April Hammerand

About April Hammerand

Specialties: Organizing collaborative, participative and constructive dialogue for learning and decision-making involving experts, politicians and local actors.I completed a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. This practical degree in Environmental Communication and Natural Resource Management trained students in collaborative techniques and communicated skills geared to help communities improve decision-making processes by working across disciplines at the individual, group, and policy level. My Master’s Thesis, “The meaning-making of the Bondens egen Marknad, a farmers market organization,” explored members (producers/farmers/processors) interpretations of the term “farmers market” within a farmers market organization in Sweden. Using Symbolic Interactionist theory, the research focused on the creation of the shared message, motives, goals, perceived trust-building, and the interdependence between producer and consumer at the farmers market. The goal of the research was to help the organization reflect upon how to strategically plan for the future and how to effectively work together to achieve their goals. Follow the link to read the full thesis: http://ex-epsilon.slu.se/3314/More about SLU\'s Environmental Communication and Management

Experience

1. Certification Specialist

   CCOF

   Sep 2014 — Present

   California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited organic certifying agency and trade association, located in Santa Cruz, California. Formed in 1973, CCOF was the first organic certification entity in the United States. As one of the first organic certification agencies, CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) has strong roots in the history of the organic movement. Although our beginnings were humble in 1973, CCOF was instrumental in advocating for federal organic legislation; our organic certification standards were used as a foundation for the USDA National Organic Program, finally making “certified organic” a federally regulated claim. After more than 30 years of fighting for organic integrity, we continue to certify, educate, advocate, and promote organic.

Education

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  International, Resource and Consumer Economics

  2005 — 2007

• University of Hohenheim

  Agricultural Economics

  2006 — 2007

• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  Environmental Communication and Management

  2008 — 2009