JEFF MOYER is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rodale Institute. He previously served the Institute for 43 years in positions such as Farm Director and Executive Director. The Board of Directors’ decision to appoint Moyer as CEO reflects his expertise and influence in the organic community at large, as well as the tremendous recent growth of Rodale Institute.
Recently, Rodale Institute has launched three Regional Resource Centers, satellite campuses aimed at conducting organic research throughout the country. The Institute has recently opened centers in Iowa, Georgia, and California. This is in addition to the four Rodale Institute-affiliated campuses in Pennsylvania, including the Kutztown headquarters.
Moyer’s expertise includes organic crop production systems with a focus on weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design. Moyer’s hands-on experience in organic agriculture brings a farmer’s perspective to the research, farmer training, and consumer education conducted by Rodale Institute.
Moyer started at Rodale Institute in 1976 in the position of Farm Laborer. He became Farm Manager in 1982 and later served as Farm Director, supervising research and operations of the 333-acre experimental farm for 15 years. Moyer was named Executive Director of the Institute in 2015.
Moyer is perhaps most well known for conceptualizing and popularizing the roller crimper, a technology that simplifies the execution of organic no-till agriculture. Currently in use across the nation and the world, the roller crimper has revolutionized the management of organic no-till systems and continues to evolve the operations of organic farmers today. Moyer also wrote and published a resource on the subject, Organic No-Till Farming: Advancing No-Till Agriculture, in 2011.
In conjunction with his position at Rodale Institute, Moyer also serves as chairman of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, as a Board Member of the Soil Health Institute and has previously served as Chair of the National Organic Standards Board, a founding Board Member of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, Chairman of the Board of The Seed Farm, part of the Green America Non-GMO Working Group, a Project Member of The Soil Renaissance Project, and a Board Member of both PA Farm Link and Soil Health Institute.
As CEO, Moyer continues to supervise the research, training, and education mission of Rodale Institute, as well as act as liaison to the Board of Directors and the Rodale Institute campuses across the country.