December 2023 - 24

Andrew Kirk
Andrew Kirk serves in a multiTara
Oomen
faceted role at Ohio State University's
Ashtabula Agricultural Research
Station, with research, Extension
and farm management duties. He
joined OSU in 2016 after completing a master's degree
in horticulture at Lincoln University in New Zealand.
Since then, Kirk has worked in a wide range of capacities
and on many projects, aiming to grow and promote
northeastern Ohio's specialty fruit industries.
Kelly Liberator
Kelly Liberator, AgBiome's director
of technical service, is a leader with
more than 17 years of experience
translating intricate agricultural and
biological concepts into practical
solutions for farmers. At AgBiome, Liberator leads
the technical service team and its field trial program
to deliver customer-focused products to stakeholders
across the industry. Liberator obtained her master's
degree in plant pathology from North Carolina State
University and a bachelor's in environmental science
from the University of Maryland.
Matthew Macrie
Matthew Macrie resides in
Hammonton, New Jersey, with
his wife and two children. He's a
manager at his family's farm, Macrie
Brothers Blueberry Farm, which also
grows soybeans. Macrie has always had a passion for
farming and has been involved with his family farm. He
enjoys educating people on farming and where their food
comes from. Macrie also dedicates time to local and state
agricultural boards.
Andrew Ochs
Andrew Ochs is a sixth-generation
farmer living in northeastern
Pennsylvania. His family runs a
diverse operation that highlights the
best things about farming. Through
a YouTube channel called " The Veggie Boys, " the family
strives to educate the world on where food originates,
while providing quality produce to the people in their area.
Tara Oomen is a senior agronomic
solutions advisor for BASF in
west Michigan. She specializes in
on-farm support and agronomic
recommendations across BASF's
portfolio of products. Oomen's passion for agriculture
started early while growing up on her family's fruit and
vegetable farm, Oomen Veggie Co. She is passionate about
learning and is pursuing a master's degree in agricultural
economics from Purdue University and an MBA from
Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Valerie Ramsburg
Valerie Ramsburg manages the
digital and print marketing for Rice
Fruit Company, a packer, marketer
and shipper of fresh apples in Adams
County, Pennsylvania. She was a
member of the U.S. Apple Association's Young Apple
Leader Class of 2012 and is an avid photographer and
social media and digital content creator. Ramsburg is
also responsible for the implementation of Rice Fruit's
pollinator garden initiative, which converts open green
spaces into sanctuaries for pollinator species.
Kyle Rasch
Kyle Rasch, a third-generation apple
farmer who works with his father
and grandfather at Rasch & Sons
Orchards, Greenville, Michigan, is
part of a growing team that works
with nature to regenerate soil, ecosystems, farmers
and community health. " Organic " Rasch consults with
farms around the world and shares his experiences at
conferences, tours and through mentoring others. Rasch
is a Michigan State Horticultural Society board member
and a director at Third Leaf Farm.
Chad Reenders
A fourth-generation grower,
Chad Reenders has been farming
blueberries with his family since
2006. Recently, Reenders started his
own blueberry farm and also farms
with his brother-in-law on 120 acres. Reenders is the
president of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee,
an organization dedicated to protecting the state's
blueberry farms and farmers.
24 | DECEMBER 2023
December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023
