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Sandro Lopes’ motivation comes from the land, his children, and his ancestors. Growing up in Brazil, near the Amazon Rainforest, Sandro learned farming techniques passed down from generation to generation.
Several years ago, Sandro moved to the U.S. and brought Indigenous knowledge with him to start his own farm. Now, Sandro and his wife, Michelle, and their family, operate Huerto Regenerativo NaTerra, in David City, Nebraska.
“I grew up connected to the Amazon, and that memory of living soil travels with me,” he said. “Farming is not just production—it is ceremony, responsibility, and hope.”
Shortly after arriving in Nebraska, Sandro connected with the Center for Rural Affairs for help creating a business plan and technical assistance. He has been a participant in many of the Center’s programs including the Latino Farming Program, the Beginning Farmer Conservation Fellowship, Sustaining Seeds cohort, the Center Local Foods Promotion Program, and the Organic Transition Academy. He’s hosted field days on his farm to showcase production practices, presented at the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Conference during beginning farmer sessions, and more. Last year, he became a member of the Center’s Advisory Committee.
Sandro takes great pride in encouraging and amplifying the voices of Latino farmers in his area, and opens NaTerra Farms to people of all ages to educate and entertain, giving them the chance to connect with the earth and with each other while celebrating everything agriculture has to offer.
Because of Sandro’s commitment to community and support of local businesses and farmers, he has been chosen to receive the Center’s 2025 Rural Community Champion Award.
This award is bestowed upon a person or persons who work with the Center and make extraordinary contributions to building engagement within their own communities. People who receive this award provide a model for innovation, stewardship, or community development.
“Sandro’s willingness to teach others about Indigenous farming practices and his care for the land have solidified him as an important leader in the regenerative farming movement in Nebraska,” said Cait Caughey, senior project associate with the Center. “While building his specialty-crop farm business that includes vegetables, goats, chickens, and ducks, Sandro has also become a well-known community leader who collaborates and supports other growers.”
He encourages women farmers, the Mayan community (Pixan Ixim), and provides land access for other beginning farmers. Sandro has also partnered with the Center in the past year on a video series featuring A Day in the Life of a Vegetable Producer. The series focused on Sandro's operation from using various conservation techniques to harvesting their produce by selling them at their local farmers market. Sandro was also featured in Farminars discussing Natural Resources Conservation Service suggestions to implement throughout his diversified operation.
“Sandro's dedication to both the land, his community, and sharing his knowledge is inspirational and so important during a time when beginning farmers and diverse farmers are facing multiple challenges,” Cait said.
Receiving the Rural Community Champion Award has deeply humbled the farmer.
“It represents more than personal recognition—it honors my family, our community, and the many partners who believe in rural resilience,” Sandro said. “For me, this award reflects the power of regenerative agriculture rooted in culture, stewardship, and collaboration. It reminds me that rural leadership can come from diverse voices, including Latino and immigrant farmers who are building bridges across traditions. It strengthens my responsibility to continue serving rural America with integrity and hope.”
Moving forward, Sandro has many plans for NaTerra Farms. This year marks an important transition for his family, as they are launching a pilot project called Agroforestry Peppers.They are integrating perennial systems, biodiversity, and soil regeneration into specialty crop production. This project blends agroecology with market viability and reflects Sandro’s long-term commitment to regenerative design in the Midwest.
NaTerra Farms is also entering a structured organic transition process through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), which will take place in three phases: certifying the land, certifying their chicken operation, and certifying their agroforestry peppers.
“This is a strategic and values-driven decision,” Sandro said. “It strengthens soil health, transparency, and long-term resilience for our farm and community. We envision NaTerra Farms becoming a demonstration site for regenerative agroforestry systems in the Great Plains. We want to integrate education, youth training, and farmer-to-farmer learning into our model.”
To others wanting to help build up their communities and make a meaningful impact, Sandro suggests starting small, but thinking long-term.
“Real change begins with relationships—with soil, with neighbors, with institutions, and with youth,” he said. “Build trust before scale. Listen deeply. Learn continuously. Also, do not wait for perfect conditions. Begin with what you have. Seek partnerships, like we did through TOPP and the Center for Rural Affairs. Community change happens when collaboration replaces competition.”
And any time he faces challenges or setbacks on his journey, Sandro returns to the basics: planting seeds, caring for animals, mentoring youth, and remembering that regeneration takes time.
“Community sustains me—organizations, neighbors, and fellow farmers who believe that rural life can thrive again through stewardship and innovation,” he said. “Regenerative agriculture is not just a farming method—it is a community movement. Rural America has incredible potential when we center soil health, cultural heritage, and collaboration. We are grateful for the partnerships that make this journey possible. The future of agriculture depends on farmers who are willing to transition, experiment, and lead with courage. At NaTerra Farms, we are committed to that path—one seed, one chicken, one pepper plant at a time.”
Sandro will be presented with the Rural Community Champion Award in September at NaTerra Farms.
