Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 2024-12-02

OCIA Meeting Minutes for December 2, 2024

The meeting was brought to order by Simeon Mosel, President at 7:08 pm.  Roll call was made with those present Simeon Mosel, Rick Schuchardt, Genny Mosel. Kim Mosel and Travis Wingate.  Absent were Karen Ostry, Heather Lutz, Ryan Volk, and Dustin Blair.

Minutes of the last meeting held on November 4 were not read as everyone had received a copy from Karen for their review prior to this meeting.  Motion was made to approve the minutes, seconded, and approved by all.

Old Business:  Plans for the annual membership meeting to be held in Norfolk on January 4, 2025, are being finalized with the expectation of about 40 people attending.  HyVee has been contacted for catering the food that include two meats, potatoes, vegetables and veg trays, organic coffee, etc.  Cost will average about $20 per person with 20 disposable carry out containers and 20 trays.  Setup for the event will be on January 3, Friday afternoon with media, tables, etc. Saturday’s event will start with registration at 9 am with business meeting at 10 am. Our first of two speakers in the afternoon will begin at 1 pm and closing by 3 pm with the farm panel.

The AGMM speakers for the afternoon will be Matt O’Hern, Scoular Grain to replace John Meurett at 1:00 pm followed by Margaret Smith, Albert Lea Seed Co on Zoom. There was some additional discussion about recognizing a Featured Farmer of the Year for our chapter during the farm panel discussion.

Rick Schuchardt attended the Kearney Gateway Expo on November 20-21, 2024, Crowds were low on the first day due to the excessive high wind on November 20. The chapter’s booth and display were in a good spot in one of the two exhibit halls.  There were about a half dozen organic producers that stopped by the booth, several others that were in transition, and about a half dozen operators who were very interested in organics.

New Business:  The Board approved $250 for the Luncheon Sponsorship at OCIA International Annual Meeting in Council Bluffs in 2025. A complimentary 3.5 x 2 inch ad in the spring issue of OCIA’s newsletter, The Communicator.  A motion was moved by Travis Wingate and seconded by Genny Mosel and approved by all.  A motion to recognize Larry Stanislav by Travis Wingate for his work on the farm tour video series with the chapter’s $500 farm tour payment will be present at the meeting. It was seconded by Genny Mosel and approved by all.

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made at 7:45 pm and seconded and approved.  The next BOD meeting is scheduled with the January 4, 2025 annual meeting.

Minutes were prepared by:

Rick Schuchardt

Vice president