Extension Organic Program Specialist
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
1229 North US Hwy 281
Stephenville, TX 76401
Stephenville, TX 76401
(w) (254) 974-9442
About
Currently as the State Organic Specialist I provide guidance to persons or entities seeking organic certification; serve as a liaison connecting organic operators to Extension and Research scientists to provide guidance on general and sector specific questions; communicate with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and other organic certifiers to facilitate compliance with certification requirements; provide feedback to Texas A&M AgriLife and TDA on the state of organic agriculture based on interactions with farmers, ranchers, and other entities; investigate solutions to barriers to organic certification; work with various agriculture commodity groups and associations helping them with organic practices and issues related to their commodity; to cooperate and expect cooperation from campus and district-based Texas A&M AgriLife extension and research faculty, district extension administrators, county extension agents, regional program leaders, and other specialists, as necessary in developing and delivering nationally recognized programs related to organics.
Over the course of my nearly 40-year career I have been in an Extension or Research role with Texas A and M AgriLife, worked with both the Peanut and Pecan Commodity Boards developing research and education efforts and had an international consulting business working with subsistence agriculture producers in mostly third world countries. My international emphasis has been on developing agriculture training centers and teaching extension outreach in a variety of topics. The projects have included development of a three year plan for increasing youth age 15-29 potential and involvement in agriculture in Ethiopia; Iraqi MOA Extension Development training - Erbil, Iraq; development of two extension training centers in southwest China; a large training center and extension program with the Maya Chorti Indians near Copan Ruinas, Honduras; two training sites in the State of Assam, India with Asian Rural Life Development Foundation-India; Achungo Children’s Home near Kisumu, Kenya, Africa; and the Isheal Indians near Nebaj, Guatemala. Developed and presented training programs about Extension Planning and Programming to the MOA in the Republic of Georgia.
My entire career has focused on developing agriculture systems that are sustainable and long lasting, help alleviate the poor economics farmers face and helping to develop communities of farmers that can focus on solutions that beneficially change their life, their family and their community.
Over the course of my nearly 40-year career I have been in an Extension or Research role with Texas A and M AgriLife, worked with both the Peanut and Pecan Commodity Boards developing research and education efforts and had an international consulting business working with subsistence agriculture producers in mostly third world countries. My international emphasis has been on developing agriculture training centers and teaching extension outreach in a variety of topics. The projects have included development of a three year plan for increasing youth age 15-29 potential and involvement in agriculture in Ethiopia; Iraqi MOA Extension Development training - Erbil, Iraq; development of two extension training centers in southwest China; a large training center and extension program with the Maya Chorti Indians near Copan Ruinas, Honduras; two training sites in the State of Assam, India with Asian Rural Life Development Foundation-India; Achungo Children’s Home near Kisumu, Kenya, Africa; and the Isheal Indians near Nebaj, Guatemala. Developed and presented training programs about Extension Planning and Programming to the MOA in the Republic of Georgia.
My entire career has focused on developing agriculture systems that are sustainable and long lasting, help alleviate the poor economics farmers face and helping to develop communities of farmers that can focus on solutions that beneficially change their life, their family and their community.
Projects
| LS22-375 | Sheep integration for diverse and resilient organic cotton systems |