Tawnya Sawyer

Co-Owner
The Aquaponic Source

Tawnya Sawyer is a Colorado native and co-owns The Aquaponic Source with her husband JD Sawyer. As pioneers in the field, this duo has not only created a thriving business, but helped to launch the aquaponic industry as a niche element of sustainable food production. Aquaponics is raising fish and growing plants in a controlled environment. They strongly believe that this form of growing has far reaching benefits to reduce demands on natural resources and water consumption, growing year round where soil is unavailable, increasing yields, and providing nutritious leafy green vegetables and high quality clean protein close to the consumer.

Tawnya shifted from 20 years in corporate careers to focus on the triple bottom line – People, Planet and Profit with a focus on nutritious and equitable food access, environmental stewardship, and financial sustainability. Tawnya holds a Bachelors in Business Management and Information Systems from University of Colorado. She spent her early career as a systems engineer, instructor, curriculum developer, author, and analyst with many years as a traveling business consultant for Fortune 500 companies. This background allows Tawnya to blend the best of innovative farming with a critical eye for business operations, data collection and iterative improvement.

Tawnya and JD built and operated an aquaponic farm in partnership with The GrowHaus, a non-profit in a food desert community of Denver, along with a thriving aquaponic greenhouse on the Denver WellPower campus. They have also recently worked with CSU SPUR to set up their demonstration greenhouse. As a business, The Aquaponic Source builds farms and provides aquaponic systems, supplies and components to K-12 schools, universities and colleges, farmers, community centers, faith organizations, tribal nations, correctional facilities and residential customers throughout the US and internationally.

Tawnya has worked advising, speaking or helping to shape policy with the National Organic Standard Board (NOSB), Certified Naturally Grown (CNG), The Aquaponic Association (AA), various Food Safety regulation groups including USDA Aquaponic GAP, Colorado Aquaculture Association (CAA), Urban Farmers, Veterans to Farmers, Grow Local Colorado, World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF), and was honored with Colorado Green Business Award.

We know that the future of farming is going to take a lot of different techniques to feed a growing population with fewer resources. We believe that inspiring students to learn about aquaponics, nutrition, environmental stewardship and self reliance is critical to innovation. As a life long learner, Tawnya believes the more you know the more you grow!