Dominica's first Domestic Organic Certification.
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Click HERE to view the activities and achievements
of DOAM during the Term 2008-2010
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Thank you to the many communities who have come together in support of the organic movement and the DOAM organization. Together, we can make great progress towards a healthy environment
DOAM thanks you for your support, and encourages you to attend the
DOAM Annual Meeting
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How to take a leadership role.
The membership of DOAM on September 2, 2010 will elect a new nine (9) Member Board of Directors who will guide DOAM through the next year of exponential growth in the Organic Sector.
It will be imperative that the organization elects a diverse, active board whose members will be passionately involved. The board will ensure oversight, governance, resources and support for DOAM.
The Board will
guide the strategic plan and future programming.
ensure and nurture adequate human and financial resources
interview, qualify, hire and evaluate the executive director
monitor and evaluate services and financial results
approve and systematically implement policies to ensure achievement
prevent perceived, potential, or actual conflict of interest.
- attend a monthly meeting plus a one-day board retreat. Attendance may be in person or by skype. - prepare for Board Meetings by reading / updating on Board affairs. Update information will be sent at least one week prior to each Baord meeting. - possibly serve as an officer of the Board or a committee chairperson, and perform other such duties as outlined in the By-Laws.
If you are wiling to fulfill the requirements and serve a one-year term on the DOAM Board of Directors, submit a "Willingness to Serve Statement".
The submission of your "Willingness to Serve Statement: will allow your name to be placed on the September 2nd ballot which will be presented to DOAM members at the Board or Directors Election.
What is a "Willingness to Serve Statement"?
A "Willingness to Serve Statement" allows others to know that you are willing to assume Board of Director responsibilities, and gives you the opportunity to suggest why you should be elected to a Board Position.
A "Willingness to Serve Statement" should include the following:
- Name and contact information
- Briefly describe how you see yourself making a contribution to the DOAM organization and the organic movement. Please include skills, experiences and interest.
- Briefly state boards or committees that you serve or have served on.
- State your interest in and connections to agriculture.
- Please state anything else you would like to share.
Members must submit a "Willingness to Serve Statement" to be eligible for the ballot.
How to submit the "Willingness to Serve Statement":
There are two ways to submit your "Willingness to Serve Statement":
1. Submit your "Willingness to Serve Statement" by August 28, either by email sent to inquiry@doamdominica.org or in person at the DOAM Office.
All statements submitted before August 29 will be placed on the DOAM website, as well as, on the printed AGM Ballot.
If you wish to have a picture on the DOAM websitenext to your "Willingness to Serve Statement" , please one with your application, or come by the DOAM Office and we will take one of you and upload to the website.
2. You may bring your "Willingness to Serve Statement " with you to the Board of Directors Election on September 2 which begins at 1:30 pm sharp Or starting at !2:30 pm "Willingness to Serve Statement" forms will be available at the membership desk.
Members submitting a "Willingness to Serve Statement" at the meeting will need to stand and present the statement to the membership at the meeting. This statement will not be printed on the ballot, only the name of the candidate will be on the ballot.
Election procedures:
On September 2, commencing at 1:30 pm the DOAM membership will elect nine (9) Board members by a post-to-go printed ballot system, whereby the nine (9) candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to the board.
At 1:30 pm sharp the DOAM Board of Directors Election shall commence.
All Board of Director candidates who have not as yet submitted a "Willingness to Serve Statement" will be asked to do so. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to formally deliver her/his "Willingness to Serve Statement" to the membership.
The candidates who have submitted their statements for publication to the website and printed ballot before Aug. 29, and are in
attendance, will be introduced and may formally address the membership
Candidates who are not able to attend, may submit a video statement. Please call the DOAM Office if you wish DOAM to film your statement.
All candidates will have their names
placed upon the ballot. Only the pre-submitted "Willingness
to Serve Statements" will be printed on the ballot.
Upon completion of all candidate statements, balloting instructions will be given, and the Ballots will be handed out to all members present. Each members will be allowed to vote for up to nine candidates. Members will have until 2:30 pm, the beginning of the AGM, to return all ballots.
Votes will be counted during the AGM and when the count is
completed the new Board of Directors will be introduced.
Organic farmer along with my husband Matthew Luke for 28 years in Pond Casse on our farm Rainforest Mushrooms Dominica. We conduct farm tours educating about sustainable environmentally sound practices of living and working in the rainforest. We practice permaculture on our small farm holding in the forest and sustainable harvesting of forest resources. I was a member of the steering committee which led to the establishment of DOAM, prior to this; I contributed to other efforts to establish an organic farmers organization. Then served in different capacities as DOAM board member at intervals over 2 years. I would like to be a board member as a representative of the established farmers PGS, Participatory Guarantee System I feel that it is important to identify who the organic farmers are and how much acreage is now being farmed organic as well as how much acreage can be utilized for organic farming. This will give farmers a voice in requesting inputs and assistance. In particular, I am interested to get to know the other organic farmers who are in the buffer zone of the Morne Trois Piton World Heritage Site.
Donna Klarin
I am presently the Secretary of the DOAM Board of Directors having served for the past two years. I am the DOAM Webmaster and served as the DOAM Project Manger for the FAVACA Jimmy Buffet Foundation grant. I seek re-election to the Board so I may continue to serve as a Director and further both the DOAM organization and the organic movement.
I have years of experience working in the NGO, non-profit sector as Board Member, development officer, and as Executive Director of educational institutions. I have been a vegetarian/vegan for 29 years and enjoy growing/preparing farm-to-fork for personal and commercial, and living/promoting an environmentally, healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
My immediate vision for DOAM includes steady growth in unifying the interests in the organic sector and providing help/awareness/support for farmers, consumers, all stakeholders to continually protect Dominica's natural resources and biodiversity, improve the quality of soils and long-term productivity, improve market access and profitability in farming, and improve the health, reduce the health risks for farmers, farm-workers and consumers, while building and strengthening a strong domestic market and engaging government's cooperation and support.
Tony Kleese
My journey with DOAM and Dominica began when I learned of the
efforts to establish a grassroots organic farming movement on the island and that
Clemson University had a research facility, the Archbold Tropical Research and
Education Center (ATREC) located at Springfield.I spoke with director, Dr. Merle Shepard, and he urged me to
find a way to get to the island and share the experiences I had gained through
20 years of service, building a local and organic food system in the Carolinas.I requested and received funding from
Jimmy Buffett’s Singing for Change Foundation for an exploratory trip which I took in the
summer of 2008.
While in Dominica, I spoke to members
of DOAM both as a group and individually and met and established a working relationship with Demian Pasquarelli of FAVACA.
Demian and I worked with the DOAM Board and created a proposal to submit to
Singing for Change, which resulted in the award of a significant grant to DOAM in
2009.
I visited the island again
in July 2009, became a member of DOAM, and have been assisting the Board with
fundraising and organizational development since then.
I have been active in the Carolina and US sustainable
agriculture movement as a farmer and an activist since 1989. I have managed
several organic vegetable and cut flower operations across North Carolina and
am a founding member of Eastern Carolina Organics, www.easterncarolinaorganics.com. I
helped develop the USDA's National Organic Standards as Coordinator of the Organic
Trade Association's Organic Certifiers Council.I have been the Coordinator and an Instructor, and still
serve on the Advisory Board for the Sustainable Farming Program at Central
Carolina Community College http://www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/sustainableagriculture/.
My most relevant work to DOAM has been with the Carolina
Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA), www.carolinafarmstewards.org,
the DOAM of North and South
Carolina.Over the 21 years that I have
been a member, I have served as Certification Chair (4 years), Board of Director Member (6 years, 3 as president) Organic Farm Inspector (8
years), and Executive Director (7 years).I truly understand what it takes to build a grassroots local and organic
movement, and I am willing to bring that experience to DOAM and Dominica.
If I am elected to the Board, I will continue to focus on
fundraising, and organizational and staff development.I am also interested in supporting the development of a
local organic seed, and crop production and distribution system.My intention is to help DOAM be the
catalyst for establishing a local organic food system on the island as a component
of fulfilling the goals outlined in the UNEP Report ‘Transforming Dominica Into an Organic Island”. My most ambitious vision would be for
Dominica to become the world’s first organic country.
These are the things that I think are possible if the people
of Dominica and members of DOAM are motivated to make them happen.Thank you for your consideration of my
nomination.
Doug White
My wife Leslie and I have owned and operated Jacko Farm, Syndicate since 2006 as a micro organic citrus farm and are beginning our fifth season of exporting Dominica transitional organic produce, primarily citrus to the US Virgin Islands.We have developed a small CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) network in the VI through Email and are able to sell our produce through our members.
We are actively developing our small 2.5 acre farm according to DOAM’s Organic Standards and hope to participate in the current PGS.We are also working with Vernon Daniel in developing the farm and alternative corps for Jacko Farm.We have developed an onsite composting facility and are in the process of experimenting with making extracts from citrus.
We are on Dominica every two or three months, and we would like to support DOAM in any way that we can and we are currently selling our organically grown produce in the Organic Shop in Roseau.
Past Boards & Committees I have served on:
Charter Member & Past President: Rotary Club of St. John
Charter Member & Past President: Island Green Building Association of St. John www.igba-stjohn.orgCommittee Chair: IGBA Residential Tropical Green Building Certification Program.
Past President:VI Chapter: American Institute of Architects
Past President: St. Thomas Historic Trust
I am interested in serving on the DOAM Board of Directors and promoting organic agriculture because it is an essential element for healthy living. I believe, we, as Caribbean people, must take control of our destiny and produce our own healthy food.
Access to healthy food is the essence of well being!Our Mission Statement regarding our commitment to sustainability and organic agriculture is posted on our website. www.jackofarm.com
I am interested in the movement to transform Dominica into an organic island and excited about the prospect of Dominica becoming the world's first organic country. I would be pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the efforts being made to make this happen.
Having been raised in a family with an agricultural tradition I feel strongly that Dominica has a promising future in Agriculture. I believe the island is uniquely positioned at this time to take its prominent place in the world in Organic Agriculture, Health and Wellness. We are currently reviving agriculture on the family estate - Hampstead Estate - and promoting only organic agriculture there.
By way of experience, for four and a half years I was Secretary General of the Dominica National Commission for Unesco, and I was principal of three government secondary schools over the past twenty two years.
With regard to boards and committees, I was President of the Caribbean and the Dominican Association of Principals of Secondary Schools. I am presently a director of WEF and of Arbeedee Ltd.
My main interests are travelling, hiking and horticulture. I am interested and willing to help DOAM and the organic sector.
Sara S. Anderson
I would like to make a contribution to the DOAM organization and the organic movement.
1. I am most interested in seeing Dominica declare its agriculture all-organic. I am an educator and administrator, so I am good at organizing and implementing.
2. I want to reach out to farmers and convince them that organic agriculture is a better business than conventional agriculture.
3. At the same time, I want to enlist the help of government and trade to assure that this is the truth. I think we need to bring along farmers and government simultaneously. The farmers must lobby the government for support of organic agriculture, locally and for export. The government must respond to the needs of the farmers who want to go organic. DOAM knows or will find out what these needs are and facilitate delivery.
4. In the area of consumerism, I want to help foster a Dominica-wide public awareness campaign against the use of herbicides, pesticides and petrochemical fertilizers.
I have not served on any boards or committees in Dominica in the past.
I have a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resource Conservation from Texas A&M University in the USA. I was an organic farmer from 1978-1991. I am currently a teacher of the Transcendental Meditation programme for stress reduction and higher consciousness.
I am interested in helping the Board accomplish its mission in the coming year and would like to and am willing to serve on the DOAM Board of Directors.
We would like to be part of the Board of directors, we want to apply as Tombe Leve NGO (so one of our members will be able to be present and present it to others).
Valerie Roghi, Lewis Derry, Sarah Elwin .
As active members of the NGO Tombe Leve, we would like to bring our contribution to the board of DOAM, sharing our experiences, energies and believes in the organic farming in the island. We already participate in a few gatherings concerning organic farming, as most of our members are organic farmers, personally or professionally.
We would like to introduce the ITAL FEST we are organising for February, 2011.