Milwaukee Demonstration Farm Network Grower Liaison

UW-Madison's Division of Extension serves the people and communities of Wisconsin by addressing local, statewide and national issues, improving lives through research-based education, fostering partnerships and action, and facilitating positive impacts.

The Milwaukee Area Demonstration Farm Network is a first-of-its-kind network of Southeastern Wi farms organized through partnership between the UW Extension Milwaukee County Urban Agriculture Program and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). This 3-year project aims to showcase traditional and emergent on-farm standards for soil, water, and biodiversity conservation as they apply to smaller-scale urban production systems.

This position provides communications, grower outreach, and implementation support for grower participants in Wisconsin's first Urban Demonstration Farm Network. 50 % of this employee's efforts will directly support MADFN outreach and administration. In this capacity, the Grower Liaison will serve as primary contact between growers from 7 participant farms and leadership team. Grower Liaison will work closely with growers to support enrollment in eligible Federal cost-share or rebate programs, relay grower feedback to project leaders, and identify opportunities for multimedia storytelling. This employee will ensure grower participants are aware of expectations and deliverables per agreement timeline and will share responsibility for planning and logistics of field days and farm tours. This employee will also manage the online presence of the project, ensuring that information shared through project website, social media, and other channels is appealing, accessible, and accurate. This employee will take the leading role in developing and sharing products such as video, podcasts, and story maps, and will be ensure that network outreach materials are culturally and linguistically relevant to Milwaukee County urban farmers and the general public.

50% of efforts in this position will be dedicated to support for growers in the broader UW Extension Milwaukee County Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Program and will principally consist of co-managing the community garden rental process. In this capacity, the Grower Liaison will work alongside Extension Milwaukee County Urban Ag Program colleagues to ensure that all aspiring participants in the land rental program receive high-quality support when seeking to rent garden or microfarm plots through the program.

Responsibilities related to Madison Area Demonstration Farm Network:
-Primary interface between growers and partnering agencies
-Creates fact sheets and other written material highlighting network aims, findings, and impacts
-Creates and edits audio, video, and other multimedia products
-Manage social media presence for project
-Maintain website content
-Participates in planning outreach events such as field days, workshops, and farmer roundtables
-Work with partners in identifying outreach teaching opportunities and gaps in grower understandings of soil health, nutrient management, and habitat quality.

Responsibilities related to garden registration:
-Ensures that information published on garden rental program website is factual and current
-Instructs prospective and returning gardeners on registration procedure
-Prepares U.S. Post, social media, and email communications to gardeners
-Receives and processes registration paperwork and payments
-Leverages University resources to lower linguistic barriers during registration process
-Collaborates in ongoing effort to improve maps of program growing sites
-Relays questions about pests, diseases, other gardening problems to Plant Health Advisors

The initial period of employment will be 3 years, with the possibility to be extended contingent upon available funding.

The Division of Extension has a deep and profound commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements to eliminate disparities and expanding access for all. As Extension, we acknowledge the need for strategic and coordinated actions that help us form a more equitable, anti-racist, non-biased, and inclusive organization. (https://blogs.extension.wisc.edu/oaic/call-to-action/) As such, all Extension employees are expected to foster and promote the values of diversity and inclusion.

• 10% Implements initiatives and events that serve the target audience
• 25% Procures and maintains course materials and supplies
• 5% Tracks program evaluation and incorporates feedback for improvement
• 40% Helps design marketing materials and promotions for programs
• 10% Receives and processes garden rental registration payments and paperwork according to University and Program policy
• 5% Co-develops and maintains interpretive signage to support increased accessibility and community engagement at urban agriculture demonstration sites
• 5% Participates in Urban Ag Team's annual and long-term field management planning

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required
H.S. Diploma
Or equivalent

Preferred
Bachelor's Degree

Required:
-Experience creating video, podcast, and other multimedia products
-Demonstrated ability to collaborate with others on creative projects
-Facility with Microsoft Office Suite products
-Ability to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds, including those associated with race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, age,
-Experience managing multiple tasks, timelines, and schedules while maintaining high-quality work

Preferred:
-Experience using Microsoft Access database
-Familiarity with UW Extension and USDA-NRCS
-Knowledge of techniques used in urban food production systems
-Experience installing and maintaining trees, shrubs, and other perennial plantings

Full or Part Time: 70% - 100%

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $48,107 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at (https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/). Please note that salary and some benefits such as paid time off will be prorated by appointment percentage if not starting at full-time.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

This position is supported by a 3-year (36-month) cooperative agreement between UW Madison Division of Extension and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Employment beyond this term is subject to success in securing additional financial support for the project.

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

-Resume
-Letter of Qualifications (cover letter)

Please submit a cover letter referring to your related work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews.

For additional guidance and resources on how to tailor your application materials to the job posting, please click https://extension.wisc.edu/careers/.

Martin Ventura
mkventura@wisc.edu
414-488-7720
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Outreach Associate(OE017)

A47-EXTENSION/ANRCD/COMM/CFS/COMM FOOD S

Academic Staff-Renewable

309425-AS