RMFU Fellows come from all background and all walks of life, but they all have one thing in common: A passion for agricultural prosperity and food security. Farmers, ranchers, cooperative leaders, local food and urban food advocates, and entrepreneurs join together to spend a year learning how to advocate for healthy food systems and vibrant communities.
FUSA Insurance Agent, Angus Rancher
Jon Craft has been the owner and agent for Jon Craft Insurance Agency with Farmers Union Service Association (FUSA) in Gillette, WY, since 2020. They operate their insurance agency on the Golden Rule philosophy: Jon and his wife, Angel, treat others as they want to be treated. In just two short years, they have grown the business to well over a million dollars in premium and were honored with being awarded 2022 Top New Agent with participation in the FUSA Summit Trip in a tropical location. Jon has had a passion for agriculture from a very young age, starting with 4-H market steer projects.
Rancher and Massage Therapist
Angel Oedekoven-Craft is a 4th generation Wyoming Rancher with a true love and passion for livestock, all animals. Angel grew up horseback riding and was active in 4-H and FFA. She also competed in rodeos and was a high school rodeo queen and Wyoming State High School Rodeo’s Ms. Congenialty, in 1985. Angel is a mother of two wonderful boys and a very proud “ Granny “ to seven grandchildren.
Rancher - Caviness Farms, Colorado Organizer - National Young Farmers Coalition
Evanne Caviness is a proud rancher, business owner, and mother who has been immersed in agriculture in the Southwestern U.S. since childhood. She works as the Colorado Organizer for the National Young Farmers Coalition while co-managing Caviness Farms–her regenerative grassfed beef business–alongside her high school sweetheart and husband, Tyson Caviness.
Rancher, Caviness Farms
Tyson Caviness is a rancher operating a grassfed beef business alongside his wife Evanne and his two children in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a first-generation rancher leasing land from the City of Fort Collins, it is his goal to regenerate landscapes through rotational grazing, while feeding his community the highest-quality beef available.
Director of Government Relations, RMFU
Tyler Garrett is the Director of Government Relations for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Tyler developed a love and appreciation for agriculture at a young age when spending time with his grandparents on their small farm in Oklahoma. His appreciation for agriculture grew through his time working on his aunt and uncle’s cattle and poultry farm from elementary school through college.
Scratch and Peck Feed
Dan is a bona fide science geek born in Germany, with a degree in Geology from Colorado College. He has worked as a paleontologist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a seismologist with USGS, and a high school physics and biology teacher. Currently, he serves as Regional Sales & Global Education Manager at Scratch and Peck Feeds.
Iola Valley Farm
Jennifer Dews began her journey in growing food with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Systems. Her focus shifted from dietetics to food security to explore the world of small-scale farming as an opportunity to positively impact our healthcare system through preventative nutrition. She immerses herself in grower-to-consumer relations to improve and support our food system. She has grown up in various environments, from the rural Blue Ridge Mountains to the urban gardens of New Orleans. Being able to produce a farm-to-fork product and support hyper-local agriculture are the qualities of the trade that motivate her to keep learning.
Co-Director, UpRoot Colorado
Rita Mary Hennigan is a co-director with UpRoot Colorado, a nonprofit organization that increases the nutrition security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense food while supporting the resilience of farmers in our state. Rita oversees UpRoot’s work along the Western Slope, where she has spent most of her time since 2016.
Specialty Crop Farmer
Theresa Schuller is a specialty crop farmer in Boulder, Colorado. She is passionate about regenerative agriculture, organic farming and the personal health and wellness benefits of whole food as medicine for both people and the planet. She owns a small production farm in Boulder County that historically dates to the late 1800s and which operated as a dairy farm into the mid-1940s. Her farm currently focuses on fruit, vegetables and lavender.
