Patrick O’Neill is an independent soil scientist and agronomist based in Alamosa, Colorado, where he leads Soil Health Services, PBC. With a career spanning over two decades, Patrick supports farmers across southern and western Colorado and northern New Mexico, using a holistic, systems-based approach to build and sustain soil health. His work centers on empowering family farmers with practical tools and knowledge to steward their land and strengthen their communities.
Since 2005, Patrick has made his home in the San Luis Valley, where he collaborates with a wide range of cropping and livestock operations. He is a recognized leader in soil health education and peer-to-peer learning, having led a regional soil health learning group for over a decade and now coordinating training efforts for new facilitators supporting farmers in communities across Colorado.
Patrick’s commitment extends beyond the soil—he’s deeply involved in local food systems development and food-as-medicine initiatives, advocating for stronger connections between farmers and the communities they feed. He brings this passion to his volunteer work with the Rio Grande Farm Park and the Valley Roots Food Hub, and through his public service as a Supervisor with his county’s Soil and Water Conservation District.
He also serves in several statewide leadership roles, including as a board member for Colorado’s Certified Crop Adviser program, an appointed member of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Soil Health Advisory Committee, President of the Colorado Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, and Vice President of the San Luis Valley Farmers Union Chapter.
Patrick’s agricultural roots trace back to his upbringing on a homestead vineyard in Madera, California, where he first worked as a farmhand. He holds a B.S. in Crop Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and an M.S. in Soil Science from Washington State University. In 2000, Patrick was commissioned by the Franciscan Mission Service and served in Brazil as an agronomist with smallholder farmers in the landless movement—an experience that deeply shaped his values of social justice, equity, and community resilience.
In 2024, he returned briefly to his California roots to coordinate a CSA program on a mixed organic vegetable farm in Madera, bringing full circle his commitment to sustainable, community-connected agriculture. Patrick and his wife Cathy remain active members of their local Farmers Union Chapter, and passionate advocates for progressive agricultural and environmental policies.
