Farmer Training Program Manager
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
State: MA
(w) (970) 212-6279
About
Kevin Cody is the Farmer Training Program Manager at New Entry where he develops pathways to generate and sustain new and beginning farmers. With a background in sustainable food systems education, his role at New Entry includes overseeing grants, developing curriculum, building strategic regional partnerships, and providing direct technical assistance to participants and instruction in courses on food systems, crop production and business planning.
Prior to New Entry, Kevin was a faculty member in Environmental and Sustainability Studies at the University of Northern Colorado where his work focused on experiential and community engaged learning. In addition to developing and managing the university’s student farm program, he taught courses on food systems, organic horticulture, and permaculture design. He also served as the Executive Director of a non-profit in Colorado that promoted economic development in the regional food system.
On-farm education and training has been a central theme in his work as an educator and researcher. Working with a non-profit called the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture, Kevin investigated how host farms in the U.S. mentored and trained exchange participants from South America, and how these participants were able to integrate their experience in their home countries. As the instructor on the student farm in Colorado, Kevin experienced first-hand the enduring challenge of balancing instruction with production in on-farm training. His work on experiential learning and on-farm education is put into practice at New Entry finding creative ways to mentor and train beginning farmers.
Kevin initially took an interest in the long-term viability of beginning farmers and small-scale diversified vegetable operations after spending multiple seasons growing and marketing produce on farms in Sonoma County, CA. Subsequent research conducted with beginning farmers on the West Coast over a period of four years revealed perennial challenges related to land tenure, labor costs, and community support. With a belief that farmers are the foundation of a sustainable community food system, much of his work has since been dedicated to creating a supportive environment for beginning farmers to thrive through public education, research, training, and program development.
Prior to New Entry, Kevin was a faculty member in Environmental and Sustainability Studies at the University of Northern Colorado where his work focused on experiential and community engaged learning. In addition to developing and managing the university’s student farm program, he taught courses on food systems, organic horticulture, and permaculture design. He also served as the Executive Director of a non-profit in Colorado that promoted economic development in the regional food system.
On-farm education and training has been a central theme in his work as an educator and researcher. Working with a non-profit called the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture, Kevin investigated how host farms in the U.S. mentored and trained exchange participants from South America, and how these participants were able to integrate their experience in their home countries. As the instructor on the student farm in Colorado, Kevin experienced first-hand the enduring challenge of balancing instruction with production in on-farm training. His work on experiential learning and on-farm education is put into practice at New Entry finding creative ways to mentor and train beginning farmers.
Kevin initially took an interest in the long-term viability of beginning farmers and small-scale diversified vegetable operations after spending multiple seasons growing and marketing produce on farms in Sonoma County, CA. Subsequent research conducted with beginning farmers on the West Coast over a period of four years revealed perennial challenges related to land tenure, labor costs, and community support. With a belief that farmers are the foundation of a sustainable community food system, much of his work has since been dedicated to creating a supportive environment for beginning farmers to thrive through public education, research, training, and program development.
Projects
| LNE19-386R | Creative Farm Business Models to Address Employee Hiring, Training, and Management Barriers |