The Organic Trade Association (OTA) honored eleven individuals for their longstanding commitment to advancing the organic movement during last night’s annual leadership awards event. Held at OTA’s Organic Week conference in Washington, D.C., the awards ceremony recognized industry leaders for driving and sustaining the growth of the organic sector on farms and in their communities, while prioritizing the benefits of organic agriculture for people and the planet. Awards were in categories for Organic Leadership and Organic Lifetime Achievement.
• Organic Farmers of the Year: George and Dora McClelland, McClelland Dairy Farm
• Organic Environmental Leadership: Kendra Klein, PhD, Friends of the Earth
• Organic Trailblazer: Mike Dill, Organically Grown Company
• Organic Social Impact: Marlon Foster, Knowledge Quest
The Distinguished 2026 Organic Lifetime Achievement Awards Honorees are:
• Andy and Rachel Berliner, Amy’s Kitchen
• Katherine DiMatteo, DiMatteo Consulting
• Maria Rodale, Rodale Institute
• Walter Robb, Stonewall Robb Advisors
• Bill Wolf, Wolf & Associates
More About the Organic Leadership Award Winners:
Organic Farmers of the Year – George and Dora McClelland
George and his wife, Dora, are stewards of the land, animals, and community, helping to advance organic agriculture in the Sonoma region. In the early 2000’s, their family farm transitioned to organic production and has since focused on pasture-based practices that promote animal welfare, healthy soils, and environmental sustainability. Reflecting these values the McClelland’s have participated in restoration and conservation efforts designed to improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and support carbon sequestration through regenerative farming practices. Today the McClelland’s – also high school sweethearts – run a fourth-generation operation, as they farm with their two grandsons.
As George reflects, “We started our organic farming journey in 2002 with our dairy farm, shipping our first organic milk in 2003. While I was nervous at first, organic has been a lifesaver for our farm and our entire community.”
Organic Environmental Leadership: Kendra Klein, PhD, Friends of the Earth
“I am deeply honored to receive the Organic Trade Association’s Environmental Impact Award. Organic agriculture is an environmental imperative—and one of our most powerful tools for building healthier soils, protecting biodiversity, and creating a healthier food system. Protecting our planet requires bold action and collective leadership—and I am proud to stand with the farmers, advocates, and changemakers building a healthier, more sustainable food system through advancing organic agriculture.”
Organic Trailblazer: Mike Dill, Organically Grown Company
The Organic Trailblazer Award honors OTA members who have dedicated their careers to advancing organic agriculture and trade by providing vision, innovative creations and solutions, and the work and leadership that makes dreams a reality. This year’s winner is Mike Dill, who oversees advocacy and sustainability for Organically Grown Company, the Northwest’s largest organic produce distributor.
In this role, Mike is the lead coordinator for the Organic Produce Wholesalers Coalition, representing organic wholesalers and growers to the National Organic Program, National Organic Standards Board and Legislators. Mike is also Vice-Chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Produce Sector Council and holds seats on the boards of the Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC), Washington’s Coalition for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). In 2024, Mike was appointed to the USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee by Secretary Tom Vilsack, and in 2025 Oregon Governor Tina Kotek appointed Mike to the Oregon Board of Agriculture.
As Mike shares, “I’m honored by this recognition, but no one blazes a trail alone. I’m fortunate to work for a company that invests in advocacy and to collaborate with farmers, businesses and mission-driven partners who challenge one another to strengthen organic agriculture and build a healthier, equitable and more resilient food system.”
Organic Social Impact: Marlon Foster, Knowledge Quest
The Social Impact Leadership Award honors individuals who have made outstanding efforts to be a source of positive inspiration and stability for customers and organic community members. The recipient of this year’s award is Marlon Foster, the founder of Green Leaf Learning Farm and its parent company, Knowledge Quest.
Established in 1999, and located in Memphis, TN, Green Leaf has been an organic specialty crop production farm since 2012. Marlon is considered a ‘social entrepreneur’ because of his unique approaches to community and economic development having transformed 30 formerly vacant, blighted lots and four abandoned structures into Memphis’ first USDA Certified Organic farm operation inclusive of an onsite processing facility, collegiate dormitory, organic grocery market, future Career and Ag Tech Education Center.
In Marlon’s words, “I’ve long respected the depth and intentionality behind the OTA Leadership Awards and it’s a special honor to be acknowledged by your professional peers. Receiving the Social Impact Award is even more of an honor as it looks beyond business acumen and celebrates how sound business practices within our sector can also service the greater public.”
Organic Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Organic Lifetime Achievement award recognizes OTA members who have dedicated their careers to the furtherance of organic agriculture and trade by providing broad vision, successful solutions, and the labor and leadership required to bring mission into reality.
“The unwavering commitment of this group of accomplished leaders symbolizes the passion and deep expertise within the organic sector,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of Organic Trade Association. “Organic Week is the perfect moment to celebrate their inspirational achievements, and we are grateful for their significant contributions that are driving the organic industry forward.”
More About the Organic Lifetime Achievement Honorees:
Andy & Rachel Berliner, Amy’s Kitchen
Andy and Rachel Berliner co-founded Amy’s Kitchen in 1987 after realizing how difficult it was to find convenient, great-tasting vegetarian food made with organic ingredients. Starting with a single vegetable pot pie made in their Northern California home, they helped pioneer the organic food movement and showed that food can be made at scale with the same care and quality as a home-cooked meal. Almost 40 years later, Amy’s remains independent and family-owned, guided by the Berliners’ longstanding commitment to organic agriculture, thoughtfully sourced ingredients and making it easier for people to eat well.
Katherine DiMatteo, DiMatteo Consulting
A tireless advocate for organic, DiMatteo served as the first executive director of the Organic Trade Association from 1990 to 2006. During this time, she was instrumental in shaping the U.S. National Organic Program (NOP) standards and the U.N. Codex Guidelines for organically produced foods. During her tenure at OTA, Katherine grew to be the principal spokesperson for the organic business community in the United States and a respected global leader. Today, she continues to provide policy and regulatory consulting services to the organic sector.
Walter Robb, Stonewall Robb Advisors
An investor, mentor, and advisor to the next generation of American food companies, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market Walter Robb has a long and varied entrepreneurial history, ranging from natural food retailer to farmer to consultant. Walter joined Whole Foods Market in 1991 and in 2010 became co-CEO, at which time he joined the Whole Foods Market Board of Directors. In 2017, he transitioned his leadership focus to mentoring and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs through the creation of Stonewall Robb Advisors. Today, Walter is Operating Partner at S2G Investments and serves on the Boards of Once Upon a Farm, 80 Acres, Big Bold Health, and Eat the Change (Just Iced Tea).
Maria Rodale, Rodale Institute
Maria Rodale is the co-chairman of the Rodale Institute, an independent scientific research and education non-profit that studies regenerative organic vs. chemical agriculture. She is the former CEO and Chairman of Rodale Inc, publisher of books such as Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth, and classics like The South Beach Diet. She also published the magazines Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Prevention, and Organic Gardening, among others. Maria is the author of Love Nature Magic, Scratch, and Organic Manifesto and is also the children’s book author, Mrs. Peanuckle.
Bill Wolf, Wolf Associates
Founder and Board Chair of Wolf Associates, Bill brings more than 55 years of experience developing and advocating for organic agriculture practices and producing certified organic products—from foods to fertilizer and pest controls. Bill is a pioneer, an activist, an author, and a serial entrepreneur whose significant contributions include founding the first national organic farming supply company, serving on the OTA Board of Directors as both President and Vice President, and serving as a co-founder and President of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). Bill’s activism, from founding a network of food co-ops to fighting pipelines in pristine wilderness to increasing food security in Appalachia, continues in the present day.
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