Program Agronomist

JOB SUMMARY

The job duties of the Program Agronomist include but are not limited to, providing agronomic and administrative services to landowners or producers who are voluntarily comply or are subject to compliance with county ordinances or state administrative rules regulating agricultural runoff or non-metallic mine reclamation.   In doing so, provide responsive, courteous, and efficient service to these landowners, and all other County residents, and the general public. 

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties described below are indicative of what the Program Agronomist might be asked to perform. This job description is to incorporate any county ordinances created for the position.  This is not an exhaustive list of job responsibilities and therefore other duties may be assigned:

Administrative Functions:

• Gather information and provide program guidance to the LCFM in the areas of agricultural crop production, non-metallic mine reclamation, soil management, nutrient and pest management, and invasive species control. 
• Provide on-farm agronomic consulting services to agricultural producers, and their contracted service providers, including specialized management consultants, and custom operators and applicators.
• Through consultation, assist agricultural producers to develop and implement resource management systems and soil fertility programs for the purpose of achieving agricultural performance standards.
• Administer annual reporting & certification for nutrient management under the County animal waste Ordinance; receive and review nutrient management plans and track compliance components.
• Evaluate Non-Metallic mine sites to document physical site conditions, and determine current and ongoing compliance with State land and water conservation performance standards (NR 135, NR 151, ATCP 50). 
• Conduct and supervise field reviews and record audits of resource conservation and nutrient management plans Develop compliance status reports.  Prepare management options for consideration by landowners.  Review reports with landowners.  Develop site specific management plans.
• Review and evaluate resource conservation planning, nutrient management plans, and nonmetallic mine reclamation plans developed by private sector service providers. Determine whether plans meet specifications and technical standards. 
• Direct and supervise on-farm agronomic, farm planning, and nutrient management services provided through the LCFM.  
• Develop and oversee administrative procedures to monitor compliance with agronomic and non-metallic mine reclamation performance standards administered under regulatory and nonregulatory programs.   Implement and evaluate the adequacy of procedures.

 

• Supervise landowner reporting and certification processes to assure compliance with performance standards administered through regulatory and nonregulatory programs.
• Develop, administer, and supervise service contracts with private sector service providers and public agencies to assist landowners/farm operators and non-metallic mine operators to meet site specific management objectives and performance standards.  Monitor service contract compliance.
• Recruit rural landowners and perform site assessments as required to facilitate voluntary conservation programs including the WI Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the Farmland Preservation Program, and the Lake Wissota Stewardship Project.
• Serve on project management teams to develop reports, conduct policy analysis, and identify policy options for consideration by the Land Conservation & Forest Management (LCFM) Committee. 
• Respond to public complaints regarding animal waste management. Review field information to determine compliance with County ordinances and/or State standards.  Provide assistance to resolve issues.
• Develop and maintain GIS maps and databases to monitor evaluate and track results of Department Land & Water conservation programs.

Community Relations Functions:

• Provide knowledge when working with agribusiness professionals, farm organizations, and interested members of the general public to promote resource conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Conduct elements of the department’s Information & education outreach as outlines in the Chippewa county Land & Water Resource Management Plan; prepare presentations for LCFM Committee and Department tours. 

• Conduct local field trials to fine tune farm specific agronomic and conservation decisions for best water quality and soil quality; summarize and disseminate results as appropriate.

Customers:

• General Public
• Contractors
• Agronomists
• Agricultural Businesses
• Engineers
• Land Developers
• Townships
• Various County Departments

Team Members:

• Department of Land Conservation & Forest Management staff
• Department of Administration 
• Planning & Zoning Department 
• Various County Departments
• Cooperating agency staff members (DNR, DATCP, UWEX, NRCS, FSA) who provide resource mngt. services under contract or MOU with the Land and Water Conservation Division
• Cooperating Co. Dept. staff members (Highway, Planning and Zoning, Public Health) who provide services under contract, MOU, or joint working agreements with the Land and Water Conservation Division
• Individual volunteers and members of 501(c)(3) conservation organizations that provide services to the Land and Water Conservation Division

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required at the time of hire or for the continuation of employment.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
•    Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, or plant-based Biology or Botany required.  
•    One (1) year minimum professional experience in production agriculture involving field based agronomic consulting, nutrient and pest management, and on-farm planning required.
•    Professional certification (Associate or Certified Professional Agronomist, State Certified Crop Advisor, or comparable professional certification), or capacity to attain certification within one (1) year required.
•    Working knowledge of soil fertility, cropping systems, weed and pest control required.
•    Working knowledge of conservation tillage, residue management, nutrient management, cover cropping, and current conservation farming practices required.
•    Proficiency in proper techniques for sampling soil, plants and water, and interpreting and conveying test results required.
•    Working knowledge of agricultural markets and farm economics required.
•    WI Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification and USDA-NRCS Conservation Planner Certification preferred.
•    Working knowledge of ArcView GIS software and spreadsheets with RUSLE2 and SNAP Plus software experience preferred.
•    Working knowledge of GPS data loggers and database management preferred.
•    A valid driver's license required.

Salary : $57,387 - $62,379