Colleen Geurts

Background: what do you do/how did you got involved with sustainability? Taking care of the environment is something I’ve always been passionate about. It started when I was a little girl. On fishing trips with my Dad, he always taught me to leave things better than when we found them and enjoy the natural beauty around us. Girl scouts was the same. On our camping and hiking trips we would always pack everything out that we took in as well as trash others had left behind. This passion led me to a career in environmental engineering and now sustainability.  

Why did you want to be a part of FSF and serve on the board?  I wanted to serve on the FSF board because I believe in its mission to empower farmers to develop and implement practical, innovative solutions collaboratively for environmental, economic and social good. I believe it is so important to play a part in helping farmer-led working groups be successful in their environmental practices while also making sure that farms are sustainable financially. It is so impressive to see all the work the farmer-led working groups we support are doing to reduce environmental impacts from their farms and I love that it’s all farmer-led.    

Why should others join FSF?  FSF is creating an important connection between farmers and food processors to share knowledge and implement best practices together. When I first joined the board, I thought I would be able to share what I have learned being in the dairy processing industry and working with our branded customers. What I didn’t know is how much I would also learn about the good farmers are already doing and want to do going forward. It’s a great opportunity to share knowledge and work together on a sustainable food system.