Emily
J. Cole, PhD
State Executive Director
Emily
J. Cole, PhD
State Executive Director
Farm Service Agency
U.S. Department of Agriculture
About
Emily Cole was appointed by the Biden Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Connecticut in April 2022.
Prior to her appointment, Cole served as the New England Regional Deputy Director for American Farmland Trust (AFT), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting farmland. At AFT, she developed New England’s regional Climate and Agriculture program focused on supporting farmers in their efforts to adopt climate smart agriculture through innovative technical and financial assistance, which included the largest soil health project in New England history.
Cole’s interest in agriculture started at a young age as she spent time on family and friends’ farms in northeastern Ohio and later grew when she spent summers working on a small vegetable farm in New Hampshire.
Cole earned her doctorate degree in plant and soil sciences from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focused on improving soil health and carbon sequestration on farmland in the Connecticut River Valley. At the University of Massachusetts, she was a part of the Crops, Dairy, Livestock, and Equine Extension Team. Cole also earned a master’s degree in science education from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Kenyon College.
Cole is a member of the Connecticut Farm Bureau, the Soil Science Society of America, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society. She regularly volunteers her time speaking about soil health and offering technical assistance. She also volunteers at her daughter’s school to teach children about agriculture.
Cole lives in Simsbury, Connecticut, with her husband Ray and their daughter. She enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time outside with her family and their husky Sasha.