JoBeth Delawder: From Envirothon to Agriculture Policy
October 1, 2026
Growing up as the sixth generation on her family farm in West Virginia, JoBeth Delawder participated in conservation programs for wildlife management, water, forestry, and soil conservation. “Farmers are certainly conservationists, whether they identify themselves with that term or not,” Delawder shared.
Looking back, she recalls an experience that honed those skills and changed the trajectory of her future career. “I had the basic understanding, maybe more than some of my fellow peers, but my three years in that competition deepened my understanding and created the foundation of knowledge for my career.” That competition? NCF-Envirothon. As part of the inaugural team at her high school, Delawder first heard about it through her connections in FFA and 4-H. When her biology teacher brought up the idea, Delawder’s response was, “I have to be on the team. I want to be involved and challenged in a new way.”
Her high school team competed for three years, placing in the top ten the first two years and winning the state competition her final year. She credits her coach and many experts in their area for helping them prepare for the competition. Her favorite memories were working with her team to create their group project in the short amount of time that is given. “Trying to encapsulate everything that you were studying for, all of the different sections into one project, really challenged us and helped us grow as a team,” she said.
Finding her calling
This experience was more than just a high school activity for Delawder. “Envirothon helped me realize that my calling was to build a career at the intersection of agriculture and conservation. It opened so many doors for my future career,” Delawder shared.
During college at the University of West Virginia, Delawder interned with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture for three years. She continued to work in policy as the fundraising assistant for Senator Joe Manchin and as the outreach representative in his official office. Following that position, Delawder worked on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and for Senator Luján as a legislative correspondent. During the Biden-Harris administration, she was selected as a presidential appointee in the US Department of Agriculture, in rural development and energy programs. She then joined the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) as the director of government affairs and is now the manager of agricultural policy for North America at PepsiCo. In this role, she works with conservation and regenerative agricultural policy to continue supporting farmers and the next generation of agriculture.
Delawder credits her Envirothon experience with improving her farming operation and opening her eyes to the impact that policy has on the conservation mission. Throughout her career, she said she has worked with someone from nearly every step in the agricultural system and acknowledges how Envirothon opened her eyes to that. “Even if you’re not planning on working out in the field in your future career, the knowledge that you gain from Envirothon is still very important. Instead of having a siloed view of things, I was exposed to many issues and practices that are different from my operation or even my state.”
Supporting the next generation
Delawder returned as a mentor and coach to her local team for a couple of years. In addition, she has supported the competition through her former employment at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, NACD, and now PepsiCo. She worked closely with conservation agencies and conservation districts to ensure the program would continue to be successful. “Looking to the future, I will take any opportunity I get to recommend the program and encourage supporters. This competition will always hold a special place in my heart,” she said.
To support Envirothon and the next generation of conservation leaders, visit https://www.nationalconservationfoundation.org/invest-with-us/
About NCF
The mission of the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is to identify and advance strategic programs and partnerships to deliver conservation solutions through locally led conservation and to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Learn more at www.nationalconservationfoundation.org