Walter Goldstein

Walter Goldstein became acquainted with biodynamic agriculture in 1972. He has applied biodynamic agricultural practices on his own farm, has done research on them, and has thought a lot about what a biodynamic/Goethean approach can contribute to the art and science of breeding.

Dr. Goldstein has a MSc and PhD in agronomy from Washington State University. He has extensive experience researching management, cover crops, soil health, root health, and N. He worked 25 years at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin, and started the Mandaamin Institute, Inc., a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization in 2011 and Nokomis Gold Seed Company in 2012. His history includes cooperative, on-farm research in teams involving many states and organizations and extensive work in Eastern Europe.

Walter received the Pfeiffer wheat from the Fellowship community and selected it for adaptation to Midwestern conditions. He began breeding organic corn in southeast Wisconsin in 1989 in response to organic farmer demand for better nutritional quality. In 2003 a partnership began with USDA-ARS (Ames, Iowa) and Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) for inbred and hybrid development, which has expanded to a larger team of breeders developing corn for organic farmers. Present activities include breeding N efficient/fixing corn that has beneficial associations with microorganisms, corn that will not allow itself to be pollinated by GMO pollen, and corn with higher nutritional value, as well as starting an Quality Crop Association to commercialize the wheat and corn.