Jeff Birkby has been passionate about sustainable agriculture and communities since his childhood in a rural farm community in Southwest Iowa. Jeff majored in botany during his undergraduate studies at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, and later received an MS in Botany from Montana State University.
During the 1980s Jeff managed energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for the Montana Department of Natural Resources. He then moved to the nonprofit world, and for the past twenty years he has managed a variety of sustainable agriculture and community programs for the National Center of Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Jeff has worked on energy and agriculture projects for several state, regional, and national organizations, and has lectured on sustainable topics both in the United States and internationally.
Currently Jeff is outreach director for NCAT’s National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (also known as ATTRA), which answers thousands of questions a year from farmers and educators on the topic of farming more sustainably. The ATTRA website (www.attra.ncat.org) features hundreds of free publications on all aspects of sustainable farming, from producing on-farm energy with wind, solar, and biodiesel, to starting a local farmers market, to raising organic crops in different regions of the United States.
Sustainable agriculture consists of farming and ranching practices that produce abundant food without depleting the earth’s resources or pollute our environment. Sustainable agriculture is also the agriculture of social values, including vibrant rural communities, rich sustainable lives for generations of families on the farms, and wholesome, locally-produced food for everyone. Sustainable agriculture is only sustainable if it’s also profitable, provides a healthy family income and a good quality of life.
Sustainable Agriculture Spotlight will cover a wide range of topics on sustainable agriculture, including on-farm production of biodiesel, integrated pest management, growing crops for farmers’ markets, organic crop certification, and federal farm policy. Regional and national experts will be interviewed. Sustainable Agriculture Spotlight airs live Thursdays at 10 AM Pacific on The Green Talk Network.
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Farming today depends on razor-thin profit margins. But harvesting the wind, solar, and biomass energy on your farm, as ... Listen Now »
Marisa Alcorta is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist in the Davis, California office of the National Center for Appropriate Technology ...
Marisa Alcorta is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist in the Davis, California office of the National Center for Appropriate Technology ... Learn More »
Author, radio broadcaster, and newspaper columnist Evelyn Birkby has spent more than half century writing about farm life in the ...
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Author, radio broadcaster, and newspaper columnist Evelyn Birkby has spent more than half century writing about farm life in the ... Learn More »
Linda Coffey is a livestock specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ...

Linda Coffey is a livestock specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ... Learn More »
Rex Dufour has worked for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 1994. Rex opened NCAT’s California office ...

Rex Dufour has worked for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 1994. Rex opened NCAT’s California office ... Learn More »
Margo Hale is Southeast Regional Office Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Fayetteville Arkansas. She’s also ...

Margo Hale is Southeast Regional Office Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Fayetteville Arkansas. She’s also ... Learn More »
Tammy Hinman holds a Bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in horticulture food crops and entomology and a Master's degree ...

Tammy Hinman holds a Bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in horticulture food crops and entomology and a Master's degree ... Learn More »
Ferd Hoefner is policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), and has been the group's senior Washington, D.C., ...

Ferd Hoefner is policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), and has been the group's senior Washington, D.C., ... Learn More »
Margaret Krome is Policy Program Director for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. ...

Margaret Krome is Policy Program Director for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. ... Learn More »
Al Kurki is coordinator of the Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future Project for the National Center for Appropriate ...

Al Kurki is coordinator of the Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future Project for the National Center for Appropriate ... Learn More »
Hannah Lewis is the Midwest regional director for National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in Des Moines, ...
Hannah Lewis is the Midwest regional director for National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in Des Moines, ... Learn More »
Vicki Lynne has been an energy engineer with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 2005, involved with commercial ...

Vicki Lynne has been an energy engineer with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 2005, involved with commercial ... Learn More »
Crissie McMullan is an agriculture and local foods specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Crissie coordinates the ...

Crissie McMullan is an agriculture and local foods specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Crissie coordinates the ... Learn More »
Andy Pressman has a masters degree in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University. He is a certified permaculture designer and ...

Andy Pressman has a masters degree in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University. He is a certified permaculture designer and ... Learn More »
Lee Rinehart is the Northeast Regional Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), where he oversees a variety ...

Lee Rinehart is the Northeast Regional Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), where he oversees a variety ... Learn More »
Dave Ryan is an energy engineer at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Butte, ...

Dave Ryan is an energy engineer at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Butte, ... Learn More »
Joel Schumacher is an extension economics associate specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he also earned a ...

Joel Schumacher is an extension economics associate specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he also earned a ... Learn More »
Susan Tallman is a field crops specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in ...

Susan Tallman is a field crops specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in ... Learn More »
Dr. Jon H. Van Gerpen is the Project Director of the National Biodiesel Education Program. He is a mechanical engineer ...

Dr. Jon H. Van Gerpen is the Project Director of the National Biodiesel Education Program. He is a mechanical engineer ... Learn More »
Marisa Alcorta is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist in the Davis, California office of the National Center for Appropriate Technology ...
Marisa Alcorta is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist in the Davis, California office of the National Center for Appropriate Technology ... Learn More »
Author, radio broadcaster, and newspaper columnist Evelyn Birkby has spent more than half century writing about farm life in the ...
.jpg)
Author, radio broadcaster, and newspaper columnist Evelyn Birkby has spent more than half century writing about farm life in the ... Learn More »
Linda Coffey is a livestock specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ...

Linda Coffey is a livestock specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ... Learn More »
Rex Dufour has worked for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 1994. Rex opened NCAT’s California office ...

Rex Dufour has worked for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 1994. Rex opened NCAT’s California office ... Learn More »
Margo Hale is Southeast Regional Office Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Fayetteville Arkansas. She’s also ...

Margo Hale is Southeast Regional Office Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Fayetteville Arkansas. She’s also ... Learn More »
Tammy Hinman holds a Bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in horticulture food crops and entomology and a Master's degree ...

Tammy Hinman holds a Bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in horticulture food crops and entomology and a Master's degree ... Learn More »
Ferd Hoefner is policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), and has been the group's senior Washington, D.C., ...

Ferd Hoefner is policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), and has been the group's senior Washington, D.C., ... Learn More »
Margaret Krome is Policy Program Director for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. ...

Margaret Krome is Policy Program Director for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. ... Learn More »
Al Kurki is coordinator of the Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future Project for the National Center for Appropriate ...

Al Kurki is coordinator of the Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future Project for the National Center for Appropriate ... Learn More »
Hannah Lewis is the Midwest regional director for National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in Des Moines, ...
Hannah Lewis is the Midwest regional director for National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in Des Moines, ... Learn More »
Vicki Lynne has been an energy engineer with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 2005, involved with commercial ...

Vicki Lynne has been an energy engineer with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) since 2005, involved with commercial ... Learn More »
Crissie McMullan is an agriculture and local foods specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Crissie coordinates the ...

Crissie McMullan is an agriculture and local foods specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Crissie coordinates the ... Learn More »
Andy Pressman has a masters degree in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University. He is a certified permaculture designer and ...

Andy Pressman has a masters degree in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University. He is a certified permaculture designer and ... Learn More »
Lee Rinehart is the Northeast Regional Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), where he oversees a variety ...

Lee Rinehart is the Northeast Regional Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), where he oversees a variety ... Learn More »
Dave Ryan is an energy engineer at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Butte, ...

Dave Ryan is an energy engineer at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Butte, ... Learn More »
Joel Schumacher is an extension economics associate specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he also earned a ...

Joel Schumacher is an extension economics associate specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he also earned a ... Learn More »
Susan Tallman is a field crops specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in ...

Susan Tallman is a field crops specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), based in ... Learn More »
Dr. Jon H. Van Gerpen is the Project Director of the National Biodiesel Education Program. He is a mechanical engineer ...

Dr. Jon H. Van Gerpen is the Project Director of the National Biodiesel Education Program. He is a mechanical engineer ... Learn More »