Evrett Lunquist, Director of Certification
Email: evrett@Demeter-USA.org
Born and raised in Minnesota, Evrett Lunquist discovered his love of agriculture in college. He went on to complete a self-designed bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems where he studied food science, agronomy, and infrastructures and cultural dynamics involved with the field to table journey of food. He first encountered Biodynamics in 1992 while studying a Wisconsin produce farm inspired by Camphill Communities. He ended up returning to that farm and lived there for two years and followed his Biodynamic interest with an intensive two-week training at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. Then, in 1996, Evrett Lunquist founded with his wife and kids a diverse Biodynamic produce farm integrated with livestock in southeast Nebraska. He has made all the Biodynamic preparations over the years with the guidance of many individuals at Biodynamic conferences and personal interactions. Expanding the scope of his involvement with Biodynamics, Evrett began inspecting farms and processors for Demeter USA in 2001. Evrett has also inspected for numerous organic certifiers, has extensive inspection training from the International Organic Inspectors Association and has worked as a certification reviewer for several certification agencies. Evrett comes to Demeter USA with a passion for farming, high quality food and its preparation, and educating others about organic and Biodynamic practices.

Sarah Rhynalds, Certification Manager
Email: Sarah@demeter-usa.org
Sarah grew up a farm girl in the heart of Nebraska. Her earliest memories are ‘steering’ dad’s truck in the corn field rows while dad threw hay bales off the back feeding the cattle in winter, playing in the grain trucks while dad dumped corn on her straight from the combine till dark and moving cattle the old fashion way on her horse. This instilled in her a lifelong passion, respect and dedication to growing the food that fuels our very existence.

After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Horticulture, her first job was at a garden center in North Carolina. Her biodynamic journey began there when Evan Folds introduced her to the Preparations and Steve Storch’s Vortex Brewer®. She finally felt like she had found a way of life and a way of farming that is all interconnected to the universal pantheism she believes in. She spent the next 10 years working in all areas of her field and then had the wonderful opportunity to be a stay at home mom and raise two wild boys in the back woods of central Pennsylvania. In her search to return to the work world, she took the IOIA organic crop inspector training. Anna Hansen, of Jack Rabbit Hill Farm was one of her classmates. This sparked her next step of reaching out to Demeter USA.

Sarah started part time with Demeter USA in March of 2018 and was working full time by August. Sarah oversees new member coordination, current member communication, timely document flow of the whole organization and coordinates the inspection schedules. She works from her home in Millheim, PA, where she has a small biodynamic garden to feed her family, loves caring for Buff Orpington chickens, and keeps up with her little boys.

She believes with all her heart that our whole world relies on the top 6 inches of soil....and through that small space of soil we WILL heal the earth through Agriculture.

Andy Bennett, Certification Services
Email: andy@demeter-usa.org
Andy has been a Demeter USA team member since 2014 and he’s been inspecting farms since 2001 with Food Alliance, USDA NOP Organic and Demeter USA. Carrying this knowledge out to the field, Andy is able to educate farmers on Biodynamic practices.

Andy earned a B.S. in Agriculture from Oregon State University giving him a good educational foundation. He has real life experience of 11 1/2 years with Norpac Foods Field Department, 11 1/2 years with Stahlbush Island Farms as Field Rep and Crop & IPM Advisor to the Farm Management and owners, a senior staff farm inspector with Oregon Tilth and a part time Certification Staff Inspector and Initial Reviewer with Stellar Certification Services / Demeter Association.

He lives on 3 beautiful acres in rural Benton County Oregon. He has taught an ongoing Free Tai Chi Class in Corvallis Oregon for the past 22 years. He has wonderful grandkids and enjoys spending time with my family and friends.