Alice Varon

Alice Varon is Executive Director of Certified Naturally Grown. CNG offers peer-review certification for farmers and beekeepers who produce food for their local communities without the use of synthetic chemicals and GMOs. In 2010 Alice helped launch CNG’s apiary program to support and encourage natural beekeeping. More recently she worked with experts to develop new CNG certification programs for aquaponics and mushroom producers. She is an active member of IFOAM-Organics International, serving as the North American representative on IFOAM’s PGS Committee, a group formed to support the development of grassroots certification programs like CNG that are built on trust, social networks and knowledge exchange. When not working, Alice enjoys exploring the woods and mountain biking in New York’s Hudson Valley where she grows Shiitake mushrooms on logs, battles invasive plants, and will someday resume her beekeeping hobby.