Handsome Brook Farms (HBF) is a certified B Corp™ that produces, procures, markets and distributes pasture-raised eggs. HBF is a pioneer in implementing organic, climate-friendly regenerative methods for pastured poultry, and provides pasture-raised and, through its recent purchase of the Farmer's Hen (TFH), free-range eggs through a network of small producers raising mostly organic eggs according to American Humane &/or HFAC certified standards. We have developed and strictly follow standards for Pasture-Raised and Free-Range operations that ensure that our hens forage freely outdoors with protective cover and are able to nest and sleep safely indoors at night with plenty of room to roam, perch, and exhibit natural chicken behavior

Since 2020, HBF has expanded programming to help dozens of farm families implement regenerative practices and to begin a regenerative verification label. Our programs are uniquely suited to small poultry operations for farmers.

For us, organic and pastured is the gold standard; it means our hens are treated well and fed the best diet, our farmers are paid fairly, and our eggs are rich with flavor.

Position Description:

The Director of Pasture Management (DPM) will play a pivotal role in leading Handsome Brook’s on-farm sustainability initiatives across our farms located in ten states: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

This role will lead the efforts in the development and execution of pasture management plans created for each farm in the Handsome Brook Farms network with the goal of moving HBF farms closer to an “Ideal Pasture” model as defined by HBF. The DPM will collaborate/coordinate with Live Operations field personnel to ensure that projects are monitored for on-going maintenance and reporting (where applicable) and will provide support and education for the farmers working on projects.

As part of the Pasture Management Program, HBF may require initial benchmarking and annual assessment to determine whether the program implementation is successful and to track the outcomes of any projects funded by HBF Cost Share or other programs, including grants. The DPM will coordinate the project implementation and monitoring efforts and will report findings to the VP of Sustainability Live Operations, on a cadence to be determined.

In addition to pasture management plan development the DPM will provide field support, monitoring and reporting for HBF grant programs. At this time, the DPM would provide support for two current grant programs: field support, monitoring and reporting for the 5 farms of the Regenerative Egg Farming Project (REFP), a USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant and limited field reporting and support for the Climate Smart Organic Egg Project (CSOEP), a USDA Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities Grant.

Pasture Management Planning:

The pasture plans will be designed to enhance the sustainability of farms, specifically with the goal of moving farms toward the “Ideal Pasture” model created through collaboration of the Live Operations and Sustainability teams so that both sustainability and farm operation considerations are included. The DPM will be instrumental in contributing to that “Ideal Pasture” model and will work with others in both Sustainability and Live Operations in its development.

The Pasture Management Plan will focus specifically on the interaction between the land and chickens (and potentially other livestock), with the goal being - to define implementable practices that create a symbiotic relationship between the two. The Pasture Management Planner will be expected to listen and observe a given farmer’s concerns/goals, and use their expertise to propose options for how those concerns and/or goals can be met/addressed through a Pasture Management Plan.

• Coordinate field visits at each partner farm
• Conduct Pasture and Nutrient Management Survey. This survey is designed to help HBF better understand what the farmer currently is doing to manage vegetation on the pasture and how they handle their chicken manure.
• Introduce HBF’s Pasture Improvement Cost-Share Program.
• Discuss potential “interventions” that could be introduced on-farm to support HBF’s goals of moving farms towards HBF “Ideal Pasture” model including: 1. Maintaining Vegetative Coverage (mainly around the barn).2. Avoiding Standing Water (i.e. controlling stormwater runoff and erosion).3. Providing shade/predator protection to encourage birds to better utilize the pasture 4. Providing guidance on infrastructure needed to manage grazing, i.e., apron fencing, cross- fencing
• Understand and provide information about state and/or NRCS resources, economic incentives, and funding opportunities in place to help farmers adopt best practices. **If producer is interested in NRCS EQIP funding, alert HBF’s Director of Sustainability so that they know to connect that producer with a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan plan-writer**
• Work with farmers to sketch on pasture maps the interventions that will move the farm closer to the “Ideal Pasture” model. Recognize that each farm will be different and will be at different places on the spectrum moving to the ideal.
• Scan and email the survey along with any other relevant notes about the conversation to HBF’s Sustainability Manager, who will file this in the respective “Farmer File” on Dropbox and enter data into the “Pasture Management Producer Status” Spreadsheet

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• Develop a Pasture Improvement Plan within an agreed upon budget with each farmer. Plans should include: the activities, location(s), materials needed, unit costs, vendor information, and timeline for completion.

• Connect and collaborate with NRCS and County Extension technical agents for support when developing Pasture Management Plans. Plans should follow agency standards and best practices. Technical assistance is mandatory for any project involving infrastructure additions, like gutters and/or drainage tile installation.
• Evaluate cost-effectiveness of management strategies (i.e. we do not want to throw money at interventions that only temporarily mask the “root cause” of an issue. We want to be funding long-term solutions. For example: we should not be spending a lot of money putting a gravel “apron” around the barn that is going to be difficult to manage after a lot of rain because there is not proper stormwater runoff management from the barn)
• Share plan and expected outcomes with the VP Sustainability Live Operations and other HBF personnel, as directed.
• Approval will need to be obtained before any work commences. This is especially important for ensuring HBF and producer are on the same page as to who will be paying for what.

• Coordinate, Support, and Monitor Pasture Management Plan Implementation.

• Every project will look different, but the Pasture Management Planner should be prepared to take soil samples, coordinate the purchase of materials, procure seeds/trees at the appropriate rates, and/or hire additional labor as necessary
• HBF has an internal list of vendors or resources, but this will likely need to be expanded upon
• Set up internal records or tracking tools if additional ones are needed
• Check-in regularly with producers on progress; address questions and challenges as they arise

Grant Program Support:

CSOEP Program: Provide support and assistance to the CSOEP Technical Coordinator for implementation of pasture improvement projects designated as Full Regenerative Practices (FRP) or Partial Regenerative Practices (PRP)

REFP Program: Provide on-going monitoring and reporting on progress of Year 1 farm plans and assist in the development and execution of subsequent yearly farms for 5 experimental farm locations in KY.

Qualifications:

• An academic background in Agriculture, Environmental Science, or Agronomy is preferred
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with a range of farmer types, including Amish and Mennonite
• Comfortability working in a dynamic organization that is building infrastructure as they go
• Comfortability working with a small team based in remotely around the country
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent data management and information organization skills
• Comfortability with technology; including using Dropbox, Excel, and Google Docs
• A “hands-on” approach and commitment to task completion
• Both a vision for improvement and the ability to execute and dig into the details
• A team player with a collaborative approach to work
• Experience working with smaller family farmers
• Ability to effectively manage time. There are many moving parts to this position and little supervision, so self-disciplineis a must
• A high degree of initiative
• Ability to be in the field, but also research and work from home
• Experience with taking soil samples and planting trees/shrubs
• Project management experience/ability to juggle multiple projects at once
• A valid driver’s license and ability to travel to multiple states in the region

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• To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@hbfeggs.com

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• Handsome Brook Farms is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions without regard to age, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, military status, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, pre-existing conditions, familial status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: On the road

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