Nicole Burton

Nicole Burton is a Lecturer and Director of the Stockbridge Livestock Program (SLP) at the Agricultural Learning Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst, under the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. She specializes in farm animal husbandry and sustainable livestock systems, providing hands-on training for students in regenerative agricultural practices.

Education:

• M.S. in Sustainability Science, with Concentration in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2016)
• B.A. in Outdoor Education, Johnson State College, Johnson, VT (1999)

Her research and teaching focus on sustainable and regenerative agricultural systems, particularly silvopasture, rotational grazing, carbon farming, and small-scale livestock production. She integrates practical on-farm experience with academic instruction, emphasizing ecological stewardship and climate-resilient farming. Her work bridges education, food systems, and land management, promoting integrated approaches to livestock farming.

Nicole actively contributes to academic and public outreach through workshops, webinars, and collaborative initiatives such as the UMass Student Farm and the Carbon Farming Initiative. She has presented on topics including silvopasture, carbon sequestration, mobile poultry processing, and agricultural fencing, demonstrating leadership in experiential agricultural education.

Professional Certifications:

• HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) Certified (2018)
• Servsafe Manager Certified (2018)
• MPPU (Mobile Poultry Processing Unit) Trained (2017)
• CIRTL Associate, Center for Integrative Research, Teaching and Learning (2015)
• FAMACHA (Sustainable Control of Nematodes in Small Ruminants) (2008)

Nicole mentors students through her courses and the Stockbridge Livestock Program, guiding them in animal management, sustainable production, and farm business operations. While no formal graduate advisees are listed, her role is deeply educational and involves direct student engagement in real-world farming systems. She teaches STOCKSCH 268, STOCKSCH 269, and STOCKSCH 397, covering small farm husbandry and the marketing and finance of farm animal programs.

The Stockbridge Livestock Program operates at the Agricultural Learning Center, where students gain experience raising turkeys, broilers, sheep, and pigs using sustainable and integrated systems such as silvopasture. The program includes legal poultry slaughter, marketing, and financial planning, preparing students for careers in sustainable agriculture.