NRCS provides farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with free technical assistance, or advice, for boosting agricultural productivity and protecting our natural resources through conservation. Programs are available to provide financial assistance to implement these recommendations. Helping people help the land. 

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NRCS Lewiston Field Office Staff

Jim Johnson

District Conservationist 

Phone: (207) 241-5375
Email: jim.johnson@me.usda.gov

Jim Johnson is a District Conservationist at the Lewiston, Maine Service Center. He received an A.S. Water Quality Technology and B.S. Agronomy from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. He also received a M.S. Hydrology from Idaho State University. He started with the Soil Conservation Service in 1988 in Montana and worked in Idaho and Washington before transferring to Maine in 2002. He has worked as a Soil Conservationist, Wetland Specialist, Resource Conservationist and District Conservationist. He was a Certified Crop Advisor in Washington State and a Seed Potato Inspector in Montana. Jim grew up on a cattle ranch that also raised alfalfa hay, barley, pigs and chickens. He has worked as a ranch hand on other neighboring ranches and as a farm hand on a rice/sheep farm in New South Wales, Australia. He served in the US ARMY in 1979-1982 and served in the National Guard until his retirement in 2004. He enjoys wood working, auto mechanics, and outdoor activities. He currently resides in Gray, ME with his wife, Cathy and his daughter and son.

Terri Teller 

Soil Conservationist 

Phone: (207) 241-5382
Email: terri.teller@me.usda.gov

Terri was born and raised in Wolcott, Connecticut. She spent time living in California, Iowa and Massachusetts before moving to Maine in December 2012 to begin work with NRCS in the South Paris Field Office. She was relocated to the Lewiston Field Office in 2014. Teller attended Harvard University and earned a bachelor's degree in biology, as well as a master's in education.  Her previous work experience has been a great training ground for her present position and has included coaching college softball, working in an organic produce distribution warehouse, and serving as an environmental educator and interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service.  In her spare time, Terri enjoys cooking, gardening, bird-watching, and volunteering at the animal shelter in South Paris. 

Carl Perry

Program Assistant

Phone: (207) 241-5383
Email: carl.perry@maine.usda.gov

Carl was hired as a NRCS Program Assistant for the former Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area Program in December of 2004. Carl now works as a Program Assistant for the Programs Services Staff division of NRCS. His duties include: Conducting second level reviews of financial documentation pertaining to Farm Bill contract payments and Contract Obligations and Modifications for the South Paris, Scarborough, Skowhegan, Farmington, Ft. Kent, Presque Isle and Houlton Field Offices / Provides miscellaneous administrative and records management support to the Farmington, Lewiston, South Paris, Scarborough and Skowhegan Field Offices / Coordinates office supply purchases for 8 Field Offices in the southern half of the State of Maine.

Candi Gilpatric 

Agricultural Engineer

Phone: (207) 241-5378
Email: candi.gilpatric@me.usda.gov

Candace (Benwitz) Gilpatric, PE – graduate of UMaine with a BS in Agricultural Engineering.  Candi grew up on a livestock farm in Western New York along Lake Ontario.  She came to Maine for college and has never left. Candi started with NRCS as a work study student. Upon graduation she became a full time employee assisting the engineer in the Bangor area. In 1992 the agency moved her to Lewiston where she assisted the Southern Maine area engineer until his retirement. She currently provides engineering to the Southern 8 counties of Maine with assistance from Jason Walker, PE and Brian Stuart, CADD technician.  Candi always enjoys teaching and has instructed trainings for NRCS across the nation over her 27 years of service.  She still instructs locally to new NRCS hires in Maine and at district workshops.  When not working Candi enjoys time with her family upta camp.​

Rebecca Long

Soil Conservationist 

Phone: (207) 241-5377
Email: rebecca.long2@me.usda.gov

 Rebecca grew up in Rhode Island and received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and master’s degree in sustainable agriculture from the University of Rhode Island. Before coming to work for NRCS, at the Lewiston Field Office, she spent time working on organic vegetable farms. In her spare time Rebecca enjoys growing, cooking, and eating good food. As a Soil Conservationist, Rebecca works with clients on their farms and woodlots to preserve natural resources. She enjoys the opportunity this gives her to see Androscoggin and Sagadahoc’s diverse agriculture and to facilitate sustainable farming practices.