Dr. Jennifer Taylor

Woman of the Year in Agriculture

Dr. Jennifer Taylor is an organic farmer, and farming is a family tradition. Her 32 acres in Glenwood, Georgia, was formerly her grandmother’s farm. Named in her honor, Lola’s Organic Farm has been producing a diverse harvest of organic fruits, vegetables and specialty crops since 2010. Dr. Taylor’s farm also operates as a learning center for other growers in the region. She hosts widely attended demonstrations on organic farming practices and workshops on navigating federal certification and grants.

Dr. Taylor studied agronomy at Florida A&M and Iowa State universities, earning her doctorate at Virginia Tech. Today, she is an associate professor at FAMU’s College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CAFS) and a small farm specialist in the CAFS Cooperative Extension Program.

Through her work with the extension program, Dr. Taylor developed the Statewide Small Farm Program. Providing hands-on training to underserved farming communities, the program focuses on sustainability and alternative food systems. The Growers’ Market in Tallahassee is the result of Dr. Taylor’s efforts to strengthen the connection between organic farmers and the community. Started 15 years ago, it is the only all-organic market in the state.

Dr. Taylor has served on several industry committees. For five years, she served as the chair of the National Organic Standards Board Material Committee for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program. She also served on the USDA Advisory Committee for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. She currently serves as the southern region representative of the Organic Farmers Association, and in 2018 she was appointed to serve in a leadership position on the Cornucopia Institute’s Policy Advisory Panel.

Dr. Taylor recently received the Rodale Institute’s Organic Pioneer Award for her contributions to the organic farming movement.