Leadership Opportunity:  Soil Health Steering Committee

The Land Stewardship Project is looking for regional farmers to help lead our Soil Health Program in making positive, community-based change. We have open positions to fill on our steering committee that sets goals and strategies — within LSP’s mission — to build out an energetic and engaged network of crop and livestock farmers practicing land stewardship and public leadership.

The on-the-ground soil health work we do is geographically focused on a Soil Builders’ Network that stretches across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. This committee occasionally interacts with our soil health-related policy work.  

Responsibilities of Soil Health Steering Committee Members 

Guidance, Vision, and Oversight 

• Develop and refine a vision, specific outcomes, strategies to achieve those outcomes, and  principles to guide the work.
  
• Use data to inform strategy development and learning.
  
• Track and evaluate progress of work.
  

Leadership 

• Listen with curiosity to the people engaged in our work.
  
• Express joy for the work, keep an open mind, and bring others along. 
  
• Be willing to take informed risks and learn from mistakes.
• Think critically about soil health and its implications for our whole food and farming system.
  
• Serve as a vocal champion of our efforts in your community.
• Participate in one non-farmer-driven event (i.e. present to students at the public school, adult/community education class, rotary club, church group, college group) where you talk about the benefits of soil health in farming. 
• Attend a minimum of one LSP soil health event per year.
  
• Build relationships with like-minded groups, businesses, agencies, tribes who share LSP’s values and goals 
• Take advantage of leadership development opportunities through LSP and partners.
  

Process

• Participate in regularly scheduled in-person or online meetings (3-4/year). 
  
• Keep on top of committee communications via phone/e-mail.
  
• Review materials prior to meetings and come prepared for engaged discussion, active listening, and respectful dialogue.
  
• Maintain active membership with the Land Stewardship Project.
  
• Commit to 2-3 years of service on the Soil Health Steering Committee. 
  

Click here for our Soil Health Steering Committee Statement of Understanding, which details commitments and responsibilities of both committee members and LSP staff. 

Fulfilling the role of a public leader with the Land Stewardship Project will help you develop vision, knowledge, skills, and relationships needed for positive change in your community.  

Interested in Joining the Committee?

If you are interested in joining our Soil Health Steering Committee, fill out this online form. We will be closing applications by July 12, 2024. For questions, please contact Soil Health Department organizer Alex Romano at aromano@landstewardshipproject.org.