Company description American Farmland Trust is the only national NGO that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. More than any other NGO, AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement, and we continue to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families. Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agricultures most pressing needs and opportunities. Job description

American Farmland Trust is the only national NGO that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. More than any other NGO, AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement, and we continue to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families. Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agricultures most pressing needs and opportunities.
 

With the 2018 Farm Bill now passed, AFT is preparing a multiyear strategy aimed at advancing significant policy changes. This strategy will include a direct focus on the next Farm Bill and other federal and state policy initiatives. In addition, AFTs multi-pronged approach will involve an active research agenda that serves policy goals, advancing new state-level policies through which innovative approaches can be tested and refined, and engaging and organizing key stakeholders across the nation.
 

AFT believes that there are immense opportunities to advance the national dialogue about agriculture in key areas where AFT has expertise and programming, including the interplay of agriculture and climate change as well as issues involving farmland loss, land access, and farm transfer and succession.
 

To respond to these opportunities and needs, AFT is creating the new position of Conservation Policy Specialist. The Conservation Policy Specialist position offers an exciting opportunity to help shape and carry out the policy agenda of a growing, forward-looking agricultural conservation organization. The Conservation Policy Specialist will report directly to the Policy Director, while also engaging other members of AFTs program and policy team.
 

Duties & Responsibilities

The Conservation Policy Specialists primary responsibilities will be to:

Develop and propose strategies to advance and enhance conservation practices and programs through Congress and federal agencies

Engage in outreach and communication to congressional offices and committees, federal agencies and administrative officials, and other partners and stakeholders

Represent AFT at agency and coalition meetings, as well as congressional hearings and briefings

Draft policy summary pieces, Federal Register comments, testimony, and other content and correspondence

Track conservation policy developments, including legislation and federal rulemaking

Conduct research to inform policy positions

 

The Conservation Policy Specialist must be outgoing and energetic, creative, organized, and capable of working well independently and as part of a team. The Conservation Policy Specialist will need to be comfortable regularly interacting with a diverse audience including the staff of elected officials, representatives of partnering organizations, and others.
 

Additional qualifications include:

A BA or BS degree (ideally in a relevant field) and a demonstrated interest in public policy involving agriculture, conservation, and/or natural resource planning

At least three years of relevant work experience, including direct experience relating to agricultural conservation practices and federal conservation cost-share programs (e.g. EQIP, CSP)
 

AFT has historically played an outsized role in the development of agricultural policy. At the federal level, AFT was the force behind the Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) of 1981. In 1985, AFT led the effort that incorporated a Conservation Title into the Farm Bill. AFT has played a substantive role in the creation of CRP, EQIP, FRPP, ACEP, and other federal conservation programs. AFT has also worked actively on other titles of the Farm Bill, and on other federal issues, including tax policies impacting farmers and ranchers. At the state level, AFT had a direct role in the creation of 29 farmland protection programs and numerous current use taxation programsand has successfully championed a wide range of legislation that has supported farmland retention, farmland access, and farm viability.

AFTs policy work benefits from AFTs research efforts, which have often been a catalyst for policy change. At the same time, AFTs policy work is grounded in diverse programming delivered through both national initiatives and six regional offices. This provides AFT with a real world understanding of whats needed and what works. Beyond this, AFTs policy work is buoyed by the organizations reputation as a trusted convener, respected by both the agriculture and the conservation communities.

American Farmland Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Farmland Trust complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Compensation this position is : salaried, 75k-100k Application instructions DeadlineApril 18, 2020