Mar 17, 2021

A Greener World names executive director

Following the sudden passing of founding Executive Director Andrew Gunther, A Greener World announced that Emily Moose has been named Executive Director of the nonprofit organization.

Its certifications for farm operations include Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Salmon Welfare Certified by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW, Certified Regenerative by AGW and Certified Non-GMO by AGW. A Greener World plans to also offer organic certifications in the future, according to its website.

Gunther’s passing was tragic and unexpected, his succession plan included Moose at the helm, and AGW’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to have her succeed Gunther as Executive Director, according to a news release from the company. Moose’s tenure at AGW spans thirteen years, during which time she helped to establish Certified Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) by AGW as the leading label for sustainable livestock production, as recognized by Consumer Reports, and oversaw the integration of the established AWA label into the new global nonprofit A Greener World.

“Having been a part of A Greener World for over a decade, Emily Moose has deep relationships with our certified farmers, our funders, our grassroots donors, and our consumers,” Amy Neff, chairperson of A Greener World’s board of directors said in a news release. “Her institutional knowledge and experience in the world of sustainable food and farming makes her well-equipped to lead AGW as we expand our certification programs in 2021 and beyond. While we are all grieving the loss of Andrew, we are grateful for his vision and the thoughtful preparation which has made this transition seamless. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and Andrew’s sudden passing, we are confident that AGW has a bright future with Emily as Executive Director.”

Moose has a long history in guiding AGW’s growth and development as a core member of the senior management team, according to the news release. Before holding the title of Director of Communications and Outreach for seven years, Moose was AGW’s Lead Farmer and Market Outreach Coordinator, where she led the four-region Outreach Team that supported independent farmers and consumers across North America.

With more than 25 years working in food, agriculture and communications, Moose has extensive experience at all points in the supply chain from farm to market and is deeply rooted with her family in an agricultural community in rural North Carolina, according to the news release. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Asheville and the prestigious Agricultural Leadership Development Program at North Carolina State University. Moose was also recently selected to join the Castanea Fellowship, a multi-sector collaborative for transformative leaders working towards a more equitable, sustainable and healthy food system.

Moose now steps up to lead a family of distinguished certifications, including the new Certified Regenerative by AGW program, which is currently in pilot phase with plans to announce the first fully certified farms and products in 2021. Additional areas of programmatic focus in 2021 include supporting farms in adapting to changing markets, ensuring transparency in labeling, increasing market penetration of AGW-certified products and continued engagement of AGW’s vast network of supporters.