Hiring Department

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement

Agricultural and Business Policy Program

Job Description

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

LOCATION: Hillsboro, Missouri, and primarily serves Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region with additional service across the state as needed.



Specialist Emphasis

The emphasis area for this position is Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture. This position will plan, teach, and evaluate educational programs that help farm and food businesses start, grow, and succeed in the St. Louis area. The position will mainly serve Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region.

This position will focus on business planning, marketing, risk management, and related support for urban and nearby agricultural businesses. The specialist may work with urban farms, small farms, market gardeners, beginning farmers, nonprofit agriculture groups, community farms, food entrepreneurs, local food businesses, value-added food producers, and other agricultural businesses that serve city and metro-area markets.

MU Extension Agricultural Business programs help people make better business decisions. Topics may include farm and business financial management, business plans, budgets, marketing plans, feasibility studies, pricing, recordkeeping, taxes, regulations, risk management, access to loans or grants, land access, leases, farm transition, value-added agriculture, and tools that help businesses start, expand, diversify, or become more profitable.

The specialist should also help clients understand and use new technologies that fit urban agriculture. This may include controlled-environment agriculture, high tunnels, small-scale irrigation systems, hydroponics, aquaponics, sensors, farm management software, online marketing tools, digital recordkeeping, food safety technology, and other tools that help urban farms improve production, efficiency, marketing, and profitability.

The specialist should provide technical assistance, often with state specialists and local partners. This work may support business plans, marketing plans, feasibility studies, surveys, enterprise analysis, grant or loan readiness, and other tools needed by producers, entrepreneurs, organizations, and agricultural businesses. The specialist will also help connect clients with the right regional and statewide partners when new business or economic development opportunities arise.

Educational programs may include in-person workshops, urban farm tours, field demonstrations, one-on-one visits, short courses, technical assistance projects, online programs, publications, decision tools, and media. Programs should provide research-based information that local clients can use. Strong programming will combine agricultural business knowledge with a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing urban agriculture in a large metro area.

This position involves interacting with the agricultural and food systems community, including producers, farm families, urban growers, entrepreneurs, community organizations, industry representatives, local food system partners, municipalities, economic development organizations, local and statewide elected officials, and University colleagues from Missouri and the Midwest.

This position is a 12-month, ranked, non-tenure track appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. Rank will be determined at the time of the appointment based on qualifications and experience in accordance with the MU Extension faculty standards. This position will hold the working title of Field Specialist in Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture.

As a Field Specialist, your workload distribution at appointment will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service.

This appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change at the discretion of Extension leadership. Circumstances affecting continued employment include, but are not limited to, work performance, fund availability, and educational priorities.

CORE DUTIES OF MU EXTENSION SPECIALISTS

MU Extension Specialists deliver the University of Missouri to all Missourians. They serve all Missourians by bringing research-based solutions to work on local problems. MU Extension Specialists teach new and foundational concepts, link people to resources, support partner organizations, participate in research, train volunteers, evaluate programs, foster innovation, and serve communities. MU Extension Specialists work as a team to expand educational attainment, foster economic development, and improve health outcomes. These core duties fall into three major areas:

Educate, Create, and Connect .

• Educate . MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. MU Extension specialists teach research-based information via meetings, in-person, and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. They provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri’s learners and clients.

Hiring Department

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement

Agricultural and Business Policy Program

Job Description

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

LOCATION: Hillsboro, Missouri, and primarily serves Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region with additional service across the state as needed.



Specialist Emphasis

The emphasis area for this position is Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture. This position will plan, teach, and evaluate educational programs that help farm and food businesses start, grow, and succeed in the St. Louis area. The position will mainly serve Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region.

This position will focus on business planning, marketing, risk management, and related support for urban and nearby agricultural businesses. The specialist may work with urban farms, small farms, market gardeners, beginning farmers, nonprofit agriculture groups, community farms, food entrepreneurs, local food businesses, value-added food producers, and other agricultural businesses that serve city and metro-area markets.

MU Extension Agricultural Business programs help people make better business decisions. Topics may include farm and business financial management, business plans, budgets, marketing plans, feasibility studies, pricing, recordkeeping, taxes, regulations, risk management, access to loans or grants, land access, leases, farm transition, value-added agriculture, and tools that help businesses start, expand, diversify, or become more profitable.

The specialist should also help clients understand and use new technologies that fit urban agriculture. This may include controlled-environment agriculture, high tunnels, small-scale irrigation systems, hydroponics, aquaponics, sensors, farm management software, online marketing tools, digital recordkeeping, food safety technology, and other tools that help urban farms improve production, efficiency, marketing, and profitability.

The specialist should provide technical assistance, often with state specialists and local partners. This work may support business plans, marketing plans, feasibility studies, surveys, enterprise analysis, grant or loan readiness, and other tools needed by producers, entrepreneurs, organizations, and agricultural businesses. The specialist will also help connect clients with the right regional and statewide partners when new business or economic development opportunities arise.

Educational programs may include in-person workshops, urban farm tours, field demonstrations, one-on-one visits, short courses, technical assistance projects, online programs, publications, decision tools, and media. Programs should provide research-based information that local clients can use. Strong programming will combine agricultural business knowledge with a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing urban agriculture in a large metro area.

This position involves interacting with the agricultural and food systems community, including producers, farm families, urban growers, entrepreneurs, community organizations, industry representatives, local food system partners, municipalities, economic development organizations, local and statewide elected officials, and University colleagues from Missouri and the Midwest.

This position is a 12-month, ranked, non-tenure track appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. Rank will be determined at the time of the appointment based on qualifications and experience in accordance with the MU Extension faculty standards. This position will hold the working title of Field Specialist in Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture.

As a Field Specialist, your workload distribution at appointment will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service.

This appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change at the discretion of Extension leadership. Circumstances affecting continued employment include, but are not limited to, work performance, fund availability, and educational priorities.

CORE DUTIES OF MU EXTENSION SPECIALISTS

MU Extension Specialists deliver the University of Missouri to all Missourians. They serve all Missourians by bringing research-based solutions to work on local problems. MU Extension Specialists teach new and foundational concepts, link people to resources, support partner organizations, participate in research, train volunteers, evaluate programs, foster innovation, and serve communities. MU Extension Specialists work as a team to expand educational attainment, foster economic development, and improve health outcomes. These core duties fall into three major areas:

Educate, Create, and Connect .

• Educate . MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. MU Extension specialists teach research-based information via meetings, in-person, and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. They provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri’s learners and clients.