A Bittersweet Goodbye

Dear Fair Farms Community,

I’m reaching out to share the bittersweet news that I’m transitioning out of my role as Fair Farms Campaign Manager. I started working with Fair Farms just after it’s launch almost six years ago. Since joining the team, I have had the chance to more deeply explore my interest in food systems and the impacts of food production on the environment, public health, and local economies. I learned so much and feel grateful to have connected with so many different movers and shakers across Maryland who are working to create a more just and environmentally-restorative food system that values our farmers, farmworkers, health, and environment.

It’s been particularly gratifying working with the Fair Farms Farmer Advisory Council to ensure that our movement is promoting legislation that is truly farmer-driven. Our campaign has worked in coalition to pass state policies that support urban growers, allow low-income families to stretch their dollars at farmers’ markets, and help farmers across the spectrum who are interested in building the health of their soil. With your partnership and engagement, we have accomplished so much in the past few years and I feel truly excited to see where Fair Farms heads next.

I will be starting the Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy program at Vermont Law School. I’m very excited about this next stage in my food systems work, but will greatly miss working with such a powerful community of farms, nonprofits, restaurants, and others working to build a more just, resilient food system in Maryland. It’s been a pleasure nurturing this campaign’s growth and I feel very lucky to be a part of this movement.

Fair Farms will be looking for a new Campaign Manager so stay tuned for a job notice. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Communications & Outreach Associate, Bernard Devlin, who has been working with the Fair Farms team for a year and a half and will continue to build on our partnership. You can reach Bernard at bernard@waterkeeperschesapeake.org.

Warmly,

Shelby