Uncategorized Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Organic Farming Research Foundation

Marina Vergara (she/her/hers)

Research & Education Intern

Marina Vergara (she/her/hers) joins the OFRF team as the Fall 2023 Research and Education intern. Marina is a graduate student at the University of California, Davis studying International Agricultural Development. Her interests lie in exploring participatory agricultural extension and ways to better support marginalized farmers. Her research examines a participatory silvopastoral extension program in Panama, and the ways in which this model facilitates an informal knowledge exchange amongst model farmers and farmers newly entering the program.

Marina discovered her passion for food and agriculture in college after being drawn to the interdisciplinary nature of food systems. After graduating from Cornell University in 2018 with a BS in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Marina moved to Panama to serve with the U.S. Peace Corps as an Agriculture Extension Agent, working with small-scale, organic cacao farmers in product development, marketing, and sales. Marina then served with AmeriCorps VISTA in South Texas, where she focused on coalition building for increasing food security and youth curriculum development for food justice and sovereignty in the Rio Grande Valley.

Marina is passionate about supporting marginalized farmers, through collaboration in projects and increasing equity in access to extension support and materials. In her free time, you can find Marina outside hiking, biking, or lounging with her dog Claudia, at the local coffee shop with a good book, or trying something new and tasty to eat.

By admin|2025-09-02T16:59:19-04:00January 9th, 2024|Uncategorized|

Adam Bagul

Policy Intern

Adam Bagul joins the OFRF team as a policy intern for the Summer 2023 quarter. He holds a B.A. in History of Public Policy and Law with a concentration in United States history from the University of California Santa Barbara. Before attending UC Santa Barbara, Adam enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a rifleman and continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserves. Throughout his undergraduate studies, as well as through his involvement in different student government organizations, Adam developed policy analysis and legislative writing skills that he is excited to contribute to the efforts of OFRF.

In his free time, Adam enjoys an active lifestyle by hiking, spending time at the gym, and running around the monuments of Washington, D.C.

By admin|2025-09-02T16:59:53-04:00July 13th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Elizabeth Tobey (she/her/hers)

Communications Manager: Outreach, Engagement, and Partnerships

After a couple of years as a freelance communications contractor working with OFRF, Elizabeth Tobey (she/her) is delighted to join the staff as Communications Manager: Outreach, Engagement, and Partnerships in December 2024.

Elizabeth has been involved in organic agriculture for as long as she can remember, growing up on a small family homestead in Oregon, and later pursuing sustainability, community building, and food systems in her work and studies. Unschooled in her youth, she later earned a degree in Sustainable Community Development from Prescott College, with a focus on Mentoring Future Generations. She has extensive experience as an educator in both indoor and outdoor settings, with preschoolers through adults. She is motivated by a deep desire to connect people to the land on which they live and believes that we all have a responsibility to care for the earth and each other.

She lives in the Ohio River Valley, on the traditional homelands of the Shawnee in what is now known as Southern Indiana. She is a farmer, crafter, and program coordinator at Bundle Sticks Farm, where she and her partner produce high-quality materials for land-connected craft and bring people together to share skills. On the farm and in all life, Elizabeth honors the complexities of power and privilege and is committed to ongoing learning around how to be a better ancestor, ally, and activist. When she’s not at work in front of a computer, or out tending to the land, you’ll likely find her cooking delicious food to share with friends.

By office|2026-03-30T10:25:00-04:00March 30th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Gordon Merrick (he/him/his)

Policy Program Director

gordon[at]ofrf.org

Gordon N. Merrick (he/him) joins the OFRF team with first hand experience working on organic farms, distributing food into the marketplace, cooking food in the service industry, and, most recently, helping draft agriculture, natural resource, and municipal laws for the Vermont General Assembly. Alongside this hands-on food and legal system experience, prior to attending Vermont Law School, Gordon was a community organizer working on climate justice related issues in New Hampshire. Throughout all of these experiences, Gordon was able to learn what it takes to lead successful teams and that resilient change stems from, and is led by, people-powered movements.

When Gordon isn’t in the (home) office, he’s generally outside enjoying whatever the current New England season has to offer! With the changing nature of winter in northern New England, that generally means a lot more biking and snowshoeing than skiing, much to Gordon’s chagrin. To chase that skiing, Gordon often heads out west or, increasingly, north to the Quebecois mountain range of the Chic Chocs for some backcountry terrain that stays cold.

By office|2026-02-24T15:34:12-05:00March 3rd, 2023|Uncategorized|

Lauren Snyder

Science Advisor

Lauren is a scientist dedicated to promoting organic agriculture and developing sustainable food systems. She discovered her passion for agroecology as an undergraduate at Boston University where she collaborated on a research project evaluating the ecosystem services provided by bats in organic pecan orchards. It was here that she became curious about where our food comes from and how agricultural production practices affect the environment and human health.

Since then, she has conducted research around the globe, working with small-holder farmers in Sri Lanka, Kenya, and the U.S. Throughout her PhD., she worked closely with local organic farmers in NY State to design applied research evaluating the environmental, nutritional, and economic outcomes of diversified agricultural practices. A primary objective was to evaluate the potential for crop varietal mixtures to mitigate the need for pesticides by increasing natural pest control services and maximize growers’ profits by reducing production costs associated with mixed species plantings.

Lauren holds a B.A. in Ecology & Conservation Biology from Boston University and completed her PhD. in agroecology and sustainable food systems at Cornell University. In her free time, she loves enjoying the outdoors with her husband and their dog, cooking delicious food for friends and family, and teaching Zumba.

By office|2021-10-06T23:14:48-04:00December 15th, 2019|Uncategorized|

2016 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA)

This 2016 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) report provides comprehensive recommendations for future investment in organic agricultural research. These recommendations are based on the Organic Farming Research Foundation’s 2015 survey of organic farmers, nationwide listening sessions with organic farmers, and a review of key documents and recommendations from other organizations, including the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The 2015 Organic Farmer Survey was conducted online and completed by over 1,000 organic farmers. Their responses directly inform our top recommendations for organic research.

Download the Report