Meet NRCS Oregon’s Small Farms and Organic Specialist
Stephanie Payne is NRCS Oregon’s Small Farms and Organic Specialist based out of the Redmond USDA Service Center.
Stephanie Payne and Shin Nakato at Pono Farm , a small organic farm in Redmond, Ore.
Growing interest in local food systems across the country underscores the importance of local farmers. Local food production connects communities to foods grown in their backyards, through farmer’s markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and other direct-to-consumer systems.
Local food production cuts back on transportation from farm to consumer, reducing emissions and travel costs, and stabilizes local food supply chains. Community food systems help increase local food security, most notably in areas, both urban and rural, where fresh, locally grown foods may be less accessible.
Local production puts the farmer in the foreground, connecting people to the human aspect of farming and can provide opportunities for residents to engage with the land and natural resources.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a small farm as an operation with gross cash farm income (GCFI) under $250,000. The majority of small farms, though, have GCFI around $10,000. According to the Census of Agriculture, small farms account for 91% of U.S. farms and contribute 23% of agricultural production.
Based on the USDA definition, Oregon is home to 34,807 small farms that generate nearly $582 million in total agricultural product sales.
Oregon’s 456 certified organic farms cover 196,045 acres of the state and generate over $454 million in certified organic agricultural product sales.
In 2020, Oregon’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) created a new Small Farms and Organic Specialist position to support small farm and organic producers across the state. Stephanie Payne is Oregon’s Small Farms and Organic Specialist, based out of the Redmond USDA Service Center.
Stephanie Payne, NRCS Oregon's Small Farms and Organic Specialist
Stephanie Payne studied environmental science at Oregon State University and interned with NRCS Oregon in Pendleton before working full time as a soil conservationist for two years prior to her current position.
Stephanie experienced the benefits of local food production up close before joining NRCS during her time working as a pastry chef in Tennessee and Georgia.
This unique perspective led her out of the pastry kitchen and into the field to work with small and organic farms in a different capacity. Stephanie’s background helps her connect with producers in a meaningful manner.
Well-versed with the challenges of small farming, she works to minimize the obstacles for Oregon’s small farms or organic producers. In her position, Stephanie scales and adapts NRCS financial assistance programs to meet the needs of smaller-scale producers to effectively incentivize conservation and help pave the road to success.
Squash flowering at Pono Farm.
“I spent time on their farms learning what is was that they did, what their challenges were, their triumphs. I helped tie up tomato plants, process chickens, harvest kohlrabi. I loved it,” Payne said. “But what I loved most was seeing the passion and dedication of the farmers to bring fresh food into their communities.”
One of the biggest challenges with small farm or organic operations is economies of scale, or the proportion of costs to profits. On larger operations, the costs of production are spread out across more acres so the disparity between costs and income is less significant.
Starting a small or organic farm operation can be cost prohibitive when there are so many fixed start-up costs. Stephanie helps lessen this burden for most small operations and connect producers with resources from NRCS or partners.
One key to success is harnessing already existing resources. Stephanie and the producers she supports frequently work with Oregon Tilth and Oregon State University Extension .
“There can be a learning curve, but there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Reach out and ask questions,” Payne said. “Let those who are experienced help navigate you through the process and connect you to resources, technical or financial.”
USDA programs were historically created with large-scale farming operations in mind. Small scale, organic and diversified operations have different needs than large-scale operations and require scaled solutions to their unique set of challenges and opportunities.
Stephanie adapts USDA programming to make program delivery more equitable and provide the means to encourage these audiences to participate.
Small farm production is human scaled, as opposed to equipment scaled, and provides a vast array of environmental benefits through reduced energy use, soil health and carbon sequestration.
Small-scale operations spread across the landscape increase food security and connect neighbors to a local food source, providing economic benefits to community residents.
“I want to be a voice within USDA for producers of all scales to incentivize conservation on all farms. To me, this means making sure programs are available, financial incentives are appropriate and that producers are aware of opportunities to work with NRCS,” Payne explained.
Stephanie Payne meets with members of the Warm Springs Tribe to learn about the natural resource challenges they face.
In 2021, Stephanie designed a related Conservation Implementation Strategy (CIS), a local, targeted project to address a specific goal or resource concern. Drawing from personal experience, she wanted to place producers at the forefront of the conservation planning process to best support them and their contribution of fresh foods to community residents and local consumers.
A row of basil at Full Cellar Farm , a small farm in Boring, Ore.
“The ultimate goal of the project is to address the natural resource concerns of direct-to-consumer producers which will lead to an increase in the access and availability of fresh food in communities that need it most,” Payne explained. The Food Security Initiative CIS starts in 2022.
The Food Security Initiative CIS was designed to bring more attention to the human element, to include social and economic considerations in the conservation planning process. COVID-impacts and the increased occurrence of extreme weather events in the area partly inspired the creation of this CIS.
“I watched as food distribution chains were disrupted and grocery store shelves were emptied in communities across Central Oregon,” Payne said. “All of the direct-to-consumer producers I knew were unable to meet the sudden increase in demand for their locally-grown products."
With distribution chains failing, the stress of continual drought on the land and recent wildfires in the area, communities struggling to secure healthy food options were hit hard. Food insecure communities lacking in fresh, healthy food options were hit the hardest.
"These impacts made increasing the resiliency of local food systems an even higher priority to me," said Payne.
NRCS Oregon is lucky to have Stephanie on board and, with the help of Small Farm and Organic Specialists, looks forward to supporting small-scale and organic producers across the state.
Interested in small or organic farming in Oregon?
Reach out to Stephanie Payne if you live in Oregon and are interested in small farm or organic programming. Learn more about NRCS Oregon’s Organic Initiative here . Learn more about small farming here .
