Ecological Farming Program Coordinator

Job Title:  Ecological Farming Program Coordinator

Location: Davis / hybrid work option available

FTE: 50% – 70% FTE

Starting Salary: $45K – $55K

FLSA: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Ecological Farming

 

Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs that create more resilient family farms, communities and ecosystems. As a farming serving organization, we recognize the historic and lasting inequities in the California food and farming system. We believe farmers of color, and other historically oppressed people, should have the opportunity to create and participate in a food and agriculture system that aligns with their needs, values, identities, knowledge systems, and communities. We commit to advancing racial, gender, and environmental justice in our larger systems, as well as in our own workplace. Currently our programming is focused in 4 areas: Farm to Market, Policy & Advocacy, Farmer Services, and Ecological Farming. See https://caff.org for more information.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Ecological Farming Program Coordinator will play a key role in CAFF’s Ecological Farming Program Area, which includes our work in Climate Smart Farming/soil health as well as our Ecological Pest Management Program. The Program Coordinator will join the Ecological Farming team in its work to implement on-farm projects, facilitate farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities, develop extension resources and provide technical assistance to the agricultural community.

CAFF’s Ecological Farming program area works to improve the health, productivity, and resiliency of California agroecosystems through the promotion, research, and demonstration of ecological farming practices and systems that conserve and regenerate natural resources such as biodiversity, soil and water, and adapt to and mitigate the stresses brought on by climate destabilization. The Ecological Farming program area works with farmers, researchers and technical assistance providers in central and northern California to carry out projects including: Small-scale Biointensive No-till Vegetable production; Integrated Crop Livestock Systems; Cover Cropping; and Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems. We are working to build farmer-to-farmer networks in California to provide farmers and ranchers with the resources to successfully implement ecological farming.

 

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

% Time Description
25% Resource Development  

●      Assist with the content, development and design for CAFF’s ecological farming webpages, posting resources and organizing content for various ecological farming practices and systems

●      Assist with farmer and rancher case studies

●      Assist with Farmer’s Beet podcast episodes

●      Assist with filming videos highlighting on-farm ecological farming practice implementation

25% Farmer-to-Farmer Outreach and Communications

●      Plan multiple field days in coordination with partner farms and organizations

●      Develop and distribute fliers for field days and other extension events

●      Develop, administer and track evaluation surveys and post-field day emails

●      Promote Ecological Farming program events, resources and project updates

●      Participate in partnership development with farmers, agricultural extension agencies and other non-profits

●       Participate in/ attend relevant community events as needed (e.g. webinars, field days, etc.)

25% Field Work

●      Assist with field work as needed for CAFF’s Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems project, including pest and beneficial insect monitoring and sampling (training provided)

●      Assist with soil sampling as needed for CAFF’s climate-smart farming projects, including integrated sheep in walnuts and cover cropping in nut orchards (training provided)

15% Technical Assistance

●      Assist with technical assistance efforts for ecological farming practice implementation to California family farmers, including Latinx farmers.

 

10% General CAFF responsibilities

●      Participate in weekly CAFF staff meetings, annual planning and retreat meetings

●      Participate and contribute to racial equity action planning discussions

●      Represent CAFF by participating in community activities and events as necessary

●      Participate in other administrative tasks as needed

●      Other duties as assigned

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Sustainable Agriculture, or related field

Experience

  • Minimum of 2 years working in sustainable agriculture, community development or related field required
  • Experience working with farmers, particularly Latinx farmers preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • High proficiency in conversational Spanish preferred
  • Strong English written and oral communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills, particularly engaging with systems for tracking information
  • Flexibility to work independently, with minimal supervision, as well as collaborate with others in a team

setting

  • Flexibility to work on a variety of projects, simultaneously
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  • Proficiency with collaborative working platforms such as Salesforce, Dropbox, and Google Drive
  • Willingness to significant travel to carry out field work in Central and Northern California
  • Experience with Creative Adobe Suite, Canva or other graphics software is a plus

Physical Abilities

  • Ability to sit for long periods of time working at a computer.
  • Ability to lift up to 50lbs.
  • Requires a full range of physical mobility, such as bending, stooping, lifting, turning, carrying objects, and grasping.

CAFF’s policy is that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation.

To apply: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three references with the subject line “Ecological Farming Program Coordinator” to jobs@caff.org by August 18, 2021.

 

Estimated start date: September 20, 2021, start date negotiable.