WASHINGTON – The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recently gained four new members, the US Department of Agriculture reported.

The new members fill positions that represent various segments of the organic foods community. Members include individuals with expertise in environmental protection and conservation; operate an organic production or handling operation; or own or operate a retail establishment that does significant trade in organic products. Appointees will serve five-year terms beginning Jan. 24, 2015, and ending on Jan. 24, 2020.


The appointees include:

• Ashley Swaffer, Fayetteville, Ark., will fill the open producer seat on the board. Swaffer currently serves as the Director of Special Projects at Arkansas Egg Company.

• Tom Chapman, Belmont, Calif., will fill the open handler seat on the board. Chapman currently serves as the sourcing manager for Ingredients for Clif Bar and Company in Belmont.

• Lisa de Lima, Gaithersburg, Md., will fill the open retailer seat on the board. She currently serves as vice president of Grocery for MOM’s Organic Market, which sells only 100 percent organic produce.

• Paula Daniels from Los Angeles will fill the environmental protection and resource conservation seat on the board. Daniels serves as the senior advisor on Food Policy for Los Angeles. Currently, she is on sabbatical to write and teach in the area of food policy.

NOSB members include four organic farmers, two handlers, three environmentalists, three consumer advocates, a scientist, an organic retailer and an organic certifying agent.