HISTORY

The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) is a thriving educational nonprofit organization serving farmers and others throughout the Midwest from an office located in rural Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Formed in 1999, the organization has been skillfully led ever since by Executive Director, Faye Jones.

MOSES grew out of the activities of the WI OCIA Educational Fund whose members and board, including Dave Engel (now of Nature's International Certification Service) recognized that there was a growing demand for educational resources for those interested in organic agriculture. Therefore the idea of MOSES - an entity devoted to the educational needs surrounding organic and sustainable production - was born.

Early MOSES activities focused on managing the ever-growing Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, first held and organized by WI OCIA in 1989. Originally the MOSES "office" was a closet in Faye's home. Eventually moving to a trailer on Faye's property, the organization continues organizing, not only the largest organic conference in the country, but a large number of additional projects. Today MOSES offers year long education about organic farming and certification through a variety of resources, trainings and field days. The staff, originally just Faye, has now grown to seven full time positions. For more about current MOSES projects and activities, please see our most recent Annual Report as well as our Projects and Resources page.