Sue Baird

Missouri Organic Farmer Hears Positive News During OFAN Fly-in

Missouri organic farmer Sue Baird is a veteran on the political front. She currently serves as head of the Missouri Organic Farmers Association and is the former manager of the Missouri State Dept. of Agriculture Organic Program. In fact, it was her involvement with the program that persuaded her to transition her 160-acre farm to organic production

Baird characterizes her Joyful Melodies Farm just south of Columbia, Missouri, as small and diverse with roughly 70 farmable acres producing mixed vegetables, grass fed beef and roughly 100 free-range chickens. She says making a living on the farm has been a struggle despite strong organic demand. She and her husband sell their vegetables and meat at two Columbia restaurants and at the Columbia Farmers Market.

Baird says visiting Washington as part of the Farmer Fly-in to Washington, D.C., in July has inspired her because of the strong positive feeling coming out of the new administration, and that the messages coming out of Washington suggest it's a new day for organic producers in her state and around the country.