Tim Durham

Tim is a 5th generation farmer, educator, and agvocate. His family operates Deer  Run Farm – a 30 acre “truck” farm on Long Island, New York – where they grow  leafy greens, root crops, and herbs. Though conventional, the farm fashions itself  biointensive, using Integrated Pest Management (IPM), naturally-derived  biorationals, and organic amendments. Fractional monoculture is also a focus:  small-scale, intensive cropping punctuated by rotations and cover crops. As a  result, Deer Run Farm was hailed as a “national model” by the New York State  Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program for its stewardship. As  one of a handful of farms outside of New York City, it faces unique challenges,  especially those associated with urban-edge agriculture. As a result, Tim has a  keen interest in the interplay between science, sustainability, and policymaking. A  2001 Cornell University graduate (B.S. in Plant Science), he continued his studies  in 2004 at Lincoln University, New Zealand via a Rotary Foundation  Ambassadorial Scholarship. In 2005, he enrolled in the University of Florida’s  Plant Medicine Program – an interdisciplinary “plant doctor” degree that parallels  an M.D. or D.V.M. Due to his professed interests in pest and disease  management, the Department of Homeland Security awarded Tim a graduate fellowship in 2005. In the summer of 2006, he was a Visiting Fellow at Los Alamos  National Lab, working in crop biosecurity. A 2014 Salzburg Global Seminar  Fellow, he’s also a graduate of Virginia Tech’s VALOR (ag leadership) program.  In the offseason, he’s an Associate Professor of Crop Science at Ferrum College,  VA, where he teaches courses in agronomy, biology, ag/environmental issues,  and pest management. Frequently referenced by the media, he’s a periodic  contributor to AgDaily as the “Plant M.D.”