Regenerative Agriculture Spotlight: Kasey Butler, Resource Conservation District of Monterey County

One of California’s best resources for environmental stewardship is itself something of a hidden gem. 

Resource Conservation Districts, or RCDs, are special districts authorized by the State of California to support natural resource conservation and sustainable agriculture on public and private lands across the Golden State. With more than 90 districts serving nearly all of California’s 58 counties, these locally governed agencies connect individuals and communities to a full range of supports for sustainably stewarding land, water, soil, and other natural resources. 

And the best part? RCDs are a grant-supported, community-based public service, providing technical expertise, education, and partnership opportunities for a host of projects—including regenerative, organic farming—often at no or reduced cost.

“A lot of people joke that we're like the best kept secret,” says Kasey Butler, Ag Team Operations Manager at the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County (RCDMC). While they might be flying under the radar, RCDMC has been supporting Monterey County farmers, ranchers, and landowners since 1942. 

Today, at Regenerative California’s Regenerate 68! Farm, RCDMC is leveraging its expertise and relationships to help inform our 68-acre demonstration site for regenerative organic agriculture training and outcomes-based farming practices.

One of the goals of the Regenerate 68! Farm is to help local small-scale farmers succeed by providing long-term, affordable leases on organically certified farmland. Kasey and her agroecology team at RCDMC are supporting this work by sharing their deep knowledge of the local agricultural ecosystem and sustainable practices with farmer tenants.

“We're working with the farmers who lease from Regenerative California, providing technical assistance around soil health, water conservation, and pollinator habitat, and also access to resources,” says Kasey. “Sometimes we have funding to share with farmers, or sometimes we help farmers apply for funding. We're in touch with other farmers on the site about getting support for compost application, and we work with some of the farmers around their irrigation and nutrient management to help them manage their water use and fertility.”

While drawing on RCD’s vast institutional knowledge, Kasey brings a passion for conservation and nearly 15 years of firsthand experience in sustainable agriculture, including seven years of organic farming experience, to her work with growers at Regenerative 68! Farm and beyond. 

“It’s all about stewarding natural resources—taking care of the soil that all farmers are dependent upon, and taking care of the ecosystem in general,” Kasey says. “Regenerative organic farming is a matter of doing as little harm as possible while maintaining these resources for future generations.”

Kasey acknowledges that this work is challenging—“It’s no secret that farming is hard,” she says—but she values its essential nature and unique rewards. Her advice for small farmers looking to adopt organic and regenerative practices is to be creative: “In order to be successful, it's helpful and almost required to think outside the box.” 

For Kasey, Monterey County is one of the best places in the world to take on this challenge. “This is such a hot spot for farming and innovation in agriculture,” Kasey shares. “And because there's such a concentrated network of farmers in the area, a lot of information is shared just by talking with your neighbor or seeing what somebody down the road is doing.”

Of course, RCDMC plays a supportive role in information and resource sharing too, connecting farmers with other helpful organizations—such as UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County, USDA-NRCS Salinas Office, California FarmLink, and Kitchen Table Advisors—and serving as a link among growers and other entities throughout the region. 

The unique structure of California’s RCDs—which are locally governed and largely funded by grants rather than taxes—supports their ability to navigate and build bridges across the agricultural ecosystem, from private to public.

“One of the keys to the way we work is that we're non-regulatory,” Kasey explains. “In many cases where a regulatory agency—whether it’s local or state or federal—wants to work with a landowner, that landowner might hesitate to engage with them out of discomfort with regulation, but they will work with us. So we're like a liaison that is able to work in these spaces that are sometimes tricky to navigate. But I think a lot of really important and exciting things can happen in those spaces.”

If you’re curious about learning more, don’t hesitate to connect with Kasey and her team, or the local RCD in your area. “In general, a lot of people don't know about RCDs,” Kasey says, “so, hey, reach out!”

In the meantime, Kasey’s work, and the work at the Regenerative 68! Farm, continues with an eye toward today and tomorrow. “If we can feed our communities and also take care of and improve the natural resources and systems that we rely on in order to grow food, we can ensure that we can continue to farm far into the future.”