Southeast Implementation Specialist – Tennessee

Level: Experienced

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Hybrid • Cookeville, TN – Cookeville, TN 38501

Remote Type: Hybrid  

Salary Range: $65,000.00 – $70,000.00 Salary/year

Who We Are

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and helped thousands of farm families make a go of it (primarily through programs that increase farm viability and/or enhance farmland access). Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agriculture’s most pressing needs and opportunities.

Job purpose
Through a Pilot Umbrella Agreement (PUA) partnership with the Tennessee Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Tennessee based Southeast Implementation Specialist helps farmers,landowners, and other program participants with technical assistance, implementation of conservation practices and participation in Farm Bill and other conservation programs.

Position Summary
The Tennessee based Southeast Implementation Specialist will provide technical assistance to farmers, landowners, and partners. This technical assistance includes a wide range of programmatic, agronomic, and engineering practices and may vary by farm or operation. Work may also include farmer engagement and supporting farmers with identifying and overcoming impediments to practice adoption and implementation.

Duties and responsibilities

• Provide technical and administrative support, recommendations, and implementation assistance on Farm Bill and other conservation programs and projects to farmers, landowners, and partners.
  • Conduct conservation planning, application and eligibility support, status reviews,case file management, and general administrative activities.
  • Practice adoption and implementation: field investigations, topographic site surveying, practice analysis and design, layout, construction inspection, and development of as built plans.
  • Develop and compile extensive notes on all interactions with farmers to properly document support and progress towards contract completion and contribute to the maintenance of program contract file folders.
  • Work with farmers to compile necessary data for contract completion and assist field and area office staff with contacting program applicants for data collection.
• Assist NRCS in identifying clients who may need additional support to implement practices, for targeted intervention and assistance.
  • Establish direct contact with farmers with existing financial assistance contracts with NRCS and work with the farmers to identify impediments to project completion.
  • Deliver technical assistance and practice implementation guidance based upon NRCS specifications to ensure final conservation practices meet the appropriate practice standards. When unable to provide the necessary assistance, identify and connect the farmer with appropriate resources.
  • Identify areas where practice implementation within an existing contract is not feasible and communicate the situation and need for contract modifications to NRCS.
• As needed work with AFT and NRCS staff to create opportunities to engage farmers and increase farmer preparedness for conservation planning, program participation, practice adoption and or land protection.
• Work with AFT’s National Agricultural Land Network (NALN) to provide content and assist with programs that support agricultural land protection professionals.
• Work with AFT staff to identify support needs from eligible entities and assist with capacity building to efficiently develop and complete agricultural conservation easement projects.
• Attend meetings and training with AFT, NRCS and other partners for professional development and to learn, gather data, and record information.
• Maintain records of work accomplishments for reports related to all agricultural programs and assistance.

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities. Management reserves the right to revise the job or to request other or different duties be performed as assigned.
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PI283082791