Celina Robinson

I grew up in Benton Harbor, MI and spent my childhood summers floating around in the lake at Silver Beach, loving every bit of life. I didn't come from a farming family, but I was lucky enough to join my schools FFA chapter and easily saw myself pursuing a career in agriculture. I was blessed to receive a USDA scholarship and graduated with a B.S. in Agribusiness from Delaware State University. 

I've worked closely with Natural Resources Conservation Service since 2022 in Kansas and Michigan. The unique challenges I've come across in either state have helped to guide my understanding of what farmers, ranchers, and many other landowners in America are facing today. For some reason farmland has become so competitive yet each year the number of farmable acres decreases. Its no secret what our farmland is being repurposed for. Additionally, resource concerns are a major problem for farm operations across the country. Soil erosion, run-off, pest pressure from weeds and insects, low yielding soil, etc. all play a role in the reality many farmers are growingly worried about. 

My goal is to provide retired farmers or active farmers with degraded farmland a way to pass on their agricultural operations. Not only that, but to ensure a commitment to benefiting local communities. In some counties 60% of the farmland has been sold for development, weakening local food systems. My vision is to grow food to be processed, packaged, sold, and eaten in the same county it was grown in. I believe farmers looking to sell their property should have options besides residential areas, data centers, or corporate hawks as the main bidders. Particularly, an option that would pass on their farming operation to benefit the local community without the environmental degradation.