Tanner (he/him) grew up amongst the citrus orchards and ephemeral creeks of Ojai Valley, near California’s central coast. Working with the land on a small ranch and adventuring through the native oak groves and orange orchards helped him foster respect and joy for nature—in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, and especially where they intersect. His degrees in Ethnic Studies and Environmental Planning and Management each supplement his history and his vision for creating businesses that are a source of food for people and the planet.
As the Director of Mad Lands at Mad Agriculture, Tanner works with farmers to create resilient and productive farmlands and enterprises. With a view that agriculture functions best with consideration for the dynamics of soil, water, plants, and people—where all parts of the system work to support one another—he believes that by using ingenuity and planning to connect tradition and knowledge with modern technology and science, we can keep farmlands productive and profitable.