Sustainable Farming Technician
Full-time onsite
Foley, MN

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:

Either a 2-year degree in an agricultural sciences field such as agribusiness, farm management, agronomy, or a 2-year degree in a natural resources field such as resource conservation management, watershed management, or hydrology with experience and training in agriculture.
Possess an equivalent combination of education and experience at the discretion of the District Manager.
Holds a Certified Crop Advisor Certificate through the American Society of Agronomy or the ability to obtain certification within 5 years. Benton SWCD will sponsor activities needed to obtain and maintain certification. Other specialized training and certifications may be required to perform job duties.
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 ArcGISPro, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Outlook required.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Perform the duties of the local team advisor for the Benton County sustainable farming initiative.
1. 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.
2. Develop strategies for integrating soil health practices such as identifying barriers to the diversity of soils and farming practices in Benton County.
3. Facilitate agriculture community networking including regular soil health team meetings and other activities recommended by the team.
4. Network and coordinate outreach activities such as field days and farm trials.

Conduct soil health and whole farm conservation assessments and develop recommendations.
1. 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.
2. 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.
1. 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.
2. Design and supervise the installation of conservation practices, with a focus on improving soil health across the operation.
3. Perform inspections to ensure that regenerative and sustainable practices such as cover cropping, no-till systems, and prescribed grazing are meeting both ecological goals and contract requirements.
4. Conduct annual spot checks of farms enrolled in soil health initiatives to document long-term compliance with soil-disturbance and residue-management protocols.

Monitoring and data collection:
1. Manages the deployment and sampling of soil lysimeters to monitor groundwater quality; performs water samples and maintains accurate digital records to quantify the impact of nitrogen management practices.
2. Prepares annual reports bridging local fieldwork with state and federal data requirements.

Other duties as assigned include:
1. Grant management: coordinate financial tracking and reporting as needed. Prepare reports for the board and employees regarding new grants, and standings of current grants when funds are low or grant is near end date.
2. Support education and outreach initiatives Collaborate with the Education & Outreach Coordinator to execute community engagement strategies aligned with the district’s mission.
3. Assist with the coordination and execution of the District Tree Program.

Physical Demands:

This position requires work indoors and outdoors in environmental conditions common in Minnesota. Common environmental conditions will include heat, cold, and wet conditions. Physical activities include sitting for extended periods of time, walking over rough, uneven terrain, twisting, bending, and lifting up to fifty pounds. Office equipment use includes but not limited to telephones, computers, and copy machines. Ability to occasionally work during the evening and on weekends.

Benton Soil and Water Conservation District

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Sustainable Farming Technician