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Current MISA Board Members, 2007-2008
Gigi DiGiacomo, 11655 Ridgemount Ave W., Minnetonka, MN 55305, ph 612-710-1188, fax 952-591-7654, E-Mail: rgdigiacomo AT earthlink.net
Gigi DiGiacomo is a freelance agricultural economist who has collaborated with farmers, Extension educators and other professionals to develop publications about farm marketing, planning, and business management. She has conducted business planning workshops for farmers and education professionals in the Upper Midwest. Gigi works and lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota with her family and small flock of laying hens.
Wayne Edgerton, 1145 Ryan Ave West, Roseville, MN 55113, ph: 651-259-5223, email: wayne.edgerton AT dnr.state.mn.us
Wayne is presently the Agriculture Policy Director with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He is also co-chair of a statewide committee of state and federal agencies to encourage and support integrated pest management and also co-chairs the Big Woods Dairy Advisory Committee. The goal of this committee is to assist the Big Woods Dairy in developing a rotational grazing system that is both profitable and can be used for educational purposes.
Carmen Fernholz, 2484 Hwy 40, Madison, MN 56256, ph: 320-598-3010, email: fernholz AT frontiernet.net
Carmen Fernholz is a Madison, Minnesota, farmer with a history of involvement in sustainable agriculture. He has extensive on-farm research and demonstration experience and an interest in establishing relationships with educational institutions on the subject of sustainable agriculture. Carmen served as the first Chairperson for the MISA Board of Directors from its inception until 1995, and returns to the Board in 2004. He is the Vice President of OFARM, a collaborative organic marketing initiative and currently serves as chair of the West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership board.
Dale Hennen, The Hayden Center, 328 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1997, ph 651-290-1647 (Office), 651-238-2074 (Cell); work email: hennend AT archspm.org personal email: hennendr AT gmail.com
Dale's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato; and a Master's of Divinity in World Mission Specialization from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Professionally, he was a high school teacher in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Mounds View Public School Systems. He was employed by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as the Director of the Rural Life Office from 1988 through 2007. Currently he works in Parish Services for the Archdiocese, as a member of a team that is charged with developing positive working relationships with parishes assisting them in focusing on their local parish mission. Dale is a past member and chair of LSP's Board of Directors and a past member of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership Board of Directors.
Jacqueline Jacob, 205 Haecker Hall, 1364 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, ph: 612-624-2766, fax: 612-625-5789, email: jacob150 AT umn.edu
Jacquie is currently an Assistant Professor with the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota and working in the area of Poultry Science. She spent four years on a poultry project in Mozambique and more recently was the Poultry Extension Coordinator at the University of Florida. In Jacquie’s current position at the University of Minnesota, one area of her applied research program involves looking at nutrition and management of pasture and organic poultry.
Rob King, 231 Classroom Office Building, 1994 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, ph: 612-625-0231, fax: 612-625-6245, Email: rking AT umn.edu
Rob King is a Professor and Department Head for the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Over the past 20 years Rob has conducted research on a range of issues related to farmer cooperative formation and management, and believes cooperatives can play an important role in the evolution of community-based sustainable farming systems.
Chuck Knierim, 7073 Nickel Road, Breezy Point, MN 56472, ph: 218-562-4864, email: info AT wildrosefarm.com
Chuck is a life-long rural Minnesota resident, where he has been an organic farmer for the past 30 years. He is co-owner of Wildrose Farm, a manufacturer of organic cotton clothing. They also grow and process a variety of organic foods. He is actively involved in a number of organizations including the American Tree Farm Association, the Sustainable Farming Association and chairs the Central Region Sustainable Development Partnership’s board of directors. Dan Miller, 23717 151st Avenue, Spring Valley, MN 55975, ph:507-259-6270, E-mail: dan AT danbmiller.com
Dan Miller is a farmer from Spring Valley, Minnesota as well as a Farm Business Management Instructor with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Dan is a strong advocate for sustainable agriculture and feels that as consumers become more concerned about not only the healthfulness of their food but also the origin of their food and the methods by which it was grown or raised the demand for food produced in a wholesome way will increase.
Rick Olson, 30,000 17th Ave S., Lake Park, MN 56554, ph: 218-238-5594, E-mail: rpolson AT loretel.net
Rick Olson owns and operates Olson's Organic Farm in Becker County, west central Minnesota, where he direct markets his grass-fattened beef and range-fed broilers. In addition to farming, he has been a vocational agricultural teacher, chaired the School Board, worked as a regional coordinator for the Minnesota Dairy Initiative and currently works with the Environmental Quality Assurance Program.
Paul Porter, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, ph: 612-625-6719, email: pporter AT umn.edu
Since 1995, Paul has been with the University of Minnesota as an agronomist. He spent the first five years at the Southwest Research & Outreach Center in Lamberton. His current responsibilites are research and teaching. Prior to coming to Minnesota he was with Clemson University for five years, and with the University of Wyoming in Somalia for three years. Paul served in the Peace Corps in Zaire. He is currently a member of the Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership Board of Directors.
Jim Stordahl, Polk County Extension Office, PO Box 69, McIntosh, MN 56556, ph: 218-563-2465, fax: 218-563-4750, email: stordahl AT umn.edu
Jim is an Extension Educator with the University of Minnesota and has a BS and MS in agronomy and ruminant nutrition from the University of Minnesota. Jim works extensively with organic and conventional producers in finding sustainable practices on crop and livestock farms in East Polk and Clearwater Counties in northwest Minnesota. Jim was raised on a farm near McIntosh MN, where he and his family reside. They graze sheep and maintain a small flock of chickens and a small apiary.
Tony Thompson, P.O.Box 128, Windom, MN 56101, Ph: 507-830-0767, E-Mail: salix AT rconnect.com
Tony farms corn, soybeans and native plants for seeds on the Willow Lake Farm in Jackson and Cottonwood counties in southwest Minnesota. Tony has been the recipient of an Energy and Sustainable Agriculture grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and has hosted or cooperated in many agriculture or ecological projects. In 2003 the Willow Lake Farm hosted of over 1300 student days of research and education. Tony has made a commitment to making the Willow Lake Farm ecologically and economically sustainable while also providing a high quality agriculture product to the marketplace.
Terry VanDerPol, 235 Seventh Avenue, Granite Falls, MN 56241, ph: 320-564-1877, email: tlvdp AT landstewardshipproject.org
Terry raises natural beef and replacement dairy heifers on her farm in Western Minnesota, marketing the meat with Pastures A’Plenty. She has a wide range of interest and expertise in diverse arenas such as: whole farm planning; on-farm research; sustainable livestock systems; and promotion of local food initiatives. Currently she is a staff member of the Western office of the Land Stewardship Project in Montevideo.
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