Organizational Development Work

As we enter the third year of our organizational development project, we are reexamining the MOFGA bylaws and beginning work on the organization's next 5-Year Plan (2005 - 2009). The MOFGA Board has authorized changes to a couple of items in the bylaws and will be reviewing bylaws change recommendations from the many MOFGA committees. Incremental changes will be presented for membership approval at MOFGA's Annual Meeting this coming January. A comprehensive revision of the bylaws will be presented to the membership for approval at the 2005 meeting.

Revised bylaws recently approved by the MOFGA Board include the following:

1. Public Policy Committee Duties (Article VI, Section 1c.) "Shall review existing and proposed legislation and regulations on a federal and state level that are relevant to organic gardening and farming, sustainable agriculture, natural resource protection, and food safety and, from time to time, make the results of this review known to the Board of Directors. May support legislative and regulatory proposals, subject to authorization by the Board of Directors."

2. Apprentice Committee (Article VI, Section 1g.) Given that the administration of MOFGA Apprenticeship activities has taken place with the backing of MOFGA's Educational Programs Committee, the MOFGA Board approved eliminating this line from the Bylaws, effectively changing the Apprentice Committee from a standing committee of the board to a subcommittee of Educational Programs.

At its December 2004 meeting, the MOFGA Board will review proposed revisions to the descriptions of duties for the Buildings and Grounds Committee and the Educational Programs Committee. We will keep members apprised of developments relating to the bylaws.

Anyone wishing to get involved in the process of examining and updating the Bylaws, and/or helping craft the next 5-Year Plan should contact Heather Spalding in the MOFGA Office.

--Heather Spalding