Armand Bechard along with his wife Teddi and their children are grass farmers. They, and all their livestock, work on 117 acres just outside of Conway in Southwest Missouri. About 90 of those acres are grass. One of the many products the Bechards and their herd of Jersey and Jersey-cross dairy cows turn the grass into is farm fresh raw milk! The other things they produce are grass finished beef and lamb, pasture raised pork, chicken and turkey. Teddi makes about 40 varieties of beautifully colored and fragranced homemade soap. They also have a farm store where they sell all of these things and 12 flavors of homemade jam that they make.
The City of Springfield as well as the state of Missouri have brought legal actions against Armand and his family. Both cases began with an undercover agent sting operation over 3 years ago. With the help of the Defense Fund (FTCLDF), and the support of his family and friends, Armand was able to successfully represent himself against charges filed by the City of Springfield for delivering raw milk inside the city limits. That case concluded in January of 2011. Armand is also very involved with the Defense Fund in the state case. One of Armand’s favorite sayings is, “for as many motions as it takes to get anything done in the legal system, nothing seems to move very fast”. The state case should be in front of the judge about the time of this conference. If the law is upheld, we should be victorious here as well!
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, is The Naughty NutritionistTM because of her ability to outrageously and humorously debunk nutritional myths. She earned her PhD in Nutritional Sciences and Anti-Aging Therapies from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati , is certified as a clinical nutritionist (CCN) by the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists in Dallas , and serves on the Boards of Directors of the Weston A. Price Foundation and Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. In 2005, Dr. Daniel received the Weston A. Price Foundation’s Integrity in Science Award. She is the author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America ‘s Favorite Health Food, which has been endorsed by leading health experts, including Drs Russell Blaylock, Larry Dossey, Joseph Mercola, Kilmer McCully, Doris J. Rapp, Jonathan Wright and many others. Based in Albuquerque, NM, Dr. Daniel is a nutritionist in private practice and works with clients all over the country. She is the mother of two children adopted from Korea and Vietnam, performs Bach organ recitals, and enjoys ballroom dancing, firewalking, hiking and yoga.
Joseph (Joe) Dixon, married to his wife Denise for nearly 33 years and blessed with 12 children, is a construction electrician by trade, but his heart has always been with his family. He has worked hard to raise his large family, providing them with a wholesome farm life even when he had to be on the road to make ends meet. Over the years he and his family have raised dairy cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, dogs, birds, chickens and turkeys, as well as a substantial garden. In 2006 the family began making the move to take over the Morningland Dairy cheese operation in southern Missouri. Working with his family and employees to strengthen and expand the cheese operation, Joe was finally able to discontinue working away and to concentrate his efforts at home in 2009. But in August of 2010, Morningland came under attack from the FDA, the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture, and the Missouri State Milk Board in their evident combined effort to take away our freedom to choose healthful, unpasteurized, whole foods. Although Morningland Dairy had made the same healthful and minimally heated cheese for 30 years without the first complaint or illness, government authorities embargoed all of Morningland’s cheese and required over $100,000 in changes to the plant as well as unprecedented testing before Morningland would be allowed to resume production and sale of cheese, all of which forced Joe and his family to close their small cheese business and dairy. Joe and his wife stand firm against such tyranny as they struggle to appeal the unwarranted attack, the non-factual judgment, and the devastating blow to their livelihood.
Jennifer McManamee, NTP Ms. McManamee is a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with more than 20 years in the healthcare profession serving acute and chronically ill clients. After incorporating the healthful principles of traditional diets into her practice—based on the works of Drs. Weston A. Price and Francis M. Pottenger—Jennifer’s clients experienced a noticeable improvement. Her nutrition practice now focuses on providing techniques and resources that empower others to take an active role in managing their own lives by benefiting from healthful foods for natural healing. She supports her clients by teaching them how to integrate these preventive health tools into their own unique lifestyles, allowing food literacy to become their key to a healthier, happier life.
Ms. McManamee leads workshops, seminars, and one-on-one sessions—in person and on the phone—focusing on easing the transition from a standard American diet to a more traditional nutritious regimen. She is especially interested in guiding those struggling with obesity, blood sugar imbalance, leaky gut, and autoimmune disorders to achieve excellent, life-long health.
As the current chapter leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation in Chicago, Jennifer continues to support the community through education by incorporating her knowledge of preventive health—with an emphasis on nutrient-dense whole foods.
Sally Fallon Morell, MA is founding president of the Weston A Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, Mrs. Fallon Morell lectures extensively around the world on issues of health and nutrition. She is a prolific writer of numerous articles and books and serves as editor of Wise Traditions, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation. In 1996, Mrs. Fallon Morell published the best-selling Nourishing Traditions (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), the cookbook that launched her career in alternative health. Visit her website at www.newtrendspublishing.com.
Elizabeth Gamsky Rich, Esq. is the Vice President of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and a Wisconsin attorney who has practiced in the areas of environmental, land use and regulatory law for 25 years. She works for clients who challenge the government. She has lived on a 40-acre farm since 1995 and raises goats for dairy products and chickens for meat and eggs. Over the years she’s kept dairy cows, pigs, ducks, turkeys, guineas, rabbits and geese in addition to a large garden and fruit production. Elizabeth’s goal is to produce as much of her own food as possible, as her 25 years of experience with the governmental agencies charged with protection of our food supply has led her to the conclusion that she is not protected.
Jessica Moody
John Moody, author, speaker, farmer, and small business owner, is the founder of the Whole Food Services and also serves as the Treasurer of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. He and his wife Jessica and their three children live on a small farm in Kentucky. His life’s work is to help create a world that has more real food and real farmers and real freedom – freedom from pollution, from government tyranny, from corporate manipulation and oppression, from GMOs, from medical coercion, and more.
In 2005 he co-founded a very small food buying club… which doubled in size every 3-6 months for close to four years. Now numbering over a hundred members, with almost half a million dollars in member orders per year, the club has become a powerful force for positive economic change and local economic support. John has since helped start over a dozen more food clubs across his home state and the United States by providing training and resources for those wanting to start a club or improve their club.
John was thrust into the spotlight early in 2011 when the county and state health departments of his home state served his club with a quarantine and cease and desist order. For the first time in the food freedom wars, the state was forced to cry “uncle” and rescind the orders in the face of overwhelming political and public pressure generated by the membership of the club and broader community in Kentucky.
Sarah Pope, MGA is an Honors graduate in Economics from Furman University. She also holds a Masters Degree in Public Financial Management from the University of Pennsylvania. Sarah worked for over 10 years in the field of Information Technology designing Financial Systems for corporate and governmental clients. Sarah and her husband Richard are currently raising 3 young children and she has been the Weston A. Price Chapter Leader for Tampa/St. Pete, FL since 2002. In addition to her Chapter Leader duties, Sarah writes The Healthy Home Economist blog.
David Wetzel with his wife and family , started off Green Pastures around 2000 after several years as a Steel company VP. Green Pastures initiated the unique grazing, farming and manufacturing system to bring forward the availability of real High Vitamin Butter Oil, which had not been available in the market place since Dr. Weston Price made the product back in the 1930’s.
The pinnacle of Dr. Weston Price’s work was the discovered synergy between High Vitamin Butter oil and Cod Liver Oil. Green Pastures now makes available for the community both the High Vitamin Butter Oil and a Fermented Cod Liver oil as it was made prior to the industrial revolution under the brand names X-Factor Gold and Blue Ice.
David Wetzel will tell the story of the struggle to bring forth a cod liver oil made as it has been throughout history intertwined with today’s industrialized expectations of a 21st century market place. Topics include: History of Cod Liver oil Production, how it is made today, the struggles to develop this historical significant product, labeling, a variety of testing and broach the conversation of why this work is relevant.
John Wood is a life long resident of Lewis County Missouri. Following a Farm Operations B.S. degree at Iowa State University in 1975, John returned back to a 5th generation family farm and was involved in day to day management of conventional Northeast Missouri family farm from 1975 to 2000.
John married in 1983 and added two daughters and a son into the rural community. All have prospered on a stubborn work ethic that has preserved the rural way of life for centuries.
In February, 2000, John and 3 partners created a pasture to consumer online grass-fed meat business creating solar dollars on a farm near Canton, Missouri. Grassland Beef, LLC d.b.a. U.S. Wellness Meats was organized officially on September 1, 2000. Marketing commenced on November 7, 2000, and continues today nation wide and into several foreign countries. Grass-fed beef, lamb, butter, cheese, bison, free range poultry, compassion raised pork, organic snacks, wild caught seafood, raw honey and gourmet rabbit compose the core business model. U.S. Wellness Meats have been featured by restaurant chefs, doctors, trainers, authors and the likes of Fox News in recent years.
During the past 37 years, leadership positions were held with Lewis County Extension, Lewis County Farm Bureau, Missouri Young Farmers, 3 year stint on the Missouri Soil and Water Commission during the mid 1990’s, and founding member & chairman of Missouri Wind Resources, LLC.
It is exciting to be in an industry that supports animal agriculture, treats animals with respect, entry position for young farmers with low overhead, good for the land & plant community, good for the rural community and improves health and wellness for our consumers.