Michelle Webb is the Director of the Agricultural Resource Development Division (ARD) within the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources. In this role, she oversees important and impactful statewide programs benefiting farms, food producers, and the public, including marketing and promotion efforts such as the Real Maine agriculture and agritourism program. Michelle also oversees ARD programs including domestic and international trade opportunities, federally funded food assistance, farmland protection, technical assistance, soil and water conservation, agricultural fairs and expositions, and grants, loans, and resources that support investments in agriculture and farm innovation.
In prior roles, Michelle led an array of programs that supported early childhood and higher education including the development of nature-based whole-family programs that connected children and families to gardens and outdoor learning.
Michelle holds several undergraduate degrees focused on business management, early childhood education, child development, and equine science. She earned a certificate of graduate study in nonprofit management and a master’s degree in policy, planning, and management from the University of Southern Maine, and completed a doctorate in education from the University of New England.
Michelle resides in the Belgrade Lakes Region with four children, two labrador retrievers, and an orange tiger cat. She is also a Registered Maine Guide and enjoys photography, hiking, kayaking, and exploring and connecting with Maine’s farms, forests, and waters.
