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Diego Irizarry-Gerould joined AFT in March of 2024. As the Implementation Specialist for Western MA, his role is to help farmers navigate NRCS programs and implement conservation practices that work for their farm. Diego was born and raised in Northampton, MA, and started farming in the Pioneer Valley soon after graduating from the University of Vermont in 2013 with a B.S. in Natural Resources Management. After working at several vegetable farms, a maple sugaring operation, and a berry/value added farm, he started leasing his own farmland in 2017. Diego ran Song Sparrow Farm for the next 5 years, selling vegetables to local grocery stores, restaurants, farmstands, and starting a 30-member CSA during the pandemic. His focus was on building up healthy soils that produced flavorful food with a long shelf-life, as well as optimizing irrigation and other production systems for plant health and decreased labor costs. At the end of 2022, Diego decided to change direction and sold the farm business. Diego went on to work for the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture for two years, coordinating a grant program for farmers on protected APR land. He is excited to work directly with farmers to implement conservation practices that benefit both the farmer and the land itself.