Jobs and Opportunities

December 2024 Jobs & Opportunities
To signup for TOPP Jobs & Opportunities emails:
  • Email listserv@list.msu.edu with SUBSCRIBE MISUSTAINABLEFARMJOBS in the body of the message (NOT just the Subject line)
Headlines!
Farmland  
https://earthenheart.com/ affordable sustainable rental housing and ag land
The Great Lakes Incubator Farm (GLIF) (Traverse City, MI) apply now for 2025
Jobs @ Farms  
The Wegener Farm, Farmworker  (Fenton)
Ingham County Land Bank Garden Program Contractor email Cody Mohr at CMohr@ingham.org
Slow Farm (Ann Arbor, MI) Farm Manager and Farm Hand positions
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (Several locations in Michigan) 
Titus Farms (Mason, MI)
Employment Opportunities list from MIFFS (Michigan Food and Farming Systems)
American Farmland Trust Jobs https://farmland.org/careers/
Jobs @ Michigan State University  
Grant Support Specialist at MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (East Lansing) due Dec. 6
SE MI Local Foods Innovation Counselor (Ann Arbor) apply by Dec. 16
Michigan Natural Features Inventory, hiring six seasonal field technician to survey rare and invasive plants, apply by January 12, 2026
Flint Water Educator (Flint) apply by Jan 27
W. K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) Director (Hickory Corners) apply by Dec. 2026
Jobs @ Michigan Non-profits/Other  
Eastern Market (Detroit) jobs page
Allen Neighborhood Center – Associate GardenHouse Manager
Uproot Market & Eatery (Battle Creek) General Manager
Food Corps (Petoskey) NOTE: the application deadline passed, but there are several unfilled positions
Outreach & Giving Coordinator- Grand Traverse Conservation District
National Jobs 
Seed Savers Exchange Field Coordinator (Decorah, IA)
FairShare CSA Coalition Executive Director (Madison, WI)
Underserved Farmer Outreach Coordinator at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (remote)
UCSC Center for Agroecology - Agricultural Operations and Programs Manager (Santa Cruz, CA) 1st review date is 10-7
COMFOOD-Jobs listserv  
Ag Solidarity Network Job Listings – 5 jobs posted in the last month
American Farmland Trust – 17 jobs listed including Indiana Farmland Protection Specialist – Remote
Seed Savers Exchange – Farm Director (Decorah, Iowa)
Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA) job board: Multiple open positions
 
Grants/Funding 
Grants, conference scholarships and mentorships for pasture-based livestock and poultry farming on the Food Animal Concerns Trust website (Closes Dec. 8)
GROW Lansing Grants $5000 for community gardens and sustainable land use in Lansing
Expanding Agroforestry Project paying farmers for tree planting
Grassroots Guide to Federal Farm and Food Programs from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) 
Grants and Funding Opportunities from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) 
  • Farmer Rancher Grants – Up to $15,000 for 1 farm or $30,000 for two+ farms for farmers to design and lead sustainable farm projects (Due December 5, 2024)
Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program – apply by Jan. 31, 2025 for 2024 expenses
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES DATABASE (FIND) TOOL to compare farm conservation programs and funding options
 
Events!
Dec. 6 Farmer and Community Input Session from noon to 1 p.m., Webinar to plan  2025 events for farmers transitioning to organic.
Dec 7 & 8 New Farmer U Minnesota

Dec 10 (6-8PM) – Moving Beyond Cottage Food, online webinar
Dec 10 The Finances of High Tunnel Production Workshop! 6:00pm – 8:00pm, online
Dec 10 Explore Farming Workshop 6 – 7:30pm, online
Dec 10 – 12 Great Lakes Fruit & Vegetable EXPO- Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market (Grand Rapids, MI) Registration
  • Dec 10- Soil Health and Cover Cropping
  • Dec 11- Organic Transition
  • Dec. 11- Organic Vegetable Management
  • Dec. 11- Farm Planning for Organic and Sustainable Farmers-Considering Multiple Goals
Dec. 14 Midwest Organic Seed Summit 10am – 4PM (Ann Arbor)
Dec 18, 2024 - Virtual Cover Crop Chat, Online
Jan to Mar 2025
Jan 9 – 10 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference (Sandusky, OH)
Jan 10 to Feb 14 Know Your Cost To Grow 2025 Winter Workshop Series Fridays, Noon to 1:15pm
Jan 14 to March 4 Farm Business Planning Course (Winter Session) Tuesdays from 6-8:30pm
Jan 18 MOFFA Organic Intensives  (East Lansing) Choose 1 of 3 Tracks: Korean Natural Farming; Innovative Marketing; Farming in a Changing Climate
Jan 15, 2024 - Virtual Cover Crop Chat, Online
Jan 21 to April 15 Food Literacy for all speaker series, Free (online or Ann Arbor)
  • 1.21.25  Tambra Raye Stevenson
  • 1.28.25  Paul Greenberg
  • 2.04.25  Rowen White
  • 2.11.25  Katherine Miller
  • 2.18.25  Food Waste Panel
  • 2.25.25  To be announced
  • 3.11.25  Kiese Laymon
  • 3.18.25  Austin Frerick
  • 3.25.25  To be announced
  • 4.01.25  To be announced
  • 4.08.25  To be announced
  • 4.15.25  Fast Food for Thought
Jan 29 to May 10 Farmers Rising Farm Beginnings Course online Wed 6-8pm + Sat 10am to 1pm
Feb 3- 4 GreenStone FCS CultivateGrowth Conference (Lansing) ann.allen@greenstonefcs.com  231-740-5413
Feb 4-5, 2025 - Underground Innovations, Frankenmuth, MI
Feb 6 Monthly Drop-in Organic Farming Q + A  Noon – 1PM (Online)
Feb 20-22 – Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference (LaCrosse, WI)
Feb. 27 Michigan Urban Agriculture Codesign Think Tank 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lansing, 
 
Mar 2, 2025 - 2025 Argus Farm Stop Conference, Ann Arbor, MI
Ongoing - Organic Farmer Circles for Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Asian, Queer and all farmers
Ongoing - 3rd Wednesdays Organic Farmers Association Crop Insurance workgroup
Ongoing – TEAMs program is a training for farm apprentices or employees by the Fairshare CSA Coalition
Ongoing - Becoming the Employer of Choice training for farm employers by the Fairshare CSA Coalition
  • Transition To Certified Organic Agriculture
  • Getting Your Organic Certification
  • Transition To Organic Livestock Production
  • Hobby Beekeeping
  • Rodale Institute Annual Virtual Field Day
Events list from MIFFS (Michigan Food and Farming Systems)
 
Volunteer Opportunities  
Join the NC-SARE Administrative Council (North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (2 farmers or ranchers + 2 non-profit representatives + 1 1994 tribal land-grant rep.)
Growing Hope's  Home Vegetable Garden Program (Ypsilanti) seeks Garden mentors who speak English, Spanish and/or Arabic are needed, garden experience required, but you do not need to be an expert 
We3Queens Botanical Garden – contact Anne Lynn at w3qoutreach@gmail.com
Healthy Soils, Healthy Waters-Michigan growers in Lenawee, Hillsdale, and Monroe counties to participate in a new research project to further understand the connection between conservation practices, changes in soil health, and water quality improvements.
Organic Resources
Michigan CSA Network paid opportunities Farm Sign-up Form for both Farmer Advisory Committee and Regional Network Leads : https://forms.gle/3d5WfDfaKAA8UnEC9  
Farmer Mental Health
Surveys & other info
  • Michigan Climate Smart Agriculture Survey – fill out 1 part or all 5 😊
    Part 1: Defining Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)
  • Part 2: Scope, Criteria, and Measurable Impacts
  • Part 3: Farmers Perspectives & Incentives; Verification Process & Standards
  • Part 4: Integration with Existing Programs and Initiative; Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
  • Part 5: Scaling Up and Long-Term Sustainability; Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement
Detroit People’s Food Co-op – sign up as a local supplier Detroit-based, Black-owned & other farms encouraged to apply
MIFFS Wholesale Producers List – add your farm to the list!
Interview + Survey about climate smart growing ($90 visa gift card)
 
Advocate
Advocate for Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, Food Assistance and ways for new farmers to access land in the next Farm Bill:

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