27. Margaret Krome, building the next generation of sustainable ag leaders

Sustainable Agriculture Policy with Ron Kroese

Margaret Krome has spent 30 years developing state and local programs and policies supporting environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible agriculture.

On this week’s episode, Ron talks with Margaret about her life's work and the experiences that shaped her.

Her interest in ag began in childhood, as the grandchild of a Florida avocado and citrus farmer. She served in agroforestry in the Peace Corps in Cameroon. She then began graduate school and worked at the Wisconsin Rural Development Center during the 1980s farm crisis.

In 1995, Margaret joined the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin, where she serves as policy director today.

For years, she led the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's annual national grassroots campaign to fund federal programs prioritized each year by NSAC's member groups; she continues to assist NSAC with this campaign.

ln Wisconsin, Margaret has been instrumental in helping to create several significant programs, including the UW-Madison center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, the Pesticide Use and Risk Reduction program, the state's Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program, the state's farm to School program, and others.

She conducts workshops and webinars nationwide on grant writing, using federal programs to support sustainable agriculture, and on new USDA crop insurance programs supporting diversified farms.

Margaret has invested a dozen years in building the next generation of sustainable agriculture leaders, including more leaders of color.

The interview was conducted on Feb. 16, 2016.

Links this episode:
National Sustainable Agriculture Oral History Archive (video link)
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

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