New Roots SLC Farm Incubator Summer Associate VISTA

Job Overview:

The International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City (“IRC SLC”) is a refugee resettlement agency providing two year case management to 1200 refugees in Salt Lake County. Our services are intended to smooth the path to self-sufficiency, through employment and engagement in the community. To support this goal, IRC SLC operates diverse programs to support refugees’ lives and livelihoods including New Roots in Salt Lake City (New Roots SLC), a multi-faceted food security and agriculture program founded in 2010, which offers refugees, many of whom come from agricultural backgrounds, opportunities to engage in community gardening and small scale farming opportunities to improve their physical, psychosocial, and financial wellbeing. New Roots SLC has an excellent track record supporting refugee farmers in contributing to local agricultural innovation, including exploring projects that incorporate research and experimentation with both production and marketing. New Roots SLC started the New Roots SLC Farm Incubator Program (Farm Incubator) to provide land access, training, technical assistance, and marketing support for farmers moving through the many stages of small business development. The Farm Incubator currently supports over 40 refugee farmers operating at 2 sites totaling over 18 acres. Farm Incubator program participants utilize their existing agricultural skills and experience to engage with the specialty crop economy in their new home, including growing familiar vegetables as well as culturally appropriate varieties from their countries of origin. Through their farming endeavors refugee farmers increase their own household food security, generate needed income to support themselves and their families, and build transferrable job skills through participation in Farm Incubator programming.

The New Roots SLC Farm Incubator Summer Associate will support New Roots SLC’s farmer training initiatives, including increasing capacity for on-farm supplemental income generation and employment skills development.

The position lasts from June 7- August 16, 2021

Summer Associates receive:

·A living allowance for the time served ($1040 a month), which is equivalent to the amount received by full-time members serving in the area.

·Choice between a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($1,289.95), or an end-of-service summer stipend. Only those Summer Associates who successfully complete their full term of service are eligible to receive the education award or end-of-service summer stipend.

Major Responsibilities:

·Support New Roots team in management of two farm sites, including Community Supported Agriculture Program, 3 seasonal farmers markets, and wholesale markets.

·Maintain food safety, hygiene, and social distancing protocols at farm and market sites.

·Develop farm site land management projects that increase the productivity and success of farmer operations, as well as, provide New Roots farmers with a safe, positive space that can be used for community engagement.

·Maintain organization and cleanliness at farm site especially in wash station and walk in cooler.

·Assist with the development of a Wheadon farm stand for farmers to sell produce on site.

·Assist with weed management, composting and pest management following organic practices.

·Develop and refine materials that support programming to assist with farmer training, increasing supplemental income generation, and employment skills.

·Assess farmer goals and skills to determine programming needed for each farmer

·Provide materials and training to help farmers reach goals and improve skills in the Farm Incubator Program

·Increase food access initiatives for IRC clients and the greater Salt Lake area:

·Keep records of all food donated from the farm site and assess best locations for donations.

·Assist in putting together emergency food assistance provisions for IRC clients and community members.

·Coordinate sales of produce at farmers markets and CSA pick up locations.