Current AJP Governance Committee Members:

The Ag. Justice Project is stakeholder-driven, and committed to the principles of democratic leadership. We believe that all members of the food chain should have a role in developing and guiding our standards and certification program.

AJP is governed by three committees. The Management Committee carries out daily activities, and is overseen by the Advisory Committee. The Standards Committee is convened once every 5 years to revise our standards language.

Our Stakeholders

The size and membership of the Advisory and Standards Committees are determined based on principles of equal representation. AJP has identified key stakeholder groups: Farmers, Workers (food system workers and farmworkers), Retailers, Food Businesses (manufacturers, processors or brand holders), and Indigenous Communities. Committees are established with an equal number of representatives from each stakeholder group to the extent possible. Representatives from additional groups, such as civil-society NGOs or certifiers, are also welcome to join.

Management Committee Members

The Management Committee carries out the operations of the Ag. Justice Project and implements Food Justice Certification. Members currently consist of representatives of the four founding non-profits of the Agricultural Justice Project, but future membership is not limited by this criteria. Members must be able to contribute significant staff time to the committee to carry out daily activities. For more information about how to become a member, please contact: agjusticeproject@gmail.com

1. Michael Sligh, Rural Advancement Foundation International, NC
2. Sally Lee, Rural Advancement Foundation International, NC
3. Elizabeth Henderson, Northeastern Organic Farming Association, NY
4. Leah Cohen, Florida Organic Growers, FL
5. Marty Mesh, Florida Organic Growers, FL
6. Nelson Carrasquillo, The Farmworker Support Committee, NJ
7. Jessica Culley, The Farmworker Support Committee, NJ
8. Alexa Malishchak, The Farmworker Support Committe, NJ

 

Advisory Committee Members

The AJP Advisory Committee is active year-round, oversees the work of the Management Committee, and offers guidance to the MC on standards interpretation, policy development, and many other issues. The AC meets by conference call to consider any program or standards changes proposed by the MC, and has at least one annual meeting to discuss the direction of the project. Members must be able to contribute time to carefully consider revisions and guide the program in annual meetings and in urgent revisions scenarios. For more information about how to become a member, please contact: agjusticeproject@gmail.com

1. Ernesto Bustos, Centro Campesino, MN
2. Yolanda Gomez, Farmworkers Association of Florida, FL
3. Tirso Moreno, Farmworkers Association of Florida, FL
4. Jose Oliva, Restaurant Opportunities Center United
5. Kristen Woodhouse, Organic Valley, WI
6. Liz Haywood, Bluff Country Coop, MN
7. Lisa Sass Zaragosa, University of Minnesota, MN
8. Keith Talbot, Workers Legal Rights Project, NJ
9. Bonnie Wideman, Midwestern Organic Services Association, WI
10. Sandy Brown, Swantonberry Farm, CA
11. Jim Cochran, Swantonberry Farm, CA
12. Jack Hedin, Featherstone Farm, WI
13. Margaret Marshall, Featherstone Farm, WI
14. Cynthia Barstow, Seed to Shelf, University of Massachusetts, MA
15. Jo Ann Lo, Food Chain Workers Alliance
16. Martha Guzman, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, CA

 

Standards Committee Members

The Standards Committee is convened formally every 5 years for the AJP standards revision process. Committee members are invited to participate based on expertise or experience in a particular area of the food system the AJP standards cover. Members may be called upon on occassion in between 5-year revisions to address urgent standards revision issues. For more information about how to become a member, please contact: agjusticeproject@gmail.com

Our most recent Standards Committee Members from the 2010 Standards Revision Process:

1. Rosalinda Guillen, Community to Community, WA
2. Grace Cox, Olympia Coop, WA
3. Tirso Moreno, Farmworkers Association of Florida, FL
4. Luis Tlaseca, CATA, NJ
5. Carlos Diaz, CATA, NJ
6. Martha Guzman, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, CA
7. Sandy Brown, Swantonberry Farm, CA
8. Chela Vasquez, Pesticide Action Network
9. Ken Hayes, Soil Association, UK
10. Jack Hedin, Featherstone Farm, WI
11. Rufus Haucke, Keewaydin Farms, MN
12. Marty Butts, Syracuse Food Coop, NY
13. Liz Haywood, Bluff Country Coop, MN
14. Suzette Snowcob, Greenfield Coop, NY
15. Oscar Mendieta, RENACE, Bolivia
16. Bonnie Wideman, Midwestern Organic Services Association, WI
17. Alexis Baden-Mayer, Organic Consumers Association
18. Jose Oliva, Restaurant Opportunities Center United