East Region Winner
Anais Beddard, Lady Moon Farms (Pennsylvania, Florida, and Georgia).
Anais Beddard’s parents bought a small organic farm as newlyweds with a dream of raising their kids in a healthy environment. Today, it is a 3,000- acre operation with production in three states, Pennsylvania (headquarters), Florida, and Georgia. Beddard has a background in finance and played a pivotal role in building the operation to what it is today.
One of her two nominators noted how she funnels much of the farm’s profits back to the employees in major bonuses. In the past five years, she has paid more than $1 million in bonuses. While she uses H-2A, all other workers on her farm are direct employees, no contract firms. Also, all managerial positions are filled from within the ranks. She arranges for training and leaders to be bilingual. She is also on the Executive Board of The Foundation for Farmworkers, an organization that “is generating funds to provide services and support for farmworker families to be free from fear of family separation, to recover from disaster, and to pursue higher education,” according to the Foundation.
She has also been ahead of the curve in the regenerative movement. She was a founding member of the Real Organic Project and served on its Executive Board. She remains on the advisory board.
Eggplant and Tomato Tart