The National Organic Standards Board has 15 members who serve five-year terms, though the terms are not equally staggered. The membership is comprised of four farmers, three environmentalists or resource conservationists, three consumer or public interest advocates, two handlers or processors, one retailer, one scientist, and one certifying agent. In January this year, Dr. Francis Thicke was appointed to the board to replace Barry Flamm in one of the environmentalist positions. A year ago, five new members joined the board: Harold Austin (handler), Carmela Beck (farmer/producer), Tracy Favre (environmentalist), Jean Richardson (consumer/ ­public interest), and Andrea “Zea” Sonnabend (scientist). Miles […]