Julia Barra Netto-Ferreira, PhD

Dr. Julia Barra Netto-Ferreira is Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Agroecosystem Health at the University of Maine, and Research Director of the Analytical Laboratory and Maine Soil Testing Service; the lab that analyzes soils for producers across the state. Her research focuses on management strategies that integrate soil health, nutrient management, and regenerative agriculture to support sustainable agro-ecosystems. Current projects include refining irrigation management for wild blueberries, fine-tuning nitrogen use efficiency for potatoes across the Northeast, and supporting the development of organic-based fertilizers in Brazil. Julia holds a PhD in Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences from the University of Florida and brings a decade of published work on nutrient cycling, organo-mineral fertilizers, cover crop systems, and biosolid-based nutrient sources. On Soil Health Exchange, she offers both the producer-facing perspective of someone running a state soil testing lab and the research rigor of a working agronomist.