Ann Baier
Program Specialist
Western Region
Topic Areas: Crops, Organic Crops, Livestock, Organic Livestock, Organic Processing, Soil Health
Specific Areas of Expertise: Organic certification, recordkeeping, and pastured poultry
Ann Baier has worked as a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology since 2002. She has organized and led regional workshops that highlight the complimentary knowledge and experience of farmers and other agricultural professionals. She works with many partner organizations to promote understanding and clarity of organic regulations and the organic certification process, including recordkeeping for crop and livestock producers. Beginning farmer projects focus on production of poultry on pasture, planning integrated farming systems, and product representation for market differentiation. As an organic inspector, she has inspected numerous organic farms, livestock operations, and handling (processing) facilities to ensure compliance with USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) and international organic standards. In support of their mission to promote consistency and integrity in the organic certification process, she served four years on the Board of Directors of the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA). She has helped develop Organic System Plan templates for certifiers and NOP. She currently has an organic garden and home orchard where she is humbly experimenting with the principles of healthy soil management.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Lewis and Clark College
Masters of Science in International Agricultural Development with a specialization in agronomy, University of California-Davis
Previous Experience:
Conducted on-farm research in Colombia, South America, and community education in organic farming and pest management in Guatemala, Central America.
Current Professional Affiliations and Committees:
Independent Organic Inspector, 2000-present
Inspector Member, Independent Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA)