Our Science-Led Team
Our interdisciplinary team solves complex problems and translates results through education, networks, and tools that benefit farmers and the environment.
Ronnie Bernard
Ahmad S. Harden
Jordan Kelly
Tiffany LaShae
Jhacolby Williams
Quanteria Randle
C. Wesley (Wes) Wood, Ph.D.
William G. (Bill) Flory
Robert Foster
Diana Jerkins
Klaas Martens
V. Larkin Martin
Neal Martin
Lara Beal Moody, P.E.
Dr. Wayne Honeycutt leads the Institute’s programs to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soils. He previously served for 5 years as the Deputy Chief for Science and Technology with USDA-NRCS in Washington, DC, where he led programs in technology acquisition, development, and transfer to ensure NRCS conservation practices reflect the latest scientific advances for conserving our nation’s soil, water, air, plant, animal, and energy resources. He served as a Research Soil Scientist for 14 years and a Research Leader for 10 years with the USDA-ARS New England Plant, Soil, and Water Laboratory, where he led and conducted interdisciplinary research on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling and sustainable cropping systems development. In those roles he led national research teams for predicting nutrient availability, developed procedures adopted by ARS for enhancing national research coordination, and received regional and national awards for technology transfer.
He is a graduate of the “Mastering the Art of Public Leadership” executive development program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC and USDA’s “Performance Excellence and Knowledge” executive development program. He has served on assignments to the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, USDA-ARS National Program Staff, and USDA-ARS Area Office Staff.
Dr. Honeycutt’s commitment to agriculture is rooted in his experiences with raising tobacco, corn, and other crops on his family’s 120-acre farm in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Forestry and Master's degree in Soil Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in Soil Genesis from Colorado State University. He was the 2018 recipient of the Hugh Hammond Bennett Award, the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
Dr. Cristine Morgan is responsible for establishing research priorities to advance soil health and developing the scientific direction, strategy and implementation for soil health research programs. Her duties include leading scientific research that advances soil health science and results in impactful outcomes.
Prior to joining the Institute, Dr. Morgan was a tenured professor of Soil Science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where she was recognized for outstanding collaboration, teaching, research, and mentoring. Her emphasis was in soil hydrology, pedometrics, and global soil security. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Morgan conducted ground-breaking research on how management practices influence soil-plant-water relations. She also developed methods that were adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for easily measuring soil carbon. She has a history of applying her knowledge to address real-world problems experienced by farmers and ranchers and is passionate about educating others.
Dr. Morgan is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, she served as a member of the Soil Science Society of America board of directors, and currently serves on the board of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network. Dr. Morgan is an editor-in-chief at the global soil science journal, Geoderma, and founding editor-in-chief of the journal Soil Security.
Dr. Morgan earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Soil Science Department (2000 and 2003, respectively). Her B.S. degree is in Plant and Environmental Soil Sciences from Texas A&M University, magna cum laude (1998).
Mr. Sheldon Jones brings over 30 years of experience to the Institute, including a balance of private sector, non-profit and public service experience. Prior to joining SHI Mr. Jones served as Vice President at the Farm Foundation, NFP, from 2008 to 2016, where he oversaw the Foundation’s financial operations and project management activities. Mr. Jones's public service experience involved service as deputy commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, 2004-2008. From 2002 until 2004, Mr. Jones was executive vice president of the Agri-Business Council of Arizona, the agricultural water and power membership organization. From 1997 until 2002, Mr. Jones was director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. During his term, Mr. Jones was active in the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, serving as president of the organization in 2002. Mr. Jones worked in the banking industry for 14 years before beginning his career in government service. Mr. Jones earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Arizona State University.
Mr. Byron Rath is the Chief Impact Officer for the Soil Health Institute. Mr. Rath's duties include working with the Institute’s partners and stakeholders to help them achieve their goals through soil health. Prior to joining the Soil Health Institute, Mr. Rath taught Geography at the American Community School at Beirut in Lebanon, and worked for CCS, a global fundraising consulting and management firm that provides development services and strategic consulting to nonprofit organizations worldwide. Mr. Rath graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in English and Geography. He is proficient in written and spoken Arabic.
Dr. Emily Bruner is the Chief of Staff on the SHI Leadership Team, where she works to transform ideas, needs, and opportunities into funded projects that advance SHI’s strategic areas addressing climate change, regenerative agriculture, water resources, farmer empowerment, and consumer education. Prior to coming to SHI, Dr. Bruner served as the Midwest Science Director for American Farmland Trust where she focused on identifying ways to accelerate adoption of soil health practices while simultaneously increasing the resiliency and productivity of Midwest farms. Dr. Bruner brings over a decade of experience in natural resource conservation and planning through her previous positions as the Director for the Vigo County Soil and Water Conservation District, a Hydrologist with the United States Forest Service, an adjunct faculty member at Saint Mary of the Woods College, and as an Extension Associate for Natural Resources. Dr. Bruner’s work on nitrogen cycling in agricultural systems also led her to DC to investigate climate change mitigation policy as a Research Fellow with the Congressional Research Service. She earned her PhD in Soil Science from Washington State University and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Conservation and Natural Resource Management with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Loutrina Staley is a Soil Scientist on the SHI Leadership Team where she develops grant proposals, manages stakeholder relations, and communicates project results to end users. Prior to coming to SHI, Dr. Staley conducted research on the efficacy of plant botanicals and fatty acids used as antimicrobials against food-borne pathogens in the Department of Agriculture and Food Science at Alabama A&M University. She worked as a Licensed Commodity Grader for USDA-Agriculture Marketing Service for 6 years and an Advance Science teacher in Decatur, Alabama for 2 years where she implemented an innovative STEM program on Agriculture and Food Science. She received her B.S. in Horticultural Science from Andrews University, M.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Tuskegee University, and Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Science with an emphasis on Food Safety from Alabama A&M University.
Dr. Jason Ackerson is a Research Soil Scientist for soil carbon measurement and technology discovery projects. Dr. Ackerson previously served as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University, where his research focused on developing proximal sensors to quantify soil properties and develop digital soil maps. He received his B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois and M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. Ackerson is a member of the Soil Science Society of America and American Geophysical Union.
Dr. Dianna Bagnall serves as a Research Soil Scientist for the Soil Health Institute. She is an applied soil physicist specializing in soil physical health and socioeconomic dynamics of soil management. Her research includes developing functions that show the effect of soil carbon on plant-available water, selection of the most effective soil health indicators for the North American continent, on-farm soil health assessments, qualitative analysis of farmer interviews, development of novel soil structure scanning methodology, and both measurement and modeling of preferential water flow in shrink-swell soils.
From 2014 to 2016, she served as a project manager for AgriLife Research's Corporate Relations Office, developing proposals and managing projects. She managed sponsored research projects in soil and crop science, renewable energy, and agricultural engineering.
Dr. Bagnall received an M.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. She is an Early Career Board Representative for the Soil Science Society of America, the 2023 chair for the Soil Health division of the Agronomy Society of America, and an Associate Editor for Vadose Zone Journal.
Dr. Mara Cloutier is a Project Manager for the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project in partnership with Dairy Management, Inc. Her prior research focused on assessing how conservation management practices that improve soil health also influence soil microbial nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions. While pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Cloutier was awarded a USDA pre-doctoral fellowship to study soil microbiomes in relation to soil health from dairy farms managing soils with organic tillage and conventional no-tillage practices.
Dr. Cloutier is a member of the Soil Science Society of America and American Society for Microbiology. She received an A.S. degree at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, a B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, M.S. in Biology from Appalachian State University, and Ph.D. in Soil Science and Biogeochemistry from Pennsylvania State University.
Dr. Michael Cope serves as the project’s statistician and database manager. Most recently, Dr. Cope served as a statistical and research analyst at Clemson University. His expertise includes analysis of large and assorted data. He is skilled in Python Programming, Soil Science, Geographic Information Systems, Ecological Modeling, and Cloud Computing.
Dr. Cope received his B.S. in Environmental Studies from Brevard College and his Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Clemson University.
Adebukola Dada, Ph.D., is a Research Soil Scientist leading the design, creation, and testing of digital tools for farmers. Her work includes developing a dashboard to monitor changes in soil health and tools to link management practices with Soil Health Targets. Dr. Dada received a B.S. in Agriculture from Olabisi Onabanjo University, M.S. in Agronomy from the University of Ibadan, both in Nigeria, and Ph.D. in Ecological Science and Engineering with a major focus on Agronomy (Soil Science) from Purdue University.
Dr. Archie Flanders assesses the economics of soil health-promoting practices and land management systems using data from long-term agricultural experimental sites across North America and integrating that information with local on-farm data collected in strategic coordination with soil health partners. He works with producers and agricultural researchers to develop decision support tools that farmers and ranchers can use to make informed decisions about production practices on a field-by-field basis, optimizing soil health while realizing economic efficiencies.
Previously, Dr. Flanders served as a faculty member at the University of Georgia and the University of Arkansas with research and extension responsibilities in production economics, farm management, and economic development. He developed interactive economic decision tools for crop and livestock commodities, agricultural policy programs, and whole-farm analysis, which helped producers customize enterprise budgets to represent unique production situations.
Dr. Flanders is a member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association as well as the Southern Agricultural Economics Association. He received his B.S.A. in General Agriculture, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia.
Jessica Kelton is a Soil Health Educator working with the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund. Prior to this role, she served as a Farm and Agribusiness Agent with Auburn University’s Extension System, providing row crop producers with resources for economic sustainability and niche crops. She received her B.S. degree in Biology from Troy University and her M.S. in Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences from Auburn University, where she studied weed suppression with cover crops and herbicide resistance management in reduced tillage systems.
Mr. David Lamm conducts soil health education programs for farmers, their advisers, and other practitioners across the United States, building from his 40+ years of experience in working directly with farmers to improve the health of their soils and associated natural resources. He served in various positions within the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), rising to National Team Leader of the inaugural National Soil Health and Sustainability Team.
Prior to that national position he served as the Assistant State Conservationist for Programs for the state of Georgia and a District Conservationist in Indiana. He assisted with implementing the USDA-NRCS Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture program and the USDA-NRCS Conservation Security Program. Mr. Lamm earned his B.S. in Natural Resources from Ball State University.
Dr. Daniel Liptzin is a Research Soil Scientist with a background in biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling. He is currently working on the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project. Previously, he was a Project Scientist focusing on the High Plains region for the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. His research interests currently focus on greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and soil health methods. Dr. Liptzin is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the Soil Science Society of America. He received his B.S. from Yale University, MES from the University of Pennsylvania, and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr. Nate Looker is a Project Scientist working to establish Soil Health Targets for farmers and field conservationists. His work integrates data from soil profile to regional scales to understand how climate and soil properties influence the magnitude of potential soil health improvements. Dr. Looker was most recently a Department of Energy fellow at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he quantified the effects of deforestation and forest succession on soil organic carbon dynamics using radiocarbon analysis. Previously, he studied hydraulic functioning of soils and trees in Montana, Mexico, and Guatemala to improve water resource modeling and management in mountainous watersheds.
Dr. Looker is a member of the Soil Science Society of America, the American Geophysical Union, and the European Geophysical Union. He received B.S. degrees in Agronomy and Global Resource Systems with a minor in Spanish from Iowa State University, an M.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Montana State University, and a Ph.D. in Land and Atmospheric Science from the University of Minnesota.
Ms. Molling is a Modeling Specialist for the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project, where she evaluates and improves agroecosystem models to capture the effects of soil health practices on greenhouse gas emissions and water quality. Prior to this, Ms. Molling was a researcher at the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, where she created models and data sets to assist decision makers in agriculture, environmental resources, and renewable energy. She received her B.S. degree in Atmospheric Science and Math, and M.S. in Geosciences at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Cameron Ogilvie, M.S., is a Soil Health Educator for SHI, where he is leading a soil health education program for farmers and agronomists in Canada. He previously served as the Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator for Soils at Guelph, which is a University of Guelph initiative to mobilize the results of soil health research and bridge gaps among farmers, researchers, and the public. He received a B.S. in Agricultural Science and an M.S. in Cropping Systems & Agronomy from the University of Guelph, where he studied the on-farm impacts of cover crops (he prefers to call them “service crops”) on water and nutrient cycling.
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Rieke is a Soil Microbiome Scientist with a background in microbiology and engineering. She is currently developing DNA sequence-based indicators to describe changes in soil functionality not captured by current soil health indicators. Dr. Rieke’s work also focuses on unearthing the microbial drivers of currently adopted soil health indicators. Previously, she focused on the Northern Midwest and Northeast regions for the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. Dr. Rieke received her B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering from Iowa State University. She is a member of the Soil Science Society of America.
Dr. Stevenson is a soil scientist and has been involved in soil health research for the last 15 years. He has a broad background in carbon and nutrient cycling, microbial functioning, biogeochemistry, soil physical characterization and pedology, and has published more than 45 international journal articles as well as a large number of reports for policy makers, government and industry. Bryan has recently returned to the US from New Zealand (Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research) where he led a soil health program. His interests include not only better defining soil health targets but also policy and social aspects of soil health. He received an MS in Range Science and PhD in Soil Science from Colorado State University and is a member of the Soil Science Society of America.
Ronnie Bernard
Ronnie Bernard is an undergraduate student attending Alcorn State University where he is majoring in Agriculture with a concentration in Environmental Science. Mr. Bernard is an upcoming 2022 intern working with Dr. Mara Cloutier gaining experience in sampling dairy soils and data analysis. He has received various scholarships from Alcorn State University and is also a member of the 1890 Scholars Program and Cargill Thrive Scholars. Mr. Bernard aspires to become an Environmental Scientist.
Ahmad S. Harden
Ahmad S. Harden is an undergraduate student attending Fort Valley State University (FVSU). Majoring in Agricultural Economics, on a USDA scholarship. Mr. Harden is an aspiring Agriculture Economist, he is also a presidential student ambassador, also known as a Blue Coat Ambassador. Mr. Harden is a 2022 intern working with Dr. Dianna Bagnall assisting with sample collection, data processing and various projects in economics.
Jordan Kelly
Jordan Kelly is an undergraduate student majoring in sustainable land management and food systems at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She is a member of MANNRS, Future Farmers of America, and a Norman E. Borlaug Scholar awardee. Ms. Kelly plans to become an environmental scientist.
Tiffany LaShae
Tiffany LaShae is a graduate student at the University Minnesota Twin Cities. She is conducting a multi-method study integrating soil health and soil stories of African American farmers in the Southeast U.S. Tiffany is a farmer, activist and educator with over 10 years’ experience working with farmers in the U.S. and abroad. She currently manages a small diverse vegetable/seed production farm that demonstrates soil health practice and provides hands-on education for beginning farmers. Tiffany's work also includes collaborative projects addressing inequities in farmer resource utilization and access with the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service and 'Climate Smart Agriculture' strategy & soil regeneration efforts with USAID Farmer to Farmer organizations based in Africa.
Jhacolby Williams
Jhacolby Williams is an undergraduate student attending Alcorn State University where he is majoring in Agriculture with a concentration in Environmental Science. Mr. Williams has received a full scholarship from ASU and is a member of the ASU Honors Program and FFA. He has also interned with the USDA Extension in Stoneville, MS under the guidance of Eric Riddick, USDA Entomologist. Mr. Williams is a 2022 summer intern and will be working with many of our scientists here at SHI sampling soils, data collection, analysis, and other various projects.
Quanteria Randle
Quanteria Randle is a sophomore undergraduate student at Prairie View A&M University where she is earning her B.S. in Biology. Ms. Randle is a 2021 Intern working with SHI’s Soil Microbiome Scientist, Dr. Elizabeth Rieke, in analyzing phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) data from soils sampled across North America. She is also gaining experience in sampling soils for establishing Soil Health Targets.
Brent Thomas is an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he is earning a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering. Mr. Thomas is a 2021 Intern working with SHI scientists Drs. Nate Looker and Vance Almquist to collect and analyze soil samples for establishing Soil Health Targets and assess soil health status in conventional management systems. He is particularly interested in identifying and addressing challenges that growers face when adopting soil health systems.
Robert Thomas is an undergraduate student attending Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). Majoring in Agriculture with a concentration in Plant and Soil Science, Mr. Thomas is an aspiring Environmental Research Scientist. He has received full ride scholarships from PVAMU and the United States Department of Agriculture and is a member of the PVAMU Honors Program and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS). He is also an Eagle Scout. While interning at the Soil Health Institute, Mr. Thomas is assisting with sample collection and data processing on various projects. He is working to develop his knowledge and skills of soils and research to prepare himself for future endeavors.
Dana Bourne
Dana Bourne is an M.S. candidate at Tufts Friedman School in the Agriculture, Food & Environment program. As an intern with the Soil Health Institute, Dana worked with Dr. Wayne Honeycutt and Dr. Timothy Griffin to research the relationships between soil health and food nutritional quality and quantity, identifying existing science on this topic and gaps to be addressed in future research. Dana has a B.S. in History from Bard College. Before starting at Tufts, Dana worked in New York City managing environmental education, urban farm and food access programs for Brooklyn Botanic Garden and GrowNYC, and worked on vegetable and fruit farms in New York's Hudson Valley.
Katie Harrigan
Mrs. Katie Harrigan is a graduate student pursuing a Masters Degree in Nutrition Science and Policy through the Agriculture, Food and Environment program at Tufts University in Boston, MA. Her focus is on natural resource conservation in the U.S. food system. She is working with Dr. Wayne Honeycutt at the Soil Health Institute to research federal policies, assess their impact on soil health, and suggest ways to improve these policies. Mrs. Harrigan has a B.S. in Biology from Northeastern University. She worked in the biotechnology field in Boston for five years before seeking a degree to help secure the future of our food and environment.
Janel Ohletz
Mrs. Janel Ohletz is a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Needs Ph.D. Fellow in the Crop and Soil Science Department at North Carolina State University. She is researching nutrient management in field corn using machine learning and remote sensing technology to gain a better understanding of dynamics in soil fertility. Mrs. Ohletz has B.S in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems and an M.S. in Agricultural Science from the University of New Hampshire. She is committed to working toward a more sustainable and equitable food system. Mrs. Ohletz is also a classically trained chef and, prior to returning to school, worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years. She believes in making an impact by being part of the conversation for changing our food and agricultural systems.
Janeva Williams
Ms. Janeva Williams is an undergraduate student attending North Carolina A&T State University. Majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Land Management, Ms. Williams aspires to work with soil conservationists and scientists on an international level to improve soil health. She joined two major organizations called MANRRS (Minorities in Agricultural, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) and the Climate Justice League, each of them is about improving the environment and creating self-awareness. Ms. Williams is a student intern for the summer working at SHI in data collection and interpretation.
Dr. Francisco Arriaga is an Associate Professor and Extension State Specialist with the Department of Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UW-Extension. His research and outreach programs focus on soil management practices for enhanced crop productivity while remaining protective of the environment with an emphasis on soil health and water quality. Dr. Arriaga is the recipient of the Rothermel-Bascom Professorship in Soil Science and is a fellow of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
Andrea Basche, Ph.D.
Dr. Andrea Basche is an Assistant Professor in Cropping Systems at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Department. Her research focuses on developing and supporting cropping systems that address profitability, resource use efficiency and climate risks. This includes improving soil health, increasing use of cover crops and perennial crops, as well as understanding the social and policy dimensions required for change. In her role, she also teaches undergraduate courses in crop management. Dr. Basche holds a B.S. in biology from Fordham University, a M.A. in applied climate science from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in agronomy and sustainable agriculture from Iowa State University. Learn more about her teaching, research and outreach at: https://agronomy.unl.edu/basche-research
Dr. Julie Howe is Associate Professor of Soil Chemistry and Fertility at Texas A&M University. Her focus is on cycling and fate of nutrients and carbon at various levels from fundamental reactions to field-scale processes. She divides her research focus into three areas: impact of agricultural management on nutrients and soil carbon, development and efficacy of fertilizers, and processes that improve soil health. Dr. Howe teaches a large enrollment introductory soil science course, a graduate level advanced soil chemistry and fertility course, and a brewing materials course. She is also serving as co-advisor for the department’s Agronomy Club. She holds a B.S. and M.S. from Texas A&M in Bioenvironmental Sciences and Soil Science, respectively, and a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Madison in Soil Science with focus in soil chemistry. For more information, please visit her website at https://soilcrop.tamu.edu/people/howe-julie-a/.
Dr. Machado is a Professor of Crop Physiology/Agronomy at the Oregon State University (OSU) Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center (CBARC) located near Pendleton, east of the Cascades. He has a Diploma in Animal Science and B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Swaziland, M.S. in Crop Physiology from Reading University in England, Ph.D. in Crop Physiology/Agronomy from Kansas State University, and M.B.A. from Eastern Oregon University. Dr. Machado was Principal Research Officer at the Department of Research and Specialist Services in Harare, Zimbabwe, conducting research on wheat and barley, and the Principal Investigator of a Precision Agriculture Project involving 12 scientists at the Texas A&M University’s Experiment Station in Lubbock, Texas. Dr. Machado joined OSU in 2001 and is currently stationed at CBARC where he is responsible for conducting cropping systems research to develop economically and biologically sustainable agricultural practices for cereals, legumes, and new crops. His research work includes crop rotations, long-term experiments, alternative crops, drought tolerance, site-specific farming, and organic farming. Dr. Machado is also involved regionally, nationally, and internationally. He has served as an Associate Editor for the Agronomy Journal, the President of the Biometry Division of the Tri-Societies (American Society Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America), and the President of the Western Crop Science Society of America. Dr. Machado is currently serving as an Associate Editor for the Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems Journal (Water-Smart Food Production). He is a co-founder of the Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora (AAAPD), which is actively involved in capacity building and the development of African small holder agriculture.
Kate Scow, Ph.D.
Dr. Kate Scow is a Distinguished Professor of Soil Science and Microbial Ecology in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at University of California (UC) Davis since 1989. Dr. Scow received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Soil Science from Cornell University. Dr. Scow’s research program investigates relationships between soil microbial diversity and critical soil functions: biogeochemical cycling, soil structure, organic matter and carbon sequestration, as well as connections between soil biology and soil health. Other work includes how indigenous microbial communities can help restore polluted ecosystems and design of low-cost treatment systems to promote bioremediation. Learn more about the Scow Research Program at: http://scowlab.lawr.ucdavis.edu/.
C. Wesley (Wes) Wood, Ph.D.
Dr. C. Wesley (Wes) Wood is Professor of Soil and Water Science and Center Director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences West Florida Research and Education Center located on two campuses (Milton and Jay). Dr. Wood provides administrative leadership and support for teaching, research and extension programs essential to the agricultural, natural resource conservation, environmental and consumer interests of the Florida Panhandle. Prior to joining the University of Florida in 2014, Dr. Wood was a Professor of Soil Science at Auburn University where he taught and conducted research on carbon and nutrient cycling in managed and natural ecosystems. He has published more than 140 refereed journal articles on those topics. Dr. Wood has conducted research in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Tanzania, Ecuador, India, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Peru, Thailand, Honduras, Mexico, The Philippines, Haiti, and New Zealand. He served as Associate Editor and later as the Soil Science Technical Editor for the Agronomy Journal. He has received awards for his research, is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, and is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America. Information on the West Florida Research and Education Center is at: https://wfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/.
William (Bill) Buckner
Bill Buckner is the past President/CEO of the Noble Research Institute, LLC, and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. The Noble Research Institute, an Agricultural Research Organization, conducts research, education and consultation activities, with its mission being “to deliver solutions to great agricultural challenges.” Philanthropic activities, including grant making and scholarship programs, take place in the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Mr. Buckner joined Noble in January 2012.
After obtaining his BS degree in Agricultural Economics from the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia in 1980, Mr. Buckner gained experience in the agricultural industry in areas of agriculture retail, agriculture lending and animal health.
In 1993, Mr. Buckner joined Bayer AG as a Marketing Executive in their Animal Health business unit located in Shawnee Mission, KS. He moved to Monheim, Germany, in 1996 where he worked for the Animal Health Business Group as a Business Development Mgr. He became VP/General Mgr. of Bayer's Canadian Agricultural business in Toronto in 1998. Mr. Buckner was appointed President/CEO of Bayer CropScience, Inc., in Calgary, Alberta in 2002. He relocated to Research Triangle Park, NC, as Sr. VP of Commercial Operations for Bayer CropScience LP in 2004 and was appointed Country Head for the U.S. Crop Protection business in 2005. He was elected President/CEO of Bayer CropScience, LP in April 2006 and retired in December 2011.
Mr. Buckner currently serves on the boards of the Soil Health Institute, Wilbur-Ellis Company, and Mercy Hospital Ardmore. Mr. Buckner also serves as an industry advisor to the board of Trace Genomics, Inc. He had previously served on the boards of the National Wild Turkey Federation, The Liberty Foundation, Farm Foundation, CropLife Canada and CropLife America, where he served a term as Board Chair.
William G. (Bill) Flory
Since 1904, Bill Flory is the fourth generation family member to farm the fertile soils of the rolling Camas Prairie in north central Idaho, just adjacent to the Washington, Oregon, Idaho border intersection. The diversified operation’s continuous crops include four classes of wheat, bluegrass seed, canola, lentils, garbanzos, malt barley, and hay.
Soil health and plant health are a primary focus in the operation that has been utilizing direct seed and leading technologies for the past 25 years. Some of these include site specific soil and tissue testing; soil amendments; field zoning; and detailed micronutrient and growth regulator utilization.
Mr. Flory currently is president of Flory Farms; board chairman of the wheat industry’s Wheat Marketing Center in Portland; a commissioner and past chairman of the Idaho Wheat Commission; a member of the Farm Foundation Roundtable; a member of US Bank’s advisory board; and a director of the Lewiston Roundup.
Mr. Flory’s past involvement includes board member, committee chair, and president of both the Idaho Grain Producers and the National Association of Wheat Growers; and commissioner and chairman of the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission. In 1977 Mr. Flory earned a B.S. in finance from the University of Idaho.
Robert Foster
Bob Foster and his family run a thriving 1,800 acre farm located in Middlebury, Vermont. In 2018, Foster was inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame, recognized for Lifetime Achievement: 30+ years of Outstanding Service to Vermont Agriculture. Mr. Foster is a fourth-generation farmer who received his undergraduate and Masters degrees from University of Vermont in Agricultural Engineering and Agriculture Economics. The Fosters were one of the pioneers of "Cow Power" with Mr. Foster actually coining the term. A proponent of bioenergy, the Fosters were among the earliest to install an anaerobic digester on their farm.
The Fosters have developed one of the largest compost companies in New England. They gather residual nutrients from their own and neighbors' farms, process manure for use as fertilizer, blend the different formulas together, and distribute the resulting product (through their company, Vermont Natural Ag Products, as MOO™ Doo) throughout New England as fertilizer and soil amendments.
Mr. Foster served 37 years as a director on the Agrimark Board of Directors. He chairs the Board of Advisors of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Vermont.
Earl Garber
Earl Garber, former President of the National Association of Conservation Districts, is a licensed crop sconsultant and rice, soybean and hay producer from Louisiana. He started his involvement in conservation as a Soil Scientist, Soil Conservationist and District Conservationist with the USDA. He has been active on the Acadia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors in Southwestern Louisiana since 1981. Mr. Garber recently served as the President of the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts. He also held the position of Louisiana Board Member for the National Association of Conservation Districts.
Mr. Garber has his own farming operation, which includes 670 acres of rice, soybeans, grain sorghum, timber and commercial hay production. Mr. Garber also provides daily service to area producers as a Louisiana licensed crop consultant and field services manager for Sanders, Inc., Seed Company. Mr. Garber and his wife, Janis Landry, live and farm in the northwestern portion of Acadia Parish, Louisiana.
Diana Jerkins
Organic Farming Research Foundation Commercial Vegetable Farmer, C J Family Farm
Dr. Diana Jerkins has been involved in multiple roles with educational institutions, state and federal governments and non-profit organizations in supporting the advancement of sustainable agriculture in the US and internationally. She previously served as the Research Director for the Organic Farming and Research Foundation, and currently serves as their Senior Science Advisor engaged in funding researchers, farmers and ranchers to conduct scientific research and educational advancements for organic producers. She also owns and manages a commercial organic and natural agriculture vegetable farm in Virginia. In addition, she is the founder of the Legacy Foundation, which is creating and providing historical and current production agricultural education and intergenerational land use transitions for new and beginning farmers.
For eleven years, Dr. Jerkins was a National Program Leader and Division Director for Integrated Programs with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). She managed competitive programs in the areas of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, managed ecosystems, invasive species, small and mid-sized farm prosperity, rural development, and Native American outreach. She had leadership responsibilities for development and management of NIFA competitive Climate Change and Food Systems Integrated Programs. As co-leader of the Science for Sustainability working group, she led agency-wide activities supporting sustainable and organic agriculture programs. Interagency activities were in the areas of Long Term Agricultural Research programs (LTAR), chairing the NIFA Ecosystem Services Working Group, and NIFA liaison to the NASULGC Board on Natural Resources, USA National Phenology Network, and OSTP Ecosystem Service Task Team. She has lead efforts in the development of new programs within NIFA such as the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) and an interagency program with EPA on Enhancing Ecosystem Services for Agricultural Lands.
Prior to joining NIFA, Dr. Jerkins directed the Center for Regenerative Studies (CSRS) at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona California. CSRS is an educational and residential intentional community where students learn and live in a sustainable environment based on passive-solar building, energy, water, and food systems. She was also a teaching and research faculty member with the College of Agriculture. Her graduate work was at the University of Georgia with degrees in Agronomy and Entomology. She consults internationally on sustainable agriculture issues. Professional activities and professional associations have included the Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Science Societies; Ecological Society of America; Federal Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability working group; and USDA Sustainable Development Council.
Bruce I. Knight
Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC
Bruce Knight is a nationally recognized expert on conservation, agriculture and the environment. With a long track record of bringing strategic workable solutions to complex and controversial issues, he understands the workings of farm and conservation policy from the grassroots to the national level. Coupled with his national policymaking experience is a pragmatic approach to issues harvested from his personal farming enterprise.
Today, as a consultant focused on conservation and environmental issues related to agriculture, Mr. Knight provides a visionary and unique perspective on the future of conservation policies. He understands the potential value to his clients in agriculture, environment, wildlife and food systems of cutting-edge ideas and strategies such as carbon markets and other ecosystem services. Drawing on his experience as a former association executive, lobbyist, regulator and Capitol Hill staffer, Mr. Knight has a broad understanding of how Washington works. But he also brings firsthand knowledge of farming to his national policymaking credentials. Mr. Knight was the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from 2006-2009. In this post, he provided leadership and oversight for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service and the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration. These agencies protect animals and plants and promote fair, open and orderly markets for U.S. agricultural products. Safeguarding America’s flocks, fields and forests from pests and diseases is worth billions of dollars in losses avoided by farmers and ranchers.
From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Knight served as Chief of Natural Resources Conservation Service, the lead USDA agency for conservation on private working agricultural lands. During the nearly five years under his leadership, the agency assisted 1 million farmers and ranchers in applying conservation on more than 130 million acres of working farm and ranchlands. Mr. Knight provided the strategic vision for the development, implementation and management of the largest expansion of working lands conservation programs in the agency’s history.
A third-generation rancher and farmer and lifelong conservationist, Mr. Knight operates a diversified grain and cattle operation using no-till and rest rotation grazing systems. His farming and ranching background gives him the opportunity to practice stewardship and husbandry, providing firsthand knowledge of the interdependency of animal, plant and human health with the environment. Mr. Knight attended South Dakota University. He is married and has two children. He is a member of the Vienna Presbyterian Church in Virginia and is an avid sportsman.
Andrew (Andy) W. LaVigne
American Seed Trade Association
Andrew W. LaVigne is currently the President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association. He joined ASTA in February, 2006. Mr. LaVigne has had a 25-year career in government relations, industry representation, public affairs advocacy, and management. His core areas of expertise include agriculture, food policy and international trade.
Prior to joining ASTA, Mr. LaVigne was Executive Vice President/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, representing citrus growers on issues affecting their business. Previous to joining Florida Citrus Mutual, Mr. LaVigne spent four years as Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association’s (FFAA) President and Executive Director. FFAA is a non-profit, agricultural trade organization representing companies that specialize in crop protection and plant nutrition products.
Before his position at FFAA, Mr. LaVigne spent eight years in Washington, D.C. working in the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He served as Legislative Director for Congressman Charles Canady and as Agriculture Committee staffer for Congressman Tom Lewis.
Mr. LaVigne is a native of Florida with a BA degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and a Minor in Economics.
Clare Lindahl
Soil and Water Conservation Society
Clare Lindahl is chief executive officer of the Soil and Water Conservation Society. Ms. Lindahl is in charge of public affairs, program development, governance, and special projects.
She previously served as the executive director for Conservation Districts of Iowa and as natural resources program manager with River Action, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering the environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of the Mississippi River and its riverfront in the Quad Cities. Ms. Lindahl has worked with communities and farmers through the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District and Partners of Scott County Watersheds in Davenport to improve water quality in Duck Creek and other local streams that flow into the Mississippi River.
Ms. Lindahl holds a degree in landscape architecture from Iowa State and received her post-baccalaureate certificate in environmental geographic systems from Western Illinois University. A native of Moline, Illinois, she currently works and resides in Des Moines, Iowa.
Klaas Martens
Klaas Martens has been farming for over 45 years. He and his partner, Mary Howell, spent their first 20 years farming conventionally and began transitioning to organic in 1993. Together, with their son Peter, they farm 1600 acres of a wide diversity of certified organic crops, and own and operate Lakeview Organic Grain, a certified organic animal feed and seed business.
They double crop a substantial acreage and cover crop all of our land each year. Mr. Martens works closely with researchers at Cornell who study soil health and organic farming systems, and has reviewed three SARE grants for on-farm research. In addition to the SARE projects, Mr. Martens published papers on organic fertility management. He and Mary-Howell have written many articles on organic farm management for publications including New Farm, Acres USA, and Organic Broadcaster. Mr. Martens is on the Soil Health Institute Board of Directors, the Organic Farming Research Foundation Board of Directors, the Farm Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Yates County conservation district Board of Directors (20 years).
V. Larkin Martin
Martin Farm
V. Larkin Martin manages her family’s row crop farming operation in Lawrence County, Alabama. Ms. Martin currently is a director of Rayonier Inc., a timberland REIT, and Chair of The Farm Foundation Board of Directors. She is Vice Chair of the Alabama Ethics Commission and a member of the Board of Directors of multiple organizations, including The Public Research Affairs Council of Alabama; Africa Harvest, a Kenyan based NGO; and the Vanderbilt Alumni Association. She has served as director and past Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as well as The Cotton Board, and has been a director of The Alabama Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and Leadership Alabama. Ms. Martin was named an Eisenhower Fellow in 2012.
After graduating from Vanderbilt with a BA degree and prior to returning to the farm Ms. Martin lived in Washington, DC and held jobs in at the US Treasury Department and with Arthur Andersen. She is married to John Thornton and they have 4 children.
Neal Martin
Dr. Neal Martin, retired Director of the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS in Madison, Wisc. has broad experience in communications and outreach in extension; respected knowledge of forage and dairy management as well as environmental stewardship, experience in management and leadership of a major research organization; and extensive personal connections to dairy producers and small-farm communities.
Dr. Martin and his wife currently operate a small highbush blueberry farm in northern Ohio. He was reared on a dairy farm in northern Ohio. He obtained a Ph.D. in agronomy and animal science and pursued interests in forage and grassland science at Iowa State University. Dr. Martin was a forage extension specialist at the University of Minnesota from 1974 to 1999 prior to joining USDA-ARS in 1999.
Lara Beal Moody, P.E.
Institute for Feed Industry Education & Research, IFEEDER
Lara Moody, Executive Director at the Institute for Feed Industry Education & Research (IFEEDER). She joined IFEEDER in 2021 to lead the foundation’s direction and strategy to advance safe and sustainable feed production through education and research, and she oversees project implementation and resource establishment to achieve institute goals. Outside IFEEDER, Ms. Moody serves on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, and the American Society of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering (ASABE) engineering for sustainability technical committee.
Prior to joining TFI, she was Vice President of Stewardship and Sustainability at the Fertilizer Institute responsible for directing development and implementation of the Institute’s programs to increase the use and adoption of fertilizer best management practices and for leading development and delivery of an industry sustainability initiative addressing fertilizer production, fertilizer use, and the food supply chain.
Ms. Moody is a Registered Professional Engineer who received a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering and Master of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Jeff Moyer
Jeff Moyer, Executive Director of Rodale Institute, is a world-renowned authority in organic agriculture. His expertise includes organic crop production systems with a focus on weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design. Mr. Moyer is perhaps most well-known for conceptualizing and popularizing the No Till Roller Crimper for use in organic agriculture. In 2011, he wrote Organic No-Till Farming, a publication that has become a resource for farmers throughout the world.
Mr. Moyer brings a farmer’s perspective and approach to issues in organic agriculture. He is a past chair of the National Organic Standards Board, a founding board member of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, the Chairman of the Board of Director of The Seed Farm, part of the Green America Non-GMO Working Group, a Project Member of The Noble Foundation’s Soil Renaissance project, and a Board Member of PA Farm Link.
In September 2015, Mr. Moyer was appointed as Executive Director of Rodale Institute after spending the last four decades at the Institute, helping countless farmers make the transition from conventional, chemical-based farming to organic methods. He became CEO in September of 2019.
Shari Rogge-Fidler
Shari Rogge-Fidler is a fifth-generation farm owner from Nebraska, who began her career in London in financial services and then with the Boston Consulting Group. Mrs. Rogge-Fiddler and her family launched and grew a branded gourmet organic food company, where she was vice president of sales and marketing. Mrs. Rogge-Fiddler was president of Cambium Strategies, LLC, a company focused on helping food and agriculture organizations navigate secondary growth. Mrs. Rogge-Fiddler was also Interim CEO at Applied GeoSolutions, LLC, focusing on commercializing its geospatial decision tools for agriculture and soil health purposes.
Most recently, Mrs. Rogge-Fidler was CEO of Family Farms, LLC, serving approximately 1,000 farms across the U.S. and Canada. Mrs. Rogge-Fidler received her MBA from Harvard Business School and her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Kansas, with an emphasis on international finance.
Greg Ruehle
Greg Ruehle serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Servi-Tech, the nation’s largest independent agronomic firm. In this role, Mr. Ruehle manages a diverse staff of nearly 200 agronomists, laboratory technicians, information technology, sales and communication staff members across the company’s 8-state footprint. Annually, Servi-Tech agronomists consult on nearly 1 million acres of agricultural land for growers and the cooperative-owners of the company. Additionally, Servi-Tech has three laboratory locations (Dodge City, KS; Hastings, NE: and Amarillo, TX) that evaluate nearly a half-million agricultural samples (soils, feeds, environmental samples, etc.) annually. Servi-Tech is headquartered in Dodge City in southwestern Kansas.
Mr. Ruehle also served as Chief Executive Officer for the Independent Professional Seed Association, based in Omaha, NE. In this capacity, Mr. Ruehle managed the day-to-day administrative and fiduciary responsibilities for a national trade association representing nearly 100 independently-owned seed companies throughout the US and Canada. Mr. Ruehle served in this position from November 2005 through January 2015. Mr. Ruehle also served for 10 years as the Executive Vice President of the Nebraska Cattlemen, with primary association management and government affairs responsibilities for the nearly 5,000-member statewide group. In addition to managing a staff of twelve, Mr. Ruehle managed state and federal government relations and represented the Association as a speaker before numerous statewide, national and international audiences.
Mr. Ruehle’s association career began with the National Cattlemen’s Association (now National Cattlemen’s Beef Association), where he served in various positions, including Director of Private Lands, Water and Environment in the Washington, DC government affairs office. Mr. Ruehle represented the Association before Congress, Federal agencies and the Administration on a range of environmental and natural resource policy areas.
Mr. Ruehle has a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Agriculture from Oklahoma State University, as well as having graduated from the Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University. Mr. Ruehle and his wife, along with their two children have relocated to Dodge City from eastern Nebraska. The family also maintains a diversified, family-owned livestock operation in eastern Ford County near Dodge City.
Jay Vroom
Vroom•Leigh•Agriculture, LLC
Jay Vroom is Chief Innovation Officer of Vroom ∙ Leigh ∙ Agriculture, LLC. where he oversees strategic consulting services and entrepreneurial investments in modern agriculture platforms and related technology sectors.
From 1989-2018, Mr. Vroom served as president and chief executive officer of CropLife America (CLA), the leading U.S. trade group for the crop protection industry in the United States. He also served as a founding member and chairman of CropLife Foundation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Vroom held executive positions in the National Fertilizer Solutions Association (now the Ag Retailers Association), The Fertilizer Institute, and the Merchants Exchange of St. Louis. Currently, Mr. Vroom partners with three consultancy groups: The Context Network (strategic global business consulting practice); DC Legislative and Regulatory Services (Washington government affairs practice); and FLM Harvest (communications and marketing practice). He serves as the Chairman of the Trust In Food™ advisory board. He volunteers as a member of the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees (and is the FFA individual giving chair for 2017-19); the Board of CropLife Foundation; and the National Wheat Foundation Board.
Mr. Vroom graduated with honors from the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Vroom was reared on a grain and livestock farm in north-central Illinois and continues to own the farming operation.
Jason Weller
Vice President of Truterra
Jason Weller joined Land O’Lakes, Inc., in 2017 as senior director of sustainability where he provided environmental sustainability and agricultural production solutions for the cooperative’s members and owners. In 2020, Mr. Weller was appointed Vice President of Truterra, a farmer-led and farmer-driven sustainability initiative launched by Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN to establish clear metrics and a common language for sustainability that is meaningful for farmers and their core customers.
Mr. Weller previously served as Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the nation’s largest working lands conservation organization, where he led a staff of 10,500 employees across the country that works one-on-one with farmers and ranchers to deliver assistance to protect and improve the quality of their operations’ natural resources. While at NRCS, Mr. Weller led the effort to significantly expand the agency’s new partnerships with public and private organizations—including agricultural retailers, agricultural supply chain companies, and food companies—to provide innovative and effective services for agricultural producers. Mr. Weller also provided the strategic leadership for NRCS’s expanded focus on and investment into soil health, including providing significant financial and technical assistance for public-private partnerships to launch on-the-ground soil health demonstration and education projects, as well leading the creation of NRCS’s new Soil Health Division that is helping to advance the agricultural and conservation communities’ understanding of soil health management.
Prior to serving as Chief, Mr. Weller held various agriculture and natural resource conservation leadership positions, including on the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture where he provided oversight and crafted legislation to fund USDA programs and activities; on the U.S. House Budget Committee where he helped construct the annual congressional budget for agriculture, environment and energy programs; and in the White House Office of Management and Budget where he assisted with the development and implementation of the president’s budget for USDA conservation programs.
Mr. Weller earned a bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a master's in public policy from the University of Michigan.