CASPER, Wyo., Feb. 13, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is pleased to announce Jackie Byam

as the Wyoming State Conservationist. She will begin serving in this position on Feb. 26.

Byam follows Astrid Martinez, who served as Wyoming State Conservationist for 10 years. Martinez accepted a new position within NRCS on July 18, 2022.

Upon Astrid’s departure, Andi Neugebauer has dutifully acted as Wyoming’s State Conservationist over the past 8 months.

Byam has worked with NRCS for 18 years. She has served in several NRCS field offices in Minnesota, and in leadership positions with NRCS in Maryland, Illinois, South Dakota and Kansas.

A Minnesota native, Byam grew up on a small family farm where they raised hogs, corn and soybeans. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Conservation from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls Outside of the office, Byam is an active member of Women in NRCS (WiN) and enjoys traveling.

She goes back to Minnesota as often as she can to spend time with her family at their cabin “Up North” and at the family farm. NRCS provides farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, helping improve agricultural operations and the environment.

For more information about NRCS and the programs and services it provides, visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wyoming.

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Note to reporters: A high resolution photo of Jackie Byam is available by contacting Alyssa Ludeke, Public Affairs Specialist