LOCAL FIELD ORGANIZER
WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA
Duration: 6-12 months
Application deadline: August 5, 2011
The Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland is proposing to replace a 31-year-old organic farm, operating on public land, allowing a private soccer organization to build non-public fields in Potomac, MD.
The community is in an uproar—Nick’s Organic Farm is Montgomery County’s only organic seed farm (one of a few in the entire Chesapeake region). It’s also strategically isolated and protected from cross-pollination by GMO crops grown on nearby conventional farms. This seed operation and its soil, under continuous organic management for last three decades, cannot be easily moved elsewhere.
A countywide campaign has begun to Save Nick’s Organic Farm and expand the scope of the working farm to include hands-on educational experiences for school children to learn about local food and agriculture.. For more information about the campaign, go to: www.Change.org; http://www.savenicksorganicfarm.org; article; video
Job description: Launched in March 2011, the campaign now needs a local field organizer to manage ongoing activities, coordinate volunteers, and develop new strategies to win this campaign. Activities to manage/coordinate include: attending political meetings, giving presentations and building new contacts and allies, coalition building, grassroots organizing, press outreach, managing Web and social media presence, manage databases, and raise funds. Volunteer team currently includes many highly skilled and experienced professionals in the areas of political action and organizing, political strategy, grassroots organizing, media relations, social media and legal action.
Montgomery County borders on Washington DC, has approximately 1 million residents and a $4 billion budget.
Qualifications and experience: Minimum of two years organizing or working on political and/or advocacy campaigns. Experience with local food and agriculture, environmental or political campaigns is highly desirable. Seeking a well-organized, energetic self-starter with good communication skills. Candidate should be able to work from home (ideally in the DC or Baltimore metro area) and attend occasional meetings and events, as needed, in Montgomery County.
To apply: Send letter of interest, resume, and salary requirements to [email protected]
Nick’s Organic Farm LLC (www.nicksorganicfarm.com) has certified organic operations in Potomac and Buckeystown, MD, producing row crops, grass-based livestock, vegetables, seed, and animal feeds. Farming organically since 1979, Nick Maravell, its owner, is nationally recognized and has been called on to testify at federal and state levels. He has been active in national and state development of organic legislation and standards, organic research priorities, and organic marketing issues. Late last year, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Maravell to serve on the National Organic Standards Board, a panel of unpaid experts set up by Congress to set organic industry policy.
