OFRF Names New Director

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has named Brise Tencer as its new executive director. Tencer brings 14 years of leadership experience working on organic food policy, farming and research issues, and strong relationships across all sectors of the organic community. She most recently served as director of policy and programs for California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). At CCOF, she managed the government affairs and grower education program, coordinated their regional chapters of members, and ran a grant-making program. Prior to that, she served as lead lobbyist on food and agriculture issues for the Union of Concerned Scientists. There she developed legislative campaigns on a range of agricultural issues, including organic (focusing on the connection between organic practices and climate change), USDA research priorities, and food safety. She also worked on a successful campaign to end overuse of antibiotics in livestock production. 

Tencer worked as acting policy program director and later as legislative coordinator for The Organic Farming Research Foundation from 2000 to 2006. While here, she helped initiate the Organic Agricultural Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Organic Farmers Action Network (OFAN), a grass-roots political action network to support organic-friendly policies. She helped secure language in the Agriculture Risk Management Act of 2000, which said that organic farming was considered a “good farming practice,” that enabled organic producers to be eligible to participate in federal crop insurance programs for the first time.

Tencer has also served on the boards of the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, the California Climate and Agricultural Network, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. 

“I am excited for the future with OFRF,” said Tencer, “and focused on furthering OFRF’s research, education, and policy work. I plan to build on OFRF’s past record of significant accomplishments in Washington. The recent Farm Bill provided significant funds for organic research and also grew several other research programs. Our job ahead will involve evaluating where these funds are going and ensuring they are used to best meet the needs of organic farmers. We will be continuing to grow and strengthen our own grant-making program in a way that complements federal research programs. As part of this work, we will be actively identifying research needs of organic growers and working to get research results into the hands of farmers.

“My first month on the job has been a busy one. OFRF recently provided $66,167.00 in grant funding in the spring 2014 cycle to five research projects, ranging from the breeding of organic open pollinated sweet corn varieties to developing new grains that grow in varied climates in the Northwest. A couple of weeks ago, I served on a panel about the state of organic research at the Organic Trade Association Policy and Hill Visits Conference in Washington, D.C. It was gratifying to be reminded of the impact OFRF has had over the years on the advance of organic farming research and exciting to have new collaborations emerge for even greater impact. 

“It is humbling and inspiring for me to take the helm of this vital organization and I am looking forward to leading OFRF’s next chapter. From the beginning, OFRF has been about the organic farmers and the community (researchers, policy makers, businesses and others) who support their success. I have been privileged to work in this community for more than a decade and I am deeply committed to OFRF’s leadership role in articulating and advancing our shared vision of a thriving organic farming sector.”

Brise Tencer can be reached at 831-426-6606 or at brise@ofrf.org.