Sheldon R. Jones is joining Soil Health Institute as their new Chief Operating Officer.  Jones’ new responsibilities will include working closely with Wayne Honeycutt, Ph.D., president and CEO, and Steven Shafer, Ph.D., chief scientific officer to continue the institution’s mission of safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of the soil.

“Agriculture is who I am, what I do, and what I have a passion for,” Jones said. “Being a part of the Soil Health Institute is an exciting next step for me and a great opportunity both personally and professionally. It’s about coalescing around a common goal and reawakening the world to the importance of our soil.”

Jones has spent his life and career in agriculture. He helped manage his family’s 130,000-acre cow/calf ranch in Arizona, while securing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agribusiness from Arizona State University. He continued his mission for agriculture in his professional career, serving as a commercial/agricultural lender, director for the Arizona Department of Agriculture; executive vice president of the Agri-Business and Water Council of Arizona; and deputy commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Jones comes to the Soil Health Institute from the Farm Foundation, NFP and Farm Foundation Trust where he served as vice president.

“We are very fortunate to have Sheldon join the Soil Health Institute,” said Honeycutt. “His relevant educational background coupled with his breadth of executive level experience with state agencies in Arizona and Colorado, and then nationally as vice president of the Farm Foundation, are all valuable qualifications, which will help ensure the Institute serves farmers, ranchers and our partners well.”