The Policy Working Group of Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems
(MIFFS) seeks a one-half time Facilitator.
Background. Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) is a
collaborative effort to create and support more sustainable food and
agricultural systems for producers and consumers in Michigan. MIFFS is one
of 18 national Integrated Farming Systems projects funded by the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation.
MIFFS fosters sustainable agriculture initiatives, in part, by underwriting
community based Innovation Projects in Michigan. Currently funded projects
include, among others: Stewardship Plan for Water Quality; Protecting
Farmlands From Urban Sprawl; Livestock Manure Composting; Intensive
Rotational Grazing, and Innovative Farmers of Huron County.
The Policy Working Group is one of the most recently established MIFFS
Innovation Projects. The goal of this project is to build the capacity of
MIFFS Collaborators and Innovation Projects for taking a leadership role in
integrated food and farming systems policy and to strengthen the overall
MIFFS capability to inform policy.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Facilitator will work closely with MIFFS Collaborators and Innovations
Projects to: assist them in identifying and dealing with relevant policy
concerns; establish a regular exchange or dialogue among them that is
related to common policy concerns; make policy-related information and other
resources available; and, link MIFFS policy activities with those of other
Integrated Farming Systems programs.
The Facilitator will be appointed as a one-half time graduate assistant
through the Department of Resource Development and will be joint supervised
by Dr. R. James Bingen, Department of Resource Development and Meg Moynihan,
MIFFS Coordinator.
The minimum qualifications for this position are:
-advanced graduate status, i.e., nearing completion of either a MS or PhD
program at MSU;
-experience with, and strong interest in working with local/state groups on
food and farming issues;
-awareness of, and familiarity with the kinds of policies that are of
concern to MIFFS
-exhibit considerable personal initiative and ability to work in a
collaborative professional mode with a large number of people; and
-a high level of both written and oral communication skills;
The Policy Working Group seeks an individual who would be able to begin by
October 1, 1996 and to continue in this position through the end of December
1997.
Please submit a statement of interest and qualifications as well as a
current CV by no later than September 13, 1996 to Dr. R. James Bingen, 326
Natural Resources Building, Department of Resource Development, MSU, East
Lansing, MI 48824-1222. Please address any questions to
bingen@pilot.msu.edu; by phone at 517-353-1905 or FAX at 517-353-8994.
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R. James Bingen
Department of Resource Development
323 Natural Resources Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1222
Tel. 517-353-1905
Fax 517-353-8994