TOPP Mentorship Spotlight: Nanda Kishore Methuku

By Lindsey Marshall, Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) Intern

Originally published in the Winter 2025 edition of the OEFFA newsletter.

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How does one become a farmer? Many farmers in the United States inherit their farms through generations, continuing the family legacy. Others acquire their farms through succession, a process where farms are passed down to new families or individuals. 

However, a small percentage are first-generation farmers. Beginning farmers account for only 30 percent of producers in America, and an even smaller fraction are beginning organic farmers. Starting a farm is challenging, with financial hurdles and market volatility posing significant barriers. 

Nanda Kishore Methuku started his career as a cancer doctor. With a background in microbiology, he developed a keen interest in the microbiome and the connection between food and health. Nanda understands how the gut microbiome affects chronic diseases, obesity, diabetes, and cancer—these are areas that he has already professionally worked in for decades.

“Food is one of the biggest chemicals we put in our body,” Nanda said. 

To combine his passion for health and his career, Nanda began with a composting facility, which was one of the only class three composting facilities in southern Ohio. And when a farm they were interested in came up for auction, they decided to take the leap and buy it. 

However, Nanda had no prior farming experience. “Honestly, I’ve never grown a corn plant before this,” he said. 

Taking on a 715-acre grain farm was a daunting task. The farm had previously been conventionally tilled, but Nanda was determined to transition it to organic grain farming. With assistance from OEFFA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), he was connected to a local organic farmer to mentor him through the transition. 

Nanda plans to grow wheat, corn, and soy organically and he wants to continue to make compost and integrate it into the soil alongside other organic materials. The farm also boasts a natural fruit orchard with apples, peaches, plums, and pawpaw, Ohio’s state native fruit, and Nanda is even considering expanding into vegetable farming.

Nanda’s experience in the TOPP mentorship program has been integral to helping him navigate the complexities of organic farming. Learning organic practices and regulations can be daunting, but having an organic farmer nearby as a mentor has provided Nanda with practical guidance and a solid foundation. They are able to walk through what equipment to buy, seed rates to consider, how to handle weed management, and IPM pest control methods. 

“It’s been huge, tremendously helpful,” he said.

This program has enabled him to better understand organic regulations and gain hands-on farming experience. The practical experience of farming isn’t something you can always read in a book. Having the opportunity for farmers to come together and exchange ideas is imperative if organic and sustainable farming continues into future generations. 

As a first-time farmer, Nanda’s story shows that farming can be for everyone. OEFFA is a proud partner in the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program. This regional network provides mentorship, technical assistance, and wrap-around support for transitioning and existing organic producers. To learn more about this TOPP work, visit oeffa.org/topp.