Klamath Falls, OR – The Family Farm Alliance today announced the appointment of Samantha Barncastle as its new Executive Director, effective November 1, 2025.
Samantha (who prefers to go by “Sam”) is an attorney from New Mexico with over 17 years of experience in the field of complex litigation and policy making regarding water and natural resources on both the state and federal level.
“I feel incredibly honored to have been tapped for this role,” said Barncastle. “Agriculture is essential to our nation’s success and security. As George Washington famously recognized, ‘Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man,’ but even agriculture needs strong advocates. I hope to work with other industries and interests to preserve our Western way of life, while also economically and safely feeding America.”
She is a 2007 graduate of New Mexico State University, where she graduated with dual degrees, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Government (Pre-Law), with Honors. In 2010, Barncastle received her law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
After clerking for the New Mexico Court of Appeals, then working for two prominent water law firms in Las Cruces, NM, she started her own practice in 2014 and is the managing attorney at Barncastle Law Firm.
“Until now, I have spent my career working to protect western irrigated agriculture from my home in Southern New Mexico,” she said. “But now, more than ever, I am looking forward to the opportunity to apply my skills and passion to continue to build on the incredible work the Family Farm Alliance does on a much larger scale.”
Most importantly, Barncastle is a mother to two children and the wife of a farmer who actively farms in the beautiful Mesilla Valley in New Mexico. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her family, especially in national parks, helping with her husband’s family farming operations, and spending time with her two young children and husband out on the farm.
Barncastle will begin work with the Alliance in a transition role beginning in August 2025 before replacing current Executive Director Dan Keppen, who will step down from the position at the 2025 Alliance Annual Conference in Reno on October 31.
During the candidate screening process, she impressed the Alliance Search Committee with her enthusiasm, energy and legal knowledge, particularly her understanding of how federal law and the doctrine of prior appropriation support the delivery of farm water in the Western U.S.
“Samantha Barncastle brings a unique and exceptional set of attributes to the job,” said Search Committee Chairman Don Schwindt. “She was raised as a multigenerational farm kid and is now a practicing attorney. Her career has been all about serving Western farms and communities - from her home in southern New Mexico, to the state capitol in Santa Fe, to our nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C.”
Other Alliance leaders believe Barncastle’s passion, background, and knowledge of state and federal water issues make her the ideal incoming executive director.
“Sam stood out in a slate of top-notch candidates for the position,” said Alliance President Paul Orme. “She’s very smart and quick on her feet, and it’s clear she cares about her industry and the people who work in it.”
The Alliance completed its nationwide search for a new executive director earlier this month. Keppen, who has served as the organization’s executive director since March 2005, will step down on October 31, 2025 after serving in this position for over 20 years.
“I’ve worked with Sam for several years in her role as a member of the Alliance Advisory Committee and I’ve always been impressed with her energy and skill set,” said Keppen. “I’m looking forward to working with her as she transitions into her new role and cheering her on as she leads the Alliance forward.”