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Janel (she/her) is an agriculture agent for NC Cooperative Extension in Durham County with a focus on small farms and local foods. She recently received her PhD in Soil Science from NC State University where she was a USDA National Needs Fellow in the Department of Crop and Soil Science. Her research focused on investigating nutrient management in high-yielding field corn using machine learning and remote sensing technology to gain a better understanding of dynamics in soil fertility and limiting factors to yield. She has M.S. in Agricultural Science and a B.S in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems from the University of New Hampshire. She is deeply committed to working toward a more sustainable and equitable agriculture and food systems.

Janel is also a classically trained chef and, prior to returning to school, she worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years. She believes in making an impact by being part of the conversation, whether that be to advocate for a change in our food and agricultural systems; or presenting at conferences aimed at new and emerging farmers about how good food starts with building from the ground up.