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Chris Miller

Christopher Miller is currently Acting National Coordinator for the USDA Climate Hubs. In this role, he provides connection and cohesion across the Climate Hubs, integrates Hub work across USDA agencies, coordinates with other climate networks, and engages with academic and non-government organizations. Prior, Chris has been the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Cape May Plant Materials Center Manager for 15 years and an NRCS Regional Field Plant Materials Specialist for 18 years. He started his career with NRCS as a State Conservation Agronomist in Maryland.

Chris has been involved with the Northeast Climate Hub since its inception in 2014. Chris served as NRCS Project Liaison in 2019 with both the Northeast and Southeast USDA Climate Hubs. Chris led a project to assess the impact of sea level rise, coastal flooding, and saltwater inundation on agricultural producers in the Northeastern and Southeastern coastal states. Through the Plant Materials Program he continues to develop alternative adaptive management strategies and protocols that producers can implement to reduce the amount of crop productivity lost by increased flooding and soil salt concentrations on marginal cropland. His early interest in climate change and the Climate Hubs was related to his interest in plant adaptation and migration as it relates to coastal ecosystem’s resilience to climate change. He has continued to be engaged with the Hubs since his detail assignment ended in 2020. Chris has greatly enjoyed learning and working collaboratively with the all the USDA Hub agencies and appreciates the synergy that exists within the Climate Hub network. 

Chris has a B.S. in Agronomy (Soil Science emphasis) from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.S. in Plant Science from the South Dakota State University.

Chris Miller with beach grass at the Plant Materials Center

Title/Position

  • Acting National Coordinator
  • Manager, Cape May Plant Materials Center

Affiliation

USDA Office of the Chief Economist, Office of Energy and Environmental Policy, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Address

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Cape May Plant Materials Center
1536 Route 9 North
Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Phone Number

609-465-5901 x 6352

Email

Chris.Miller@usda.gov

Focus Area

  • Coastal plant adaptations with a changing climate
  • Carbon sequestration in native grass stands
  • Growing conservation plants as an alternative, niche income crop on marginal flooded/salt affected soils