California Policy Manager

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.

The Position

Join our team as the California Policy Manager, where you'll report to the California Regional Director and take charge in driving policies and programs aimed at preserving agricultural land, fostering regenerative agricultural practices, and ensuring farmers remain on their land. As a pivotal representative of American Farmland Trust (AFT), you'll engage with legislative and administrative leaders to propel our state policy agenda forward. Your role will involve coordinating AFT's engagement in coalitions, support AFT’s National Agricultural Land Network (NALN), and help build the capacity of agricultural land trusts in the state. If you're passionate about agricultural sustainability and policy advocacy, we want to hear from you!

Duties and Responsibilities:

Legislative and Administrative Policy:

• Conduct research and help develop AFT’s policy agenda for California
• Cultivate relationships with policymakers and their staff
• Advocate on relevant state legislation, budgets, and administrative or regulatory policies with state agencies, legislators and other public officials
• Collaborate and contribute to AFT’s national policy policies as appropriate and leverage these efforts to support California’s policy agenda

Strategic Partnerships and Coalition Building:

• Organize and lead lobby days, briefings, workshops and meetings to advance AFT’s policy agenda
• Represent AFT at policy conferences, hearings, and other forums as appropriate
• Coordinate the Alliance for California Agricultural Land including the development and execution of a coalition policy strategy.

Land Trust Capacity Building

• Coordinate and facilitate agricultural land protection trainings, peer networking and direct assistance for the agricultural land trust community including developing training programs with the National Agricultural Land Network

Communications:

• Help produce communications materials, white papers and policy briefs relevant to AFT’s policy agenda and land trust capacity building
• As needed, communicate with the media, AFT members, and the public, on policy initiatives, including through social media
• Contribute to federal policy briefs, white papers, and policy recommendations

Fundraising:

• Provide input on fundraising materials, and attend key funder meetings 
• Pursue funding opportunities identified by AFT to support ongoing policy work 

Administration:

• Develop and manage the annual state policy budget and workplan related deliverables process and other project budgets as needed
• Provide regular comprehensive state policy updates and recommendations to relevant AFT staff, as appropriate

Qualifications 

• Knowledge of California agricultural issues, land use policy, land protection, land access, and resource conservation issues 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Direct experience with farming and ranching and/or agricultural conservation easements and land protection desirable but not necessary 
• Creativity and open minded willingness to grow professionally 
• Ability to think critically and strategically 
• Confident self starter and team player 
• Well organized and disciplined 
• Ability to understand and communicate complex issu