WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board. The board is made up of 15 members from the organic sector. The new members announced today will serve five-year terms, through January 2031.
Please join us in welcoming to the board:
Scott Sechler Sr. (Pennsylvania) is appointed to the Farmer seat. Mr. Sechler has spent his entire career in poultry, including the past 40 years as Owner & Chairman of Bell & Evans, a premium Raised Without Antibiotics and Organic poultry brand. He launched Bell & Evans’ organic-certified program in 2009, and Bell & Evans uses 100% U.S. organic grains in its organic chicken feed. He brings extensive knowledge of worldwide poultry and organic standards.
Jerry Matzner (Minnesota) is appointed to the Farmer seat. Mr. Matzner has operated Century Farm Organics for parts of the past 13 years and previously operated Century Farm Dairy. He has expanded into poultry and equipment sales. He is a member of Organic Valley Cooperative and the Minnesota Farm Bureau. He holds a BA in Management Information Systems and a BA in Computer Science from Augustana College.
Jed Murray (Texas) is appointed to the Public Interest/ Consumer Interest Group seat. Mr. Murray has 20 years of experience in agriculture, including 13 years in the vegetable industry. He is currently the Director of Government Relations at Texas International Produce Association and Managing Partner at 9 Kids Compost LLC. He is a member of the Texas Department of State Health Services Food Safety and Defense Task Force, Texas Vegetable Association, and the Texas A&M Vegetable & Fruit Program. He holds a BS in Agribusiness and Marketing from California Polytechnic State University.
Dr. Bradley Heins (Minnesota) is appointed to a Public Interest/Consumer Interest Group seat. Dr. Heins is Professor of Organic Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota, has authored or coauthored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications on livestock, and has been engaged in certified organic farming since 2010. He is a member of Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP, Organic Valley) and the National Farmers Organization. He holds a PhD and MS in Animal Science and a BS in Animal and Plant Systems from the University of Minnesota.
Bryan Buchwald (Oklahoma) is appointed to the Organic Certifying Agent seat. He is Program Administrator for the Poultry, Egg, Organic & Produce Section at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, and is also the owner of a Registered Angus Cattle operation. Mr. Buchwald is a 4-H & FFA Volunteer Leader, American Angus Association member, Oklahoma Farm Bureau member, and Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association member. He brings experience as an organic inspector and certifier. He holds a BS in Animal Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Cameron University.
About the National Organic Standards Board
The National Organic Standards Board is a Federal advisory board established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. The board operates in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act to assist in developing standards for substances used in organic production and to advise the Secretary on aspects of the National Organic Program. Learn more about NOP and the board on our website at www.ams.usda.gov/organic.
