Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 2025-11-10

OCIA Nebraska

Board of Director Zoom Meeting

November 10, 2025 7:00 p.m.

Simeon Mosel called the meeting to order. 

Roll call:  Simeon Mosel, Rick Schuchardt, Karen Ostry, Matt Adams, Andrew Textley Jacob Passyka and Kim Mosel.

Secretary Minutes were sent to all board members and read.  One correction on the BOD Meeting 08/04/2025 is that Andrew Textley will be manning the booth at the Gateway Farm Expo in Kearney.   Andrew Textley made a motion to approve the minutes and Matt Adams seconded it.  All approved.

Treasurer’s report:  A yearly report and a budget are needed for the annual meeting.  TOPP grant was received.  Membership income was $6275.00 and sponsorship income was $1900.00.  Total income was $28,900.00.  Expenses as of November was $14,279.26.  Net income is $24,496.70 and the checking account has $15,584.44 and waiting on $3990.15 in outstanding checks.  There will be $5900.00 coming from TOPP in the future.  Jacob Passyka made the motion to approve the treasurer’s report, Rick Schuchardt seconded and all were in favor. 

Program Administrator Report:  Since August we have 64 members with 5 new and 7 that declined.  1^st Interstate Bank was sold to Security 1^st Bank where OCIA Nebraska does their banking.  April 2026 we may need to buy new checks with the new bank’s name.  Intermedia Cloud Communication was used for telephone conference calls.  It was disconnected for us because we didn’t use the services anymore.

Old business:  Annual meeting will be Saturday January 10, 2026 at UNL Eastern Research, Extension and Education Center near Ithaca, NE.   Matt Adams looking for a speaker on field peas for the afternoon.  Andrew Textley will help set up food for the meeting figuring on 25-30 members attending and Parker’s Smokehouse from Ashland can do it between $15.00 to $17.00 a plate.  Kim, Matt, and Rick will set up on Friday.  New board member nomination will be Jacob Passyka and we need his bio to show to the members at the meeting.  It was suggested that if anyone is interested in organics to have them come to our annual meeting.

Husker Harvest Days booth attracted 9 people that wanted more information on organics.

Scholarship applications need to be sent to State FFA headquarters so they can send out to the high schools. The scholarship has one applicant for 2026. 

New Business:  We will have a booth at the Gateway Farm Expo in Kearney.  Andrew Textley will watch it on both days, November 19-20.

December 2^nd UNL will have a transition meeting for farmers interested in organics.  Matt Adams will be at the meeting and will be on the panel discussion.  Event is free with lunch and vendors pay $150 for a table.

December 9-11 Ag Expo in Lincoln with Rick Schuchardt setting up booth on Tuesday, Matt on Wednesday and Jacob on Thursday.

We could send UNL Agriculture Deans an invitation to our annual meeting.

TOPP’s video plan for 2026:  work on 5 videos each year, Wagon Wheel Farm tour, organic oat production, and Integrity Data Base.

New book on Cover Crop 101 costs $13.99 each.  We could order 20 books and sell items for the group.  Motion was made by Matt Adams and seconded by Jacob Passyka to order the books.  All approved.

Megan Kvols:  Deb Fischer’s Agriculture Outreach Director request was received, but we missed the window of opportunity.  She has not returned Rick’s calls.

National Drought Mitigation Center will be linked to our website by Phillip Schuchardt.  UNL lead scientist is working on map with weather on it and working through a federal website.  Goal is to get people to the Nebraska Map.  Matt Adams made a motion and seconded by Jacob Passyka to attach link to our website.  All approved.

Meeting was adjourned with motion from Andrew Textley and seconded by Matt Adams.  All approved.