ Bob Eberly
Eberly Poultry
Stevens, Pennsylvania
Bob Eberly has been involved with the organic food movement since the 1980s and has shown
dedication to PCO’s mission from the time of its inception in 1997. A charter member of
PCO, Bob has served as Board President, Board Member, and Standards Committee Member. Bob is “very pleased to see how organic has gone from small niche markets to a mainstream growing part of agriculture.” Until June 2013 Bob served as the President of Eberly
Poultry, an organic and specialty poultry business, family owned and operated since 1947.
After the June sale of Eberly Poultry to Wise/Kosher Poultry and new formation of PA Farm
Products, Bob began taking steps toward retirement. Eberly, and now PA Farm Products, take
great pride in their passionate tie to the organic movement, as members of the Pennsylvania
Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), the Organic Trade Association (OTA), and
PCO. PCO extends a hearty thanks to Bob for his countless hours of volunteering and his fervent dedication to organic and sustainable agriculture.
Check out these great workshops at
PASA’s Farming for the Future Conference
PCO certified members and board members share their knowledge
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7
8:30am
Improving Soil Health with Cover Crops
Charlie White, Penn State Extension
8:30am
The Best Disease Resistant Varieties for High Quality Organic Apples
Jim Travis, Apple Tree Vineyard & Farm
4:10pm
Team Raw Milk: A Case Study of Collaboration & Cooperation
Edwin Shank, The Family Cow
8:30am
Growing Organic Apples
Sara Baldwin, Oyler’s Organic Farm
1:30pm
Integrated Pest Management in the Natural Orchard
Sara Baldwin, Oyler’s Organic Farm
3:10pm
Testing Cover Crop Mixtures on the Farm
Charlie White, Penn State Extension; Wade Ebenshade, Summit Valley Farm;
Dan DeTurk, Dan-De Farm; Abram Bucky Ziegler, Paradise Valley Organic
Farm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8
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2013 Board, Committees & Volunteers
Advisory Board
Andrew Batdorf
Phil Coles
Debra Deis
Julie Hurst
Dave Johnson
Ken Rice
Managing Board
Bryan Luce
Brian Magaro
Tony Marzolino
Cadie Pruss
Kathy Soder
James Trankle
Charlie White
Executive Committee
Phil Coles, President
Debra Deis, Vice President
Tony Marzolino, Treasurer
Kathy Soder, Secretary
James Trankle,
Managing Board Chair
Certification Committee
Charlie White, Chair
Dee Bagshaw
Mary Barbercheck
Kelle Kersten
Christy Mullen
Nancy Ostiguy
Ed Rajotte
Ken Rice
Elsa Sanchez
Meagan Schipanski
John Tooker
Christopher Warren-Smith
Education and Outreach
Committee
Debra Deis, Chair
Mary Barbercheck
Debra Brubaker
Gwendolyn Crews
Tianna DuPont
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Julie Hurst
David Lembeck
Melanie Wertz
Finance Committee
Tony Marzolino, Chair
Ed Barben
Phil Coles
Joe Fedeli
Bryan Luce
Tom Murphy
Chris Pierce
Mike Rosenberry
Standards Committee
Andrew Batdorf, Chair
John Baker
Susan Beal
Eric Burkhart
Bob Eberly
David Eyster
Mel Gehman
Tim Joseph
Al Johnson
Bob Keller
Meghan Klotzbach
Andrew Kline
Staci Loop
James Miller
Christy Mullen
Nancy Ostiguy
Chris Pierce
Elsa Sanchez
Joel Steigman
Bob Vernon
PCO Volunteers
Raven Althouse
Alisha Barton
Batdorf Family
Lisa Beherec
Nicole Bienert
Gus Black
Nick Brink
Jill Buchanan
Michael Burgett
Rhoda Burgett
Olivia Colish
Rachel Creeger
Gwendolyn Crews
Alissa Daresh
Karen Daystar
Tina and Ed Dionne
Tianna Dupont
Nick Engle
Sarah Flowers
Danielle and Dan Foster
CC Gallup
Sarah Gildea
Seth Gordon
Sue Haney
Crista Hankey
Jay Herrington
Eric Hite
Martha Hoffman
Sherry Huckabee
Janie Johnson
Barb Johnson
Mark Johnson
Laura Katunich
Mary Kocis
Meghan McCracken
Erin and Josh McCracken
Cristin Mitchell
Dana Morrison
Caitlin Parker
Scot Paterson
Zari Perez
Abby and Jim Pierce
Val Recendez
Rinehart Family
Mark Rizzo
Faith Ryan
Catherine Shehan
Mitchell Shuey
Ben Smith
James Steffen
Bob Vernon
Kristal Watrous
Tracey White
Linden Williford
Jim Zuck
The Certification Committee aids the PCO certification staff by reviewing applications with
which the staff has a conflict of interest. The certification committee makes a recommendation to the PCO certification director on those matters and does not make certification decisions.
The Education and Outreach Committee sponsors and supports educational activities for
growers, producers and consumers that promote learning, understanding and awareness of
organic agriculture. The committee also works with the PCO staff to develop and implement
educational programs, develop marketing materials, and coordinate events.
The Finance Committee is chaired by the treasurer. Its purpose is to identify and seek out
sources of funds, recommend dues schedule to the Board, prepare an annual budget, oversee
insurance and tax matters.
The Standards Committee works with staff to develop recommendations for new and
revised certification policies and procedures.
PCO Volunteers attend events on behalf of PCO, write articles for the newsletter, provide
office support or otherwise provide volunteer support to the organization.
If you are interested in joining a committee please sign up at the registration table or
contact Lia Sandoval at 814-422-0251 or [email protected]
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