Charlotte Mitchell, Elk Grove, took over as the new Executive Director of the Central Valley Farmland Trust (CVFT) on February 1, 2017. After 12 years, former Executive Director, Bill Martin retires ushering in Mitchell who plans to use her life-long dedication to agricultural and her experience advocating for farmer’s to grow the organization in new and more public ways.
“In my new role I will ardently pursue connecting the food on your table to the land and farmers who
are necessary to getting it there,” said Mitchell. “My personal and professional life has been dedicated to participating in and advancing farming and ranching in a sustainable and efficient manner. I will work with landowners, our agency partners, and local jurisdictions to conserve prime farmlands for California. My ultimate goal is to ensure that not only are these essential farmlands protected, but that the necessity of our industry and its direct relationship to your healthy food options are inextricably tied.”
Prior to joining CVFT, Mitchell was the Executive Director for the Sacramento County Farm Bureau for 11 years, a program coordinator for the California Farm Bureau Federation before that, and spent 25 years as a volunteer for Farm Bureau on local, state and national committees.
“Charlotte’s deep ties to the agricultural community plus her understanding of the unique concerns of our farmer partners will enable CVFT to maintain continuity and build momentum in our work to preserve the farms that feed our families,” said Barbara Smith CVFT board president. “Charlotte is a proven, innovative leader skilled in leveraging volunteers, developing membership and building partner programs. CVFT needs to grow capacity to counter the accelerating threats to the local source of our food. Charlotte is ideally suited to lead us in this challenge.”
Charlotte was born and raised on a third-generation cattle and sheep operation along the Sonoma County coast. She now resides with her husband, a fifth generation farmer, and their two sons in Elk Grove on a contract turkey operation where they raise turkeys year round for Foster Farms, in addition to walnuts, sheep, and hay. She is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with an agribusiness degree.
Pictured at left is Charlotte with her husband and their two sons.
To contact Charlotte email her! cmitchell@cafarmtrust.org
