After more than two decades of dedicated service to sustainable agriculture, Dr. Beth Nelson retired as the Regional Coordinator for NCR-SARE in February 2026.
Since assuming the role of Regional Director in 2012, Nelson’s work has supported sustainable innovation across the twelve-state North Central region. Her leadership has been defined by a "grassroots-first" philosophy, ensuring that NCR-SARE's projects remained practical, science-based, and, most importantly, driven by the needs of farmers and ranchers.
“Beth Nelson has truly, truly been an inspiration to me as a farmer and as a CEO of a nonprofit organization,” said Donna Pearson McClish, CEO of Common Ground Producers and Growers and NCR-SARE Administrative Council vice chairperson. “I was amazed as I watched her tackle tough issues gracefully, and also as I learned her knack for knowing the SARE budgets inside out! In any given conversation, Beth could rattle off those numbers as if she had just looked at them!! She was such an encouragement to me during our community-building work, also. Balanced, graceful, humble and one of the greatest leaders of an organization that I’ve seen in a long time. Beth cemented the legacy of SARE and for that we are grateful!”
Nelson's journey with SARE began in 2004, when she served as the Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator for Minnesota. During this time, she also worked as the Information Exchange Coordinator at the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA). After serving as NCR-SARE's Associate Regional Director starting in 2010, she was named Regional Director in 2012.
Her academic background, including a Ph.D. in plant physiology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's from Purdue University, provided a foundation for the program's scientific standards. Throughout her tenure, Nelson oversaw the distribution of millions of dollars in grant funding, supporting projects ranging from soil health and cover crops to urban agriculture and rural community resilience.
Pete Huff officially started as the new Regional Director on December 1, 2025.