The Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) is a not-for-profit organization, which works to build a local, healthy, regenerative food system in the greater Hardwick area and beyond. Through education, outreach, infrastructure, and technical services, the CAE uses partnership and collaboration to achieve a food system that can support working lands and working people. The CAE owns and operates the Vermont Food Venture Center, a food-processing facility, food business incubator, and regional food hub. The VFVC serves small food businesses, farmers and large scale vegetable and fruit producers, as well as our community members.

Building community leadership, investing in relationships, and listening to the needs of the community are core principles CAE applies to all of our work. We encourage anyone interested in this position to reach out with any questions they may have before applying. CAE strives to foster an inclusive and supportive staff culture where ongoing learning and growth are supported. This includes ongoing team learning around antiracism and equity in our personal and professional lives.

We’re looking for the right mix of production and management skills to add to our Farm-to-Institution social enterprise, Just Cut!

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Just Cut is a social enterprise of the Center for Agricultural Economy and an essential connection between food growers and buyers that operates out of one of the Vermont Food Venture Center’s (VFVC's) commercial kitchens. We purchase, inspect, wash, prepare (by hand and machine) and deliver Vermont-grown produce to kitchens both large and small. By partnering with local farmers, food buyers across New England, and a regional delivery network, we help ensure the viability of Vermont’s working landscapes and provide greater accessibility of high-quality produce to all markets. Just Cut’s highest aspiration is to show that a conscious, conscientious supply chain is possible - one that strives to do well by all food system participants, from the land to the farmer to the processor to the consumer.

Just Cut emphasizes authenticity, value, and efficiency in your selling or buying experience. We help foster a deeper understanding of your important place in the success of our regional food system. We make it easy for buyers to support local farmers while offering peak taste, freshness, and nutrition in prepared meals. When you choose Just Cut, you are investing in the health and well-being of the people who grow your food and the people who eat your food.  

If you know food safety, have a background in industrial kitchen-work, have strong leadership qualities, and have an active interest in our local food system, farms, and community, we’d love to hear from you! 

Summary of Position:

Position: Local Food PRODUCTION MANAGER 

Reports to: Just Cut Program Manager and VFVC Facilities Manager 

Full-time: 40 hours/week. Hourly Compensation: Minimum $22.00/hr, dependent on experience, and CAE’s benefits package   

The Local Food Production Manager role is a critical position for the aggregation, processing, and distribution of ready-to-use local and regional produce products for institutional and bulk buyers. Operating within a shared-use kitchen poses logistical and food safety challenges that require consistent attention to detail. The primary goals of the program are to provide farmers with new markets, and consistently provide institutions with high-quality, local, processed products. An emphasis is placed on buyers that feed food insecure individuals (schools, hospitals and colleges).

See the rest of the full job description at www.hardwickagriculture.org/jobs