Organizational Overview

Each year in the United States, billions of pounds of food go to waste. At the same time, over 35 million Americans experience food insecurity. The Farmlink Project is a non-profit organization that connects farms with surplus to food banks to feed people in need, reducing carbon emissions & empowering the next generation of changemakers in the food system. The Farmlink Project is a virtual organization with ~25 employees. This is a fully remote position; we are accepting applicants in all U.S. time zones. 

Job Summary

The Manager of Agricultural Relations is responsible for advancing Farmlink’s core commitment to supporting farmers by serving as a critical agricultural subject matter expert, ensuring that the agricultural surplus conditions and market dynamics influencing Farmlink’s efforts have been incorporated into organizational strategy and day to day operations. 

The Manager of Agricultural Relations will engage directly with producers across commercial agriculture, as well as trade associations, agricultural groups, and government entities. Through these relationships, they will work under the direction of the Head of Policy & Advocacy ensuring farmer perspectives are effectively integrated into policy strategy and positioning Farmlink to advocate for policies, programs, and funding that benefit farmers while increasing the flow of surplus food to communities in need.

This leader will bring deep experience in agricultural economics and the U.S. farm landscape, paired with firsthand agricultural experience and strong credibility within the farming community. They must be able to translate on-the-ground farm realities into scalable, systems-level strategies, while building trust in Farmlink’s surplus recovery initiatives.

The ideal candidate is both a relationship-builder and a systems thinker: someone who can navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, represent Farmlink authentically across the agricultural sector, and coordinate large-scale efforts with impact.

The Manager of Agricultural Relations will report directly to the Head of Policy & Advocacy, contributing their agricultural expertise to our advocacy work and across the organization. The Manager of Agricultural Relations will also maintain a close relationship with the food sourcing team with Food Program Operations.

Responsibilities

Agricultural Industry Knowledge & Market Insight (~30%)

• Forecast, track, and analyze specialty & commodity crop markets, production economics, farm income trends, weather patterns, and surplus availability across states and regions to inform organizational strategy, programs, and advocacy efforts with the ability to forecast 90-day to 3-year horizons. 
• Serve as the organization's agricultural subject matter expert, building Farmlink team’s fluency of agriculture industry and the experience of the farmer from the farmer’s pipeline to the consumer 
• Apply systems thinking across the commercial agriculture value chain to inform organization wide strategy and decision-making.

Agricultural Industry Relations & Partnership Development (~45%) 

• Develop and steward relationships across diverse agricultural stakeholder groups from the small farmer to agricultural giants to enhance programmatic strategy, fundraising opportunities, and organizational readiness for ongoing advocacy while articulating Farmlink’s vision clearly and authentically to diverse farmer and producer audiences
• Build grower coalitions (include growers, trade associations, and key industry organizations) in support of organizational strategies and efforts.
• Convene agricultural stakeholders for government conversations and facilitate collaboration across growers and industry groups to support organizational policy & advocacy priorities.
• Act as a visible ambassador for the organization, representing our mission and agricultural industry perspective across key forums from development partners to policymakers. 

Advocacy Support & Analysis (~25%)

• Support the identification and development of policy and advocacy opportunities by translating agricultural industry intelligence into actionable insights that address the needs of farmers and hunger-fighting communities. 
• Identify and inform policy opportunities annually, spanning not only farm-based recovery but also broader policy areas such as state and federal tax donation laws and related regulatory frameworks.
• Prepare agricultural economic briefs for government and agricultural industry audiences, as well as government meeting strategies and asks. 
• Support and contribute to policy & advocacy agenda as directed by the Head of Policy & Advocacy. 
• Integrate understanding of state and federal programs and regulations that impact efforts connecting farmers with the hunger-fighting charity systems (e.g. TEFAP).
• Contribute to growing state, regional, and national charity networks to support advocacy initiatives as directed by the Head of Policy & Advocacy. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Studies (Agronomy, Ag Econ etc.)  or lived farm or ranch experience in a decision-making capacity, such as owner-operator, partner, senior family operator, or grower cooperative/packing operations leader
• 7+ years of experience in agricultural economics, commercial agriculture markets, and/or navigating surplus situations (unharvested acres, price collapses, loss of traditional markets); or an equivalent combination of formal education and experience
• Experience analyzing market trends, production economics, and/or government agriculture programs
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into clear, compelling insights for diverse audiences, experience with forecasting or modeling preferred
• Demonstrated operational experience beginning with planting all through the food pipeline (harvest crews, packing, cold storage, trucking, client)
• Knowledge of grower/shipper food safety standards such as FSMA, GAP, PRIMUS, and AIB. 
• Proven track record of building and maintaining relationships across farmers, industry groups, and engaging with local and state officials (NRCS, FSA etc.) 
• Must be proficient at navigating information resources including: USDA NASS, WBSCM, and industry publications
• Familiarity with federal and state agriculture policy and funding mechanisms
• Familiarity with the hunger-fighting charity sector desirable 
• Ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Proficiency using Google Suite
• Must have high speed internet and a quiet, dedicated workspace for external and team calls. In addition to high speed internet, you must have strong phone service with internet access and text messaging. 
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically (approx. 9-12 trips annually) for conferences, grower & agency visits, donor meetings, industry associations, and government meetings 
• Will require periodic farm and field visits where conditions will vary, including the  necessity to stand and walk for extended periods across a variety of terrain as well as potential to optionally lift up to 50lbs
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and will be required to drive at night and in various weather conditions