Sustainable Farming Technician Job Foley Minnesota USA,Science

Location: Foley

Position Summary:

The Sustainable Farming Technician is a key position responsible for providing technical assistance and outreach to landowners, farmers, and agricultural producers, to promote the adoption of sustainable farming and soil health practices. This role involves collaborating directly with clients to assess land conditions, develop site-specific conservation plans, and assist with the design and installation of best management practices (BMPs) that address soil health principles.

The technician helps administer federal, state, and local conservation programs, ensure project compliance, manages grant documentation, and conducts community education initiatives to support the district’s mission.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in agricultural science field such as agribusiness, farm management, agronomy, or a bachelor’s degree in a natural resources field such as conservation, watershed, or hydrology with experience in agriculture.
An associate’s degree of an equivalent field, plus the possession of a Certified Crop Advisor Certificate (or the ability to obtain one within five years) may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
Possess an equivalent combination of education and experience at the discretion of the District Manager.
Obtain and maintain a Certified Conservation Planner certificate and any other specialized training and/or certifications that may be required to perform the job.
Possessing a valid Minnesota Class D driver's license or higher is essential for the technician role due to the mobile nature of agricultural work.
Strong oral and written communication skills are essential. Must be comfortable speaking and presenting in public, collaborating with diverse individuals, and various stakeholders.
Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word, knowledge of ArcGIS
Pro, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Outlook required.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Perform the duties of the local team advisor for the Benton County sustainable farming initiative.

Facilitate local partnerships such as continued development of the local sustainable farming team members comprised of farmers, and agribusiness leaders and develop professional relationships with these members.
Develop strategies for integrating soil health practices such as identifying barriers to the diversity of soils and farming practices in Benton County.
Facilitate agriculture community networking including regular soil health team meetings and other activities recommended by the team.
Network and coordinate outreach activities such as field days and farm trials.

Conduct soil health and whole farm conservation assessments and develop recommendations.

Evaluate farms for soil health and farm management levels for soils, water, air, plants, and animals as they relate to conservation and farmer goals. Develop treatment and management alternatives, when warranted, with the farmers’ resources, experience, and needs in mind.
Manage local farm planning programs such as the Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification program, perform program assessments for local farmers, and assist them with all aspects of the program.

Conservation planning: assist clients with the designs and installation of conservation projects.

Provide technical assistance with the state and federal conservation programs. Maintain a working knowledge of each program at a level that is adequate to provide technical assistance to SWCD clients.
Design and supervise the installation of conservation practices, with a focus on improving soil health across the operation.
Perform inspections to ensure that regenerative and sustainable practices such ascover cropping,no-till systems, andprescribed grazing are meeting both ecological goals and contract requirements.
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