Connecting Farmers with Conservation and Community through NRCS Partnership

For Erinn Roberts, it all started years ago when she volunteered on a small farm in West Philadelphia. Shortly after, she and her now husband found themselves in Central California’s Northern Valley when organic farming was on the rise. They had an immersive experience at farmers markets across Lake Tahoe and Davis, learning about farming on a small, five-acre mixed vegetable and olive oil farm. The farmers there played a crucial role in forming the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), one of the early organic certifying agencies. 

Erinn and her husband relocated from California to Oregon, farming in the gorgeous foothills of the Sierra Nevada and the banks of the Sandy River and Johnson Creek. They ultimately settled in eastern Massachusetts working on and managing a non-profit vegetable farm, serving a 400-member CSA and running innovative food access programming. These diverse experiences gave her a unique perspective on both large-scale production and community-oriented farming, providing a solid foundation for her current position.

Now, 20 years later, as an Implementation Specialist at American Farmland Trust (AFT), she helps farmers in Southeastern Massachusetts adopt more environmentally friendly practices and secure federal financial assistance to implement them.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has increased capacity by hiring additional staff and by building and strengthening partnerships, like the one with AFT. 

Bridging Gaps and Building Trust as an Implementation Specialist

Erinn’s day-to-day work varies greatly. It can start with visiting a farm for the first time with NRCS Conservation Planners, establishing trust and building relationships. Also, doing administrative tasks like calling farmers to check on their NRCS conservation contracts, assisting with vendor contacts for irrigation, helping with certification paperwork, conducting farm visits to inspect and certify completed practices, and offering integrated pest management and irrigation ideas.
 

“It was hard to envision what else to do after 20 years of [farming],” Erinn reflects.  “As a farmer, you know there are a lot of transferrable skills, but do other people that are hiring know that? American Farmland Trust and Natural Resources Conservation Service recognizes that in a way that I really appreciate. I don’t think I envisioned doing this [type of work] necessarily, but partially because I [didn’t know] it could be out there.”

 

In Southeastern Massachusetts, she primarily works with cranberry farmers. This industry is generational, with a long history attached to many farms. 

“That’s why I really appreciate the cohorts at American Farmland Trust for people to have a little more community around rather than feeling isolated," she said. Even just having a sounding board is helpful, and you see a lot more attention being paid to farmers’ mental health. Those sorts of cohorts can be tremendous in that realm.”

Water management is also a significant concern for farmers today. The AFT New England regional team’s efforts have been extremely helpful, particularly their research on farmers’ practices in response to extreme moisture and precipitation. Their approach acknowledges farmers as experts in their field, and combining this with focused research provides a comprehensive foundation to support organizations like NRCS with their programs.

Erinn values the opportunity to plug farmers into this work, bridging the gap of valuable insights from both AFT and NRCS. She emphasizes, “Knowing that there is this cadre of people who can be very helpful on the American Farmland Trust side of things. Making those connections does still feel useful – to know that there are people building resources for farmers, [ensuring] they feel like they really are being listened to and that we’re a reliable resource.”

Looking Ahead

Erinn aims to support NRCS staff and increase outreach to farmers unaware of available resources. “There’s a lot of Inflation Reduction Act money and funding for conservation,” she explains, “and the opportunity for that to be introduced to people who historically haven’t had access to it, haven’t heard about it, or just don’t know enough to feel comfortable stepping a foot through a door is something that I’m really interested in.”
 

More Information

Learn more about Erinn on the AFT website. Find out more about the benefits of conservation practices through the NRCS Conservation at Work video series.