Welcome New Inspection Staff to MOSA!

Please join us in welcoming new Inspection staff members to the MOSA team.

Mary Capehart re-joined MOSA this year as the Inspector Manager and is a member of the Certification Management Team. Mary will be overseeing inspector recruitment, process improvements and training of inspectors related to new rules and increased NOP oversight. Prior to coming to MOSA, Mary was the Certification Senior Specialist - Farm at CROPP/Organic Valley. During her time at CROPP, she worked with 30+ certification agencies to support CROPP members, helped write NOSB comments, and participated in several ACA working groups. Mary brings hands-on farming experience from previous work as the herd manager of a bio-dynamic organic 50 cow dairy. She also worked as a Certification Specialist at MOSA for several years before joining CROPP/Organic Valley. Mary graduated from UW-River Falls, where she majored in Dairy Science and currently lives in the Driftless region with her husband, two dogs and a few cows. Outside of work you can find Mary tending to her retired cows, playing with her grandchildren, reading and keeping up on yard work. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out how to become a full or part time inspector Mary is the person to contact!

Melissa Weyland joined MOSA earlier this summer as our Assistant Inspection Manager. Melissa oversees the day-to-day operations related to inspections at MOSA. Melissa brings over 12 years of experience in the organic food industry with her. Before joining MOSA she was the General Manager for SLO Farmers, Co-op and a Regional Pool Manager for CROPP/Organic Valley. She spent the last several years helping open northeast Wisconsin’s first Food Cooperative, Oshkosh Food Co-op. Melissa and her partner Roy also operate a sixty cow, organic dairy in Algoma WI. Melissa serves on the WI Organic Advisory Council and is on the Grassworks Board of Directors. Contact Melissa with questions about your upcoming or recent inspection.

Adam Clopton joined MOSA last September as our Staff Inspector and has been conducting both Crop and Livestock Inspections. Adam comes from a diversified agricultural background, working in row and mixed vegetable production, feed mills and livestock management. Adam and his wife, a Certification Specialist at MOSA, managed a field to table program, growing vegetables, managing hen for eggs and an apiary for a school in Maryland before moving to WI. When Adam is not conducting inspections he enjoys hanging out with his young son in the fields and forest of his family's home in central WI.

See picture below of Adam and Ali Hudson, Auditor for USDA/NOP taken during a recent Witness Audit Inspection