Organic Consulting
Interested in transitioning to organic? Unsure about how to handle weeds, fertility, and pests? Need help navigating the certification process, finding specialized equipment or locating new markets? Looking for an experienced mentor?
Let Rodale Institute simplify the process and set you up for success with our Organic Consulting service.
In 2018, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and concurrent with the passage of the PA State Farm Bill, Rodale Institute started an Organic Consulting service to provide support to farmers that want to transition from conventional to certified organic production. This groundbreaking program is the first of its kind in the nation, and Rodale Institute has expanded its capacity to now offer services to farmers across the country.
Reach Out Today
When you contact our Organic Consultants, we’ll discuss your needs and find a solution that's right for you.
Email: Consulting@RodaleInstitute.org
Phone: (610) 683-1416
Available Nationwide
Our organic consulting experts have experience with different crops, soils, and climates throughout the U.S. and are here to work for you wherever you’re located.
Services Include:
Organic Consulting Pricing
Rodale Institute’s Consulting Service is FREE to farmers in Pennsylvania who are interested in transitioning to an organic or regenerative organic production system. This program was developed in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Pricing for all other out-of-state clients is available upon request.
Benefits of Transitioning to Organic
Economic
Low conventional commodity prices and an increasing cost of production have put farmers in a difficult position that relies primarily on cost-cutting and unsustainable scaling to generate profit. Organic commodities can fetch two to three times the price of their conventional counterparts, and sales of organic products have grown steadily over the past decade. The price premium for organic products allows farmers to make a greater return on their investment, be more self-sufficient, and rely on a stabilizing market and buyer relationships rather than competition with imports and outsized corporate producers.
Environmental
By definition, organic crop production does not rely on chemical inputs for soil fertility or pest and disease control. Instead, organic farmers use cover crops, compost, animal inputs, and crop rotation to build the soil and produce strong, resilient farms. Healthy soil is key to managing extreme weather events like drought and flooding.
Practical
Organic agriculture allows farmers to reduce their dependence on companies that aim only to sell them products and don’t necessarily have their best interests in mind. Organic production works because it’s based on the natural cycling of nutrients and cash crops rather than the continued purchase and application of chemical products and genetically engineered seed.
Land Value
Getting farmland certified organic can increase the value of the land and give farmers a valuable asset for future generations.
Consumer Confidence
Organic certification of your farm products tells consumers that you meet rigorous standards and that they can buy with confidence.
Organic Consultants
Sam Malriat
Director, Organic Consulting
Sam provides on-site technical assistance to farmers, landowners, and businesses that are interested in transitioning land to certified organic and regenerative production systems. He earned a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences from Cornell University and has over 12 years of practical farming experience in Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland. Sam is a Certified Crop Adviser and is IOIA Certified in Crops and Livestock.
Dave Campbell
Organic Advisor
Dave was introduced to organics in 1967 on a small diversified organic farm, when he began to sell organic meat to a health food store under the guidance of his father. Upon graduating from Western Illinois University with a teaching degree, he joined his father in their organic dairy cow operation located in northern Illinois, and later he operated an organic dairy in southern Wisconsin. In 1988, he began to transition the entire acreage of a conventional row crop farm near DeKalb IL (Lily Lake Organic Farm) to certified organic production, and he has been USDA certified organic for the past 34 years, along with Real Organic Certified for the past 3 years. Dave has served on numerous organic boards, and has presented many workshops on the topics of weed management, cover crops, and crop rotations. He has also served a 4-year term on the NCR-SARE Advisory Council as a grant reviewer. Currently, he serves on both the Policy Committee and Governing Council for OFA (Organic Farmers Assoc.)
Idelfi Crespo
Senior Administrative Assistant, Consulting and Accounting
Idelfi is Senior Administrative Assistant to the Organic Consultancy and Accounting/ HR departments. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, and her prior experience includes Health Care Management Administration. Having lived all her life in New York City, she has always been very passionate about accessibility to affordable healthy foods in the inner cities, clean eating and green spaces.
Sage Dennis
Pennsylvania Organic Consultant
Joining the team in September 2022, Sage is excited to be able to expand into Regenerative Agriculture bringing sustainable farming to the next level. He has been doing Organic Consulting for the past 5 years and is eager to continue to learn to better serve our farmers. Prior to his time in Organic Agriculture, Sage travelled through various countries as a travelling farmhand. Seeing different approaches, practices, and beliefs within agriculture is what ignited his passion of sustainable Agriculture and wishes to take these life experiences and use to better service our clients.
Bridget Gilmore
Market Development Manager
Bridget cultivates connections throughout organic & regenerative organic value chains. She grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and studied Leadership, Ethics, & Organizational Sustainability at Saint Joseph’s University. She has gathered food system experiences in different parts of the world with small scale farmers, a CPG company, and a national distributor. She is thrilled to propel her passions for regenerative organic agriculture and food sovereignty. Bridget joined the team in February 2022. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Will Glazik
Will Glazik from Paxton, IL is a second generation organic farmer and crop advisor. Will was raised on a mixed row crop and livestock certified organic farm before he studied Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. After graduation, Will went to work in agriculture retail sales prior to share crop farming 800 acres. Currently he is utilizing some no till organic practices on his farm as well as markets consulting for organic row crop and organic transition farmers. Will is a cofounder of the IDEA Farm Network which is a learning community for organic and conservation minded farmers in the Midwest. He raises corn, soybeans, oats and wheat as well as specialty grains like open pollinated corn and grains for brewers and distillers. It is Will’s belief that the best way to increase organic acres is through strong, consistent domestic markets. Along with his brothers Clayton and Dallas, Will is a founder of Silver Tree Spirits, LLC.
Nathanael Gonzales-Siemens
Pacific Regional Manager
Nathanael Gonzales-Siemens is returning to his roots and the spirit of discovery that first brought him back into farming after a decade of teaching in inner-city Los Angeles and in China and working for criminal justice reform on the West Coast. Nathanael spent his undergrad years studying Plant Genetics and Biology at UCLA and has a teaching credential for CSU Los Angeles. He grew up on a small farm in California’s San Joaquin Valley and founded two businesses there with his family. The first, now run by his brother, is focused on food justice and sovereignty and the second, operated by his wife, strives to implement regenerative farming practices and to equip and empower traditionally underrepresented groups.
Kegan Hilaire
Small Farms & Diversified Vegetable Consultant
Kegan was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley, before moving to Philadelphia to complete his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Temple University. After joining a CSA in the city, he was hooked on the production of fresh, local, seasonal food. It has led him from Sales manager of a 5th-generation dairy farm, to managing a diversified, organic farm, to the Rodale Institute Farmer Training Program, and finally to the facilities and landscape team at the Founder’s Farm Campus. Kegan also owns and operates a small organic farm in Emmaus, PA.
Samantha Hilborn-Naluai
New Mexico Organic Consultant
Samantha joined the Rodale Institute Consulting Team in January 2022 and helps New Mexico farmers transition to certified organic. She grew up in New Mexico and is from the Pueblos of Laguna and Acoma. Samantha has a M.S. in Horticulture and Agronomy with a specialization in plant breeding from University of California, Davis and a B.S. in Horticulture from New Mexico State University. Prior to joining the Rodale Institute, she was working as a staff research associate for the spinach breeding program at UC Davis. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge of crop production, creating connections between farmers and fostering food sovereignty in New Mexico and beyond. She is based out of Santa Fe, NM.
Vivian Le
Markets Coordinator
Vivian is a food systems professional with extensive experience in community-based food systems work and is the Productions Chair of the North American Food Systems Network. Prior to joining the Rodale team in April of 2024, she farmed in Italy, launched a farmer’s market in New York and supported the Good Food Awards in California. She studied food and sustainability at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has a master’s in Gastronomy from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.
Ben Lehman
Midwest Organic Consultant
Ben grew up on an organic grain farm in central Iowa and is based in Slater, IA. He joined the team in February 2023, and is excited to help connect Midwest grain farmers with organic practices that work with their soils and management. Ben worked in on-farm research and extension while he pursued a B.S. in Crop Production from Cornell University. He moved back to Iowa to be near the family grain farm and work as an agronomist focused on helping farms evaluate new practices. He’s especially excited to help farmers find rotations, cover crops, and equipment that fit their operation.
Emily Miller
Operations Manager
Emily oversees the operations of the Consulting team, empowering Rodale’s efforts to transition farmers to organic and regenerative organic agriculture. Prior to joining the Rodale Institute team, she worked in sales and operations for an international sustainable ingredients startup after running her own grocery delivery service in Baltimore. She also worked in software consulting and ecommerce as a Fellow with Venture For America (VFA). She earned a BA in Economics from Barnard College of Columbia University, with a focus on sustainable development. Emily joined the team in September 2023 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Catherine Peebles
Pennsylvania Organic Consultant
Catherine joined the team in September 2022 and is excited to support farmers interested in transitioning to organic and regenerative practices. After training and working on a biodynamic farm in New York, Catherine pursued a Master’s from Cornell University in Soil & Crop Sciences focusing on payments for ecosystem services for small farmers. Prior to her Master’s, she worked in finance after earning her Bachelor’s in Economics & Spanish from Bucknell University. Catherine is thrilled to cultivate her financial experience and passion for resilient farming systems at an organization pioneering the regenerative organic movement.
Nic Podoll
Northern Plains Regional Manager
Nic is a lifelong organic farmer, having grown up and farmed with his family on their certified organic farm in southeast North Dakota, raising small grains and vegetable seed. Prior to working at Rodale Institute, he worked in Extension for the University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University. He also served several years on the NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Review Committee. Nic is IOIA certified in crops and holds a Master’s in Agricultural & Extension Education from North Carolina State University. He is located in north-central Minnesota.
De'Anthony Price
Southeast Organic Consultant
De’Anthony Price is an Agronomist specializing in sustainable and organic crop production, farmer education, science communication, and advocating for minorities in agriculture. As a native of Atlanta, Georgia, he deeply understands the significance of food production and environmental stewardship. Before joining Rodale Institute, De’Anthony served at UF/IFAS Extension Jefferson County as the Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent. There, he delivered educational programs on agriculture, horticulture, and natural resources, earning recognition for his expertise in organic and alternative farming systems. De’Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communication from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, where his studies focused on supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers in the Southeast. He furthered his education at Alabama A & M University, graduating with a Master of Science in Plant and Soil Science, Agronomy in 2022. His research centered on nutrient management in sustainable and organic crop production, particularly in ethnic vegetables, medicinal plants, and specialty cropping systems. Beyond his professional pursuits, De’Anthony cherishes quality time with his wife and dog, and indulges in karaoke & camping.
Jen Rose Silverman
New Mexico Program Coordinator
Jen is passionate about building vital relationships and opportunities as a means towards restoration, regeneration and resilience. Joining the team in September 2023 with nearly two decades of organic inspecting and consulting, she has spent many hours walking farms and ranches across the country and sitting with producers completing paperwork at their kitchen tables. Jen is proud to bring her work back home to New Mexico. Jen’s expertise brings stakeholder awareness and a toolbox of skills which align with Rodale’s consulting team’s vision to build a future with healthier people and planet and one that celebrates farming and shared connections. Jen and her husband reside on their beloved small biodiverse farm situated on the ancestral lands of Tiwa territory in Northern NM.
Sharon Sterling
Project Operations Coordinator
Sharon holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she grew up. After training and working as a software developer, she transitioned into Project Managment. Eventually, her love of soil, gardening, and organic food led her to Rodale. After moving to Pennsylvania, she became a volunteer in the greenhouse and gardens and then joined the Consulting team in July 2024. She is focused on project management and operational support for the consulting team. She is based in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Léa Vereecke
Midwest Regional Manager
Léa grew up on a grain farm in Northeastern France and earned an M.S. in Agronomy and Agroecology before moving to the U.S. in 2016. For the following five years, she was a Research Specialist with Dr. Erin Silva at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There, she oversaw organic research projects on various topics including cover crop-based reduced tillage systems, cover crops, row crops, small grains, and industrial hemp production. She joined the Rodale Institute Consulting team in January 2021 and is thrilled to work for a renowned organization as an Organic Agronomist and Regional Manager. She has always been fascinated by sustainable agronomic crop production, and keeping strong relationships with farmers continues to motivate and inform her work.
Organic Farm Search Tool
Looking to connect with other farms in your area? Use our searchable map to find any certified organic operation in the United States.
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Rodale Institute has a number of partners that help to provide a streamlined process for farmers through the transition period, including obtaining certification and selling their organic products. There’s no better time to diversify and improve your operation.