Bob Quinn was raised on wheat and cattle ranch in Montana (USA) which he still manages today. He has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in plant pathology from Montana State University in Bozeman. He received a PhD in plant biochemistry at the University of California.
In 1983 Bob started Montana Flour & Grains, Inc. (MFG). In 1986 he introduced an ancient khorasan grain similar to durum wheat to the natural food industry. This grain was marketed under his own brand name, Kamut. The Kamut trademark guaranteed customers that that grain had been grown organically and not mixed with any other grain. Today over 4500 different Kamut brand products are being marketed throughout the world providing a new crop for over 250 organic farmers in Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan and new opportunities for many more people to enjoy organic food.
Bob is a member of the Montana Grain Growers and the Montana Farm Bureau (FB). He is a past president of the Chouteau County FB and has served on the American FB’s Wheat Committee and Grain Quality Committee. He is also an active member of Alternative Energy Resource Organization (AERO) in Montana and received AERO’s Sustainable Ag Award in 1988. In 1993, he was named as one of Montana State University’s 100 outstanding alumni from their first hundred years. Bob has been active in promoting regenerative organic agriculture throughout the state, the nation and the world. He helped form Montana’s first Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) chapter in 1987 and served as its first president. He was the chair of OCIA International’s Internal Review Committee in 1989 and serve as the Board of Directors of OCIA International as a national officer form 1989-91. In 1991, he received OCIA International’s outstanding member award. He served as a charter member on the first USDA National Organic Standards Board from 1992 to 1995. He has also served on a USDA agricultural research advisory committee as well as two of his congressman’s ag advisory committees. He served on the Montana Department of Agriculture’s first organic certification advisory board. In 2007 he received a lifetime of service award from the Montana Organic Association. He has also been a member of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) since 1987 and is also a member of OTA’s farm advisory committee (FAC). In 2010, Bob received OTA’s National Organic Leadership award. He has served on the board of directors for OTA’s research foundation, The Organic Center, and was the chair of their science committee for a time. In the fall of 2013, he received the national Organic Pioneer Award from the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania. In 2016, he received New Hope’s Hall of Legends award. He has been a long-time member of IFOAM-Organics International and helped to form the IFOAM North American Regional Body in 2015-16. Bob was elected to IFOAM-NA’s first Broad of Directors.