Ariel Kagan joined the MFU team as the Climate and Working Lands Program Director in February 2023. Her background is in agricultural economics and policy, and she’s spent her career working at the intersection of ag, sustainability, and community resilience.

She has worked across sectors to support farmers, climate resilience, and policy development. At the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, she supported the commissioner’s office in the establishment of the Emerging Farmers office and working group, as well as agency work on new market development and regional food systems. Most recently, she worked at a non-profit supporting conservation agriculture and corporate sustainability programs, working to create resilient landscapes across the Midwest.

Kagan grew up in St. Paul and has family in Otter Tail County.

Contact her at Ariel@mfu.org.