Jobs and Opportunities

Jobs and Opportunities

October 2025 Jobs & Opportunities

To signup for TOPP Jobs & Opportunities emails:

Email listserv@list.msu.edu with SUBSCRIBE MISUSTAINABLEFARMJOBS in the body of the message (NOT just the Subject line)

Click to link to sections:

Headlines!
Farmland
Jobs @ Farms
Jobs @ Michigan State University
Jobs @ Michigan Non-profits/Other
National Jobs
Grants/Funding
Events!
Volunteer Opportunities
Organic Resources
Farmer Mental Health
Surveys & other info
Resources
Advocate

Or scroll below!

Headlines!

MSU Organic Farmer Training expands to Grand Rapids, adding to program's learning community in Detroit and East Lansing - Apply now for 2026
Download free curricula for beginning farmers
Soil Health Study, $170 + a full soil health report for each participant
Northeast Crop Production Manual and Northeast Harvest Manual
Help Keep Growing Detroit buy their farmland
MSU Campus Livestock Center laborer and Herder (East Lansing)
MSU High School Equivalency Program Instructors (East Lansing)
Join MIFFS Staple Crops project
Field days, workshops and webinars for farmers transitioning to organic

Map of Michigan Sustainable Farm Jobs
Post Sustainable Farm Jobs to the map using this form
Crosshatch Regional Farm Job Board for NW Michigan
Urban Farm Website Survey
OFTP Graduates Survey – we want to track your success!
Indigenous farmers needed for soil health testing
New MSU Extension film highlights farmer stress and mental health resources
USDA Farmland Cash Rental Rates
Farm Policy and Risk Management Series
Help shape the future of weed management in Michigan specialty crops
Oct 11 Farm Field Day with Fisheye Farm (Detroit)
Oct 15 Uprooting Racism in the Food System Webinar Noon to 3pm
Oct 18-19 JM Fortier Workshop at Lakeview Hill Farm $125
Oct 20 Scaling Production & Creating a Healthy Workplace with Green Wagon Farm
Oct 21 What are Your Farm Certification Goals? TOPP Farmer webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Oct 26 Farming While Black Film Screening and Farmer Panel

Farmland

MI FarmLink

Southeast Michigan

Northern Lower Michigan

West Michigan

Farm with orchard, forest and tillable land in Bangor seeks BIPOC farmers to farm on donated land using The Farmers' Land Trust collective land ownership model. Contact Julius Buzzard for more information at julius@growinghope.net
Two greenhouses available in Montague/Whitehall area (40' × 196' and 28' × 96') with propane heat and fertigation. Contact Brian Hekkema at 231-206-7715 for more info.
20 acres in Calhoun County for sale (Cinzori Farms)
78 acres for lease or partnership in Kalamazoo County
90 acres in Ottawa County
7 acres in Ottawa County
76 acres in Cedar Springs for lease or partnership
71 acres for lease in Kalamazoo County
100 acre pastured livestock farm for partnership & succession near Middleville (Crane Dance Farm!)
40 acres for lease in Reed City
https://earthenheart.com/ affordable sustainable rental housing and ag land

Mid-Michigan

Manage the Giving Tree Farm as a farmer or farmworker
- Giving Tree Farm (Lansing) contact Bob Bower for more info givingtreeserv5644@att.net, 517 490-1396
40 acres in Chippewa Lake (Weber Farms)
33 acres in Barryton for Lease
20 acres in Sanilac County for lease, sale or partnership
160 acres (10 tillable) for lease in Sears
Several plots for partnership in the City of Saginaw
26 acres for lease or partnership in Williamston

Upper Peninsula

Out of State

40 acres organic farm land and house available for rent in Clayton, Wisconsin

Jobs @ Farms

Manage the Giving Tree Farm as a farmer or farmworker
Map of Michigan Sustainable Farm Jobs or use this form to add your farm job
Crosshatch Regional Farm Job Board for NW Michigan
Naturally Better Soil Products Internship in Compost Market Development - see pay, benefits & other details on the farm jobs map
Keep Growing Detroit – internships available
Growing Hope Urban Farm (Ypsilanti) Home Garden Internship + 3 internships and a Farmers Market assistant
Helianthus Farms - see pay, benefits & other details on the farm jobs map or contact Karl Kaufman at 8102415240 or karlkaufman48@gmail.com
Asbury Farm (Flint) see job posting on map
Great Lakes Incubator Farm (Traverse City) see posting on map
Organic Vegetable Farm Manager Apprenticeship Program (Wisconsin, many locations)
The Wegener Farm, Farmworker (Fenton)
Ingham County Land Bank Garden Program Contractor email Cody Mohr at CMohr@ingham.org
Slow Farm (Ann Arbor, MI) 2 Assistant Farm Managers and Farm Hand positions
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship(Several locations in Michigan)
Titus Farms (Mason, MI)
Employment Opportunities list from MIFFS (Michigan Food and Farming Systems)

Jobs @ Michigan State University

MSU Migrant Student Services - High School Equivalency Program (HEP) Evening Instructors
National Migrant Scholars Internship aide (East Lansing)
MSU Campus Livestock Center laborer and Herder (East Lansing)

Jobs @ Michigan Non-profits/Other

ACCESS of West Michigan Independent Contractors for Poverty Education Workshops, also internships and board member openings (Grand Rapids)
Eastern Market (Detroit) jobs page Urban Ag Produce Share Assembly Team

National Jobs

Farmer-Led Trials Program
Senior Soil Health Specialist for the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)
OFRF Data and Technology Intern
OFRF Communications and Outreach Fellow
Michael Field Agricultural Institute Videographer for Regenerative Ag Video series
Organic Farming Research Foundation Research & Education Program Fellow Fully Remote or Santa Cruz, CA and General Internships
Seed Savers Exchange Customer Service Manager
National Organic Coalition: Part-time Coalition Manager
CRMS Garden Intern at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, contact hmcdermott@crms.org
Marbleseed Job Board
COMFOOD-Jobs listserv
Good Food Jobs
Ag Solidarity Network Job Listings
Sustainable Ag Coalition (NSAC) Jobs listing
American Farmland Trust – 5 jobs, hybrid or fully remote

Grants/Funding

Braiding Seeds Fellowship - Applications due October 15
Black Farmer Rapid Response Fund
Black Farmers Learn
Farmer Self-Care Award
NCR-SARE Partnership Grant Proposal
FY 2026 Farm to School Grant Program
Grant supports services - reach out to John McCarthy at mccar715@msu.edu
- Assistance with grant opportunities, applications, and budget development for small to midsize farmers and producers
USDA grants to create new and better markets for wild-caught catfish
NIFA will release 20+ grants in the next month – many of these are larger grants for collaborative teams of farm educators and researchers – SHORT application window of 2 to 3 weeks
Michigan SARE and MI/WI Tribal SARE and NC-SARE
Digital directory of 100+ funding opportunities – MSU Center for Regional Food Systems
Soil Health Opportunities & Tools Fund (SHOT Fund) EQIP Bridge Loan program to fund you in your NRCS EQIP projects if/when funding is frozen. No fees, no penalties, and no interest. To apply, use this short pre-application form and the team will schedule a brief 30 minute call to learn more about your needs.
Regenerative Farmer Assurance Fund (RFAF) for farmers affected by the federal funding freeze
Become a Grow Detroit's Young Talent (GDYT) worksite for 2025
Ongoing - Boost your farm or food business: Online grant writing course
Eastern Michigan University’s 2025 Executive Certificate in Entrepreneurship (ECE) and $30,000 Venture Challenge for aspiring Michigan entrepreneurs, Apply by Sep. 8
Climate Smart Farming Funding Resource Library
Detroit Legacy Business Project for businesses open 30 years or more
GROW Lansing Grants $5000 for community gardens and sustainable land use in Lansing
Grassroots Guide to Federal Farm and Food Programsfrom the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
MIFFS Funding & Grants list
Grants and Funding Opportunities from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
Financial Incentives Database (FIND) Tool to compare farm conservation programs and funding options

Federal Funding Freeze & Firings:

Events!

Oct 7 Michigan Cottage Food Law - October 7, 2025
Oct 9 Organic Apple Orchard Tour at Third Leaf Farm (Greenville)
Oct 11 Farm Field Day with Fisheye Farm (Detroit)
Oct 13 - Nov 3 Farm Families Coping with Dementia Webinar Series (free) - call 319-384-3817 or contact Kanika Arora at kanika-arora@uiowa.edu to sign up
- Oct 13 - Dementia Basics
- Oct 20 - Farm Safety and Dementia
- Oct 27 - Improving safety with Dementia
- Nov 3 - Caregiving and communication
Oct 15 - Virtual Cover Crop Chat, Virtual
Oct 15 Uprooting Racism in the Food System Webinar Noon to 3pm
Oct 18-19 JM Fortier Workshop at Lakeview Hill Farm $125
Oct 20 Scaling Production & Creating a Healthy Workplace with Green Wagon Farm
Oct 21 What are Your Farm Certification Goals? TOPP Farmer webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Oct 21 Free School for Farmworkers Presents: Delegation Skills on the Farm - 7-8:30pm EST
Oct 22 Michigan Harvest Supper: Oxtail, Three Sisters, and Beans with Robin Mather, Barry County, MI
Oct 23 Nutrient Management for Organic Farms - Part 1: Food Safety and Water Pollution TOPP Farm Educator webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Oct 25 Groundswell Farm Farm to Table Dedication Dinner & Garlic Festival (Zeeland, MI) 1 - 6pm $120
Oct 26 Farming While Black Film Screening and Farmer Panel
Oct 26 Old City Acres Farm Tour with free transportation from Detroit
Oct 28 Organic Market Premium - How Much Can I Expect to Get for My Products? TOPP Farmer webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Oct 28 Financial Health to Soil Wealth Webinar Series
Oct 30 Nutrient Management for Organic Farms - Part 2: Managing fertility and soil ecosystems TOPP Farm educator webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Nov 3 Moving Beyond Cottage Food Webinar
Nov 4 How to Make Money in Organic Farming TOPP Farmer webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Nov 6 Organic Pesticide Management TOPP farm educator webinar series, Noon to 1pm
Nov 8 to 9: New Farmer U Apply for scholarships by Sep 19
Nov 12 Legal Entities for Land Projects 3-5pm EST
Nov 13 Monthly Drop-in Organic Farming Q & A - November 2025
Nov 15 - Deadline for MSU Organic Farmer Training Program scholarship applications
Nov 18 Uprooting Racism in the Workplace Webinar Noon to 3pm
Nov 19 Uprooting Racism in the Workplace Webinar Noon to 3pm
Nov 19 Thanksgiving Harvest Supper: The Local Table – Growing Our Local Food Community, Barry County, MI
Nov 25 Financial Health to Soil Wealth Webinar Series
Dec 2 Spirituality and Farming: Honoring the Sacred 3-4:30pm EST
Dec 4 Monthly Drop-in Organic Farming Q & A - December 2025
Dec 4 Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training Course - Remote via Zoom - $170
Dec 5 - TOPP Farmer & Community Input Session
Dec 9 Financial Health to Soil Wealth Webinar Series
Dec 9 - 11 Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable EXPO (Grand Rapids)
- Dec 9 from 8:30 to 9:30am - Beginning Farmer session - Farm Stories: How I started my farm with jøn kent of Sanctuary Farms (plus another speaker TBD)
- Dec 9 Organic Transition Sessions at GLEXPO
Dec 10 - 12 Market Farmers Mastermind Frederick, MD
Jan 7 Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training Course - Remote via Zoom - $170
Jan 7-8, 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference
Jan 10, 2026 MOFFA Organic Intensives 2026 - TOPP Parter Event (East Lansing)
February 4-5, 2026 Underground Innovations, Frankenmuth, MI
Feb 12-16 2026 Farm Stop Conference Ann Arbor, MI - Registration now open
Feb 23, 2026 First day of the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program (weekly on Mondays until Nov 16, 2026)

Ongoing

Ongoing – Starting a School or Community Garden
Ongoing - MSU Cottage Food Law Course - free
Ongoing - Backyard Fruit 101 - $35
Ongoing - Grant Writing for Farm and Food Entrepreneurs - free
Ongoing - Pollinator Champions
Ongoing - Is Beekeeping Right for Me?
Ongoing – Local Food Marketing Academy
- Coupon Code for farmers to take the course for $200
Ongoing – Cottage Food Law, ServSafe, Farm to School and Food Safety Classes
Ongoing - Detroit Food Policy Council Meetings
Ongoing - Boost your farm or food business: Online grant writing course
Ongoing - Michigan Conservation Stewards Program
Ongoing - Communicating with Legislators - New Online Course
Ongoing - Farm Pulse Financial Management & Analysis discount code for signing up MVEG2025 - Reduces the cost from $299 to $24 ($275 off); limited to 20 farms!
Ongoing - Forest School teacher trainings
Ongoing - Small grains shared learning calls – 1^st Fridays, 11-noon Eastern
Ongoing - Organic Farmer Circles for Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Asian, Queer and all farmers
Ongoing – Midwest Permaculture Design Courses ½ off for regenerative farmers, community growers, and others
Ongoing - 3^rd Wednesdays Organic Farmers Association Crop Insurance workgroup
Ongoing – Cornell Small Farms online courses
Ongoing – TEAMs program is a training for farm apprentices or employees by the Fairshare CSA Coalition
Ongoing - Becoming the Employer of Choice training for farm employers by the Fairshare CSA Coalition
Ongoing – Free Self-Paced Online Class for Small-scale Chicken Farmers
Ongoing – Savanna Institute classes
Ongoing - $75 Value Added Producer grant on demand class
Ongoing - Free Rodale Courses
- Transition To Certified Organic Agriculture
- Getting Your Organic Certification
- Transition To Organic Livestock Production
- Hobby Beekeeping
- Rodale Institute Annual Virtual Field Day

Events list from Ag Solidarity Network

Events list from MIFFS (Michigan Food and Farming Systems)

Volunteer Opportunities

Organic Farmer Work Groups
MI Farm Link
Volunteer at D-Town farm in Detroit on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to Noon
Volunteer at Keep Growing Detroit: October - Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-6pm
Volunteer at Tollgate Farm: Tuesdays and Wednesday, contact Monique Mose at hemkermo@msu.edu
Volunteer at Sanctuary Farm: October 11, November 8
Growing Hope's Home Vegetable Garden Program (Ypsilanti) seeks Garden mentors who speak English, Spanish and/or Arabic are needed, garden experience required, but you do not need to be an expert
Allen Neighborhood Center Hunter Park GardenHouse (Lansing) volunteer on Mondays: 9:30am – noon or Thursdays: 5 – 7:30pm
Farmstead Planning Volunteer (Jackson, MI) Contact Maria at dreams@gmail.com
Wolcott Mill Farm Center
We3Queens Botanical Garden – contact Anne Lynn at w3qoutreach@gmail.com
Cover Crop Survey
Healthy Soils, Healthy Waters - Michigan growers in Lenawee, Hillsdale, and Monroe counties to participate in a new research project to further understand the connection between conservation practices, changes in soil health, and water quality improvements.

Organic Resources

2025 Field days, workshops and webinars for farmers transitioning to organic

Resource Map for Michigan Organic Growers

Join the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) as a Mentor, a Mentee or attend a field day or webinar to learn more:

Videos from past TOPP events
Q + A session on all things organic farming.

Apply for Real Organic Project Certification today!

Michigan CSA Network

Farmer Advisory Committee FAQ: https://bit.ly/3QaMuca$900 for 30 hours
Regional Farm Network FAQ: https://bit.ly/RegionalFarmNetworkFAQ
- Field Days - $500
- Skill-based Workshops - $1000
- Grower Gatherings - $500
- Marketing events/support - CSA Fair/Open House Event - $2000

The Network has funding to support the following activities in each region:

Farm Sign-up Form for both Farmer Advisory Committee and Regional Network Leads : https://forms.gle/3d5WfDfaKAA8UnEC9

CSA Renewals Drive resource package

Farmer Mental Health

Survey on stress, injury, and overall mental and physical well-being in agriculture – farmers are paid to participate
State Farmer Mental Health Resource List
Michigan Teletherapy for farmers: https://www.canr.msu.edu/managing_farm_stress/teletherapy-program
Find a therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
Find an Inclusive therapist - national search: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/
MVEG Farmer Resiliency & Mental Health Resources: https://www.mvegnetwork.org/resources
Farm Aid Crisis Hotline: 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243).Monday through Friday from 9am – 9pm ET; 6am – 6pm PT. The Spanish Hotline is answered Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm ET.
National Suicide Hotline: dial 988

Surveys & other info

Surveys

Survey: Have you experienced barriers to accessing farmland?
Urban Farm Website Survey
Survey for Lansing Urban Farmers
Survey on Economic Impacts of Regional Grainsheds
Beginning Farmer Resource & Decision Tool survey
Paid farmer & farmworker focus groups – fill out this survey for more info

Michigan Climate Smart Agriculture Survey – fill out 1 part or all 5 😊

Part 1: Defining Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)
Part 2: Scope, Criteria, and Measurable Impacts
Part 3: Farmers Perspectives & Incentives; Verification Process & Standards
Part 4: Integration with Existing Programs and Initiative; Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
Part 5: Scaling Up and Long-Term Sustainability; Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement

Detroit Water Conservation Practices Survey for urban farmers
Midwest Vegetable Growers Network Looking for Farmers and Collaborators
Interview + Survey about climate smart growing ($90 visa gift card)

Other info

Develop a Heat and Air Quality Safety Plan for Your Farm Workers

"Staying Safe While Working in Conditions of Smoke and Fire"

Detroit People’s Food Co-op – sign up as a local supplier Detroit-based, Black-owned & other farms encouraged to apply
Apply to sell at Eastern Market
MIFFS Wholesale Producers List – add your farm to the list!

Donate food through the Michigan Agricultural Surplus Program
Washtenaw Tool Bank Collective
Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Clearinghouse

Peer to Peer coaching program through Fairshare

Resources

Advocate

Advocate for Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, Food Assistance and ways for new farmers to access land in the next Farm Bill:

Advocate to protect SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – food assistance for low-income families and individuals
National Young Farmer Coalition advocacy campaigns
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition – Take Action
Contact the President here.
Find the contact information of your US House representative here.
Find the contact information of your US Senator here.

Accessibility Questions:

For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.

MSU Extension Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program