Rodale Institute announced a new fund known as The Hirshberg Research Endowment Fund, started generously by Gary and Meg Cadoux Hirshberg. Gary is former CEO and co-founder of Stonyfield Farm and founder of Organic Voices and Meg has had a long active career in the organic and preventative health sectors.

The Hirshberg Research Endowment Fund will give donors an opportunity to provide Rodale Institute with a permanent asset that will underwrite the salary and annual research expenses of the chief scientific officer (cso) into perpetuity. The chief scientific officer will provide strategic oversight of research priorities, innovation pipelines and scientific integrity. Endowing the role and providing an operating expense stipend will empower the CSO to lead transformative initiatives, mentor emerging scientists, and shape the organization’s scientific vision. The Hirshberg Family’s legacy investment will be a transformative milestone as the initial seed investment for the fund.

“This is the first step to building a long term sustainable hub of innovation, education, and scientific integrity to support the future needs of the organic sector,” said Hirshberg. “We invite organic industry leaders and anyone who cares about the health of people and our planet to join us in helping to ensure that organic agriculture proponents have access to the research needed to ensure future growth and integrity.”

“Gary and Meg have believed in the mission of Rodale Institute for decades, and we are incredibly grateful for this generous gift of invaluable support,” Jeff Tkach, CEO of Rodale Institute, said in a statement. “As the country’s leading agricultural research nonprofit, Rodale Institute advances world-class scientific research, trains the next generation of farmers and inspectors, and guides the transition of farmland and global supply chain operators. Our important work enables farmers to transition to regenerative organic agricultural practices more easily, creating healthy soil, healthy people, and a healthy planet. And this doesn’t happen without the vital contributions like those of The Hirshberg Research Fund.”