Company description
Georgia Organics is a mission-driven nonprofit investing in organic farmers and community allies to cultivate a resilient local food movement. Our small-but-mighty team consists of passionate individuals committed to building connection, health, and farmer prosperity. Since 1997, the organization has served as the statewide leader in fostering organic farming, farm to school and community food systems. Equipped with a new strategic plan, the next five years present a tremendous opportunity for Georgia Organics to capitalize on the resiliency shown by farmers and the local food movement during the pandemic and the need to cultivate racial equity and climate solutions in agriculture. We believe food should be community-based, not commodity-based.
Our Mission: Georgia Organics invests in organic farmers for the health of communities and the land.
Our Vision: All Georgia farmers nurture and heal the land, people, and communities.
Values
Georgia Organics has four key goals:
- Grow the number of profitable and regenerative farmers making a living wage;
- Grow a network of influential advocates championing organic and regenerative farmers;
- Grow capital investment in organic and regenerative farmers and regional food systems
- Grow impact by rooting our work in equity, relationships, resource development, and accountability
Job description
Georgia Organics Climate-Smart Specialist position is integral to current efforts of Georgia Organics to enhance farmer prosperity and resilience to climate change. This position is primarily responsible for supporting Georgia farms enrolled in-specific deliverables of Rodale’s Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project (SPCSP). The SPCSP initiative will specifically work on providing on-farm direct technical assistance for implementing and improving conservation practices that mitigate greenhouse gases, such as cover crop termination, cover and cash crop rotations, and low-tillage farming methods. The Climate-Smart Specialist will also leverage soil health as a foundational starting point for addressing climate change on participating farms by working directly with farmers on assessing and interpreting soil health and identifying opportunities for advancing conservation agriculture strategies on their farms within the scope of the SPCSP project. This position reports to the Farmer Services Director.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provided extensive field-based technical assistance on participating farms in Northeast Georgia. Technical assistance includes conservation agriculture practices, specifically cover crop termination, reduced or low tillage farming methods, and crop rotation planning.
- Field-based data gathering, including soil health assessments, and soil sampling for the research partners.
- Coordinate with Southern Piedmont partners and participating farmers the use and distribution of regional tool bank equipment, tools include roller crimper and no-till drills, among others.
- Educate and facilitate farmer adoption and regular use of any required technological applications for research and data collection partners, examples include Poket, Comet, and Farm to Facts.
- Serve as a project lead for Georgia in Rodale’s Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project;
- Help develop and create a farmer participant manual that incorporates the project requirements, on farm preparations, calendar of activities, and recommendations on ideal crop rotations within the scope of this project.
- Create quarterly and annual performance reports that document challenges, needs, and opportunities related to conservation practices within the scope of the project;
- Provide expertise, within Georgia Organics, regarding soil health and facilitate occasional education opportunities for farmers within our broader network
- Represent Georgia Organics at public meetings, field days, and educational events in the Southern Piedmont region; and
- Support a strong team culture among Georgia Organics staff.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 6-10 years of sustainable or organic farming experience.
- 3-5 years of cover cropping experience.
- 3-5 years of reduced or low till faming experience.
- Must be able to work independently, deliver high quality work in a dynamic organization under time pressure, and bring a collaborative, outgoing, professional, and innovative approach to tackling these issues.
- Must be comfortable leading farmer instruction and/or demonstrating on-farm conservation methods.
- Demonstrated project management skills, organizational skills, and experience working in diverse teams of individuals, peers, and partners.
- Ability to communicate effectively with racially and ethnically diverse farming communities in an inclusive manner, including farms large or small; organic or conventional; urban or rural.
- Frequent travel and field visits to participating farms is required.
- This position is part of Georgia Organics team which is primarily remote. Occasional travel to in-person staff meetings in Atlanta should be expected, along with annual regional partner convenings in the Southeast. Occasional overnight travel should be expected.
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STRONGLY PREFERRED:
- Knowledge of and experience working directly with farmers on soil health practices, soil sampling, and soil health assessment strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with NRCS conservation practices and a basic understanding of NRCS programs strongly preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in plant or soil sciences, agronomy, environmental science, or related field strongly preferred by is not required.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION:
Georgia Organics is committed to an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We encourage applications from candidates diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation and ethnicity.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
This full-time position has a starting salary range of $55,000- $58,000, and includes generous benefits.
Compensation
this position is: salaried, $50,000 - $75,000
Application instructions
This job expired on December 12, 2023
Deadline
October 27, 2023