Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment

Thank you to our friends at American Farmland Trust for being steadfast, collaborative, and supportive partners for many years. And thank you for highlighting our work that has grown out of AFT's conservation of this farmland. Let's keep going and growing! 🌱 ❤️

Wrapping up my time at #climateweeknyc, I am grateful for all the inspirational people I shared time with, the ideas and innovations happening right now and the honest conversations happening all around. Here are a few of the themes I've been hearing most throughout the week: 🍎 Regenerative agriculture (RA) is not a silver bullet to the climate crisis (not news to many of us). How we produce food and steward land needs to improve and should be seen as part of an all-of-the-above strategy to reducing emissions and drawing down atmospheric carbon. 🚜  There is very little alignment around how (and if?) to define regenerative agriculture.  While there are MANY forces/factors in advancing RA, there is not enough discussion around supporting farmers/producers in this effort.  While it cannot be denied that RA is a movement that extends well beyond the farm gate, we need to make sure that we recognize that it starts at (and below) the ground level on-farm and get organized and aligned around how we can scale up our collective ability to provide the technical assistance that our land stewards will need on their journey to better outcomes (social, economic AND environmental). 🌱 We need significantly more funding coming into this work. I heard many stats this week around the % of the philanthropic dollars coming into climate that are for food/farming.  If the food/ag sector represents ~1/3 of global GHG's but the funding to address this is less than 5%, that tells me we have work to do. On the bright side, the fact that there are so many discussions, presentations, panels, etc this week about food and ag tells me that the opportunity is being recognized.  Now we need the philanthropic sector to continue to find meaningful and impactful ways to support this movement. With all of the federal funding that many great organizations are now securing, many orgs need help in balancing our funding mix with unrestricted $$ to help us build capacity to meet this moment. 🐝 Training, education and technical assistance will be essential. If we are asking farmers to feed the world AND help solve climate change, we need to stand with them and do all we can to support them. 🐄 We need to adjust our diets to reflect the reality we are facing. For some of us this is easier said than done due to the financial reality each of us lives with.  I consistently heard talk of eating a more plant-based diet and/or eating less AND better meat. The food choices we make each day need to be a direct reflection of the change we seek in the food and ag sector. ☀ VOTE! More specifically, vote for leaders who understand our time to address this crisis is now. While you're at it, encourage your family and friends to vote. Democracy only works when we all take part. Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment

Our executive director, Dave Herring is in New York City this week for Climate Week events! He's looking forward to connecting with others seeking solutions to climate change, and sharing more about our work to create a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. If you're in NYC or have recommendations of folks Dave should connect with this week, please reach out!

We are excited to launch the search for our next Managing Director of Finance and Operations! This integral leadership role will oversee financial management, human resources, operations, and overall administration to support our continued growth. We are looking for a proven leader with experience growing an organization. Please share widely! 🌱 About Wolfe’s Neck Center Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment is a fast-growing, national nonprofit organization based on a campus of over 600 acres of coastal farmland in Freeport, Maine. Our work is dedicated to creating a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. Through regenerative farming demonstration and training, innovative research, and collaborations, Wolfe’s Neck Center works to advance agriculture - on our own farm, regionally, and nationally - to accelerate holistic change in food systems and mitigate the effects of a changing climate. Join us! https://lnkd.in/ertw9Xs

We are hiring! Wolfe’s Neck Center is seeking an experienced, federal, and privately funded grants finance manager, who is organized, creative and systems oriented to serve as our Grants Finance Manager. This full-time, year-round position reports to the Director of Finance & Human Resources and works closely with staff across the organization (local and nationally) to ensure that all restricted grant revenue is managed according to donor and funding agreements. We are open to this position being remote or on-site in Freeport, Maine. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/ertw9Xs

Yesterday was a big day at Wolfe’s Neck Center! We were joined on campus by U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg as part of his trip to Maine and the White House's Investments in Rural America tour highlighting infrastructure investments in rural communities across the country. Senator Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree joined Buttigieg on his visit. After a brief tour and welcome remarks by our executive director, David Herring, Pingree, King, and Buttigieg shared reflections about the importance of investing in infrastructure in Maine and beyond. Remarks were then followed by a town hall where Buttigieg, King, and Pingree were joined by Clarissa Sabattis, RN, BSN, Maliseet Tribal Chief, Colleen Hanlon-Smith, co-owner of Daybreak Growers Alliance and owner of Peak Season foodservice distribution, and others who took questions from audience members. Climate considerations are inextricably linked to transportation, and challenges facing farmers, farms, and food systems were major themes of yesterday’s event. Our work here at Wolfe’s Neck Center is dedicated to a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. Our scope and scale has grown significantly in the past 10 years, in part due to federal investments from the USDA, including a low-interest loan from USDA Rural Development that helped to finance the building of the Smith Center for Agriculture and Research and the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program, which is helping us reach farms across the country. Thanks to these investments and private philanthropy, we are stepping into the role we are uniquely positioned to play as a farm-based organization with national reach, to work in service of farmers, food systems, and ultimately, the planet. Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday! https://lnkd.in/eKU8rEAV

👩🏻🌾 In January I joined the Board of Directors at Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment in Freeport, #Maine 🌱 WNC is a truly special place here in Maine, a certified organic demonstration and research farm nestled right on the coast (yes, that's right, a saltwater farm!). It punches above its weight delivering local, regional and national programming across food security, climate resilience and climate mitigation. WNC is at the forefront of a critical movement: advancing #regenerativeagriculture and empowering farmers across #america to adopt more sustainable farming practices. They're doing this through: On-farm demonstrations: Showcasing the power of regenerative practices on their own land. Regional and national efforts: Spreading knowledge and inspiring change across the food system. Groundbreaking research: Developing innovative solutions to mitigate climate change through regenerative farming practices. Collaboration: Working with farmers, corporations, researchers, and policymakers to create a more sustainable future. 🌱 I'm incredibly impressed by WNC's dedication to tackling some of the most pressing issues of our time. I share their passion for healthy food systems and a healthier planet, and I'm honored to be a part of their mission. -> Check out Wolfes Neck Center's work on climate-smart commodities and their pioneering work building #opensource #tech for #regenerativeag (OpenTEAMs) 🔗 🌱 Thanks to the team and board for welcoming me with open arms David Herring Jeannie Mattson Kate Barrett Andrew Lombardi Nat Irwin Laura Gilmer Michael Messina Ellen Stern Griswold Michael Messina Tim Griffin David Bennell Kelly Beevers Sabra Lindsay Tom Kelly 🌱 Flagging the amazingness of #WNC for fellow champions of RegenAg and more sustainable food systems Barton Seaver Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Tim Christophersen Jonathan Foley Gregory Landua Raviv Turner Jay Lipman Samuel Gill Erick Fernandes Laura Bonzanigo Nagaraja Harshadeep Chad Frischmann John Manganello #wolfesneckcenter #regenerativeagriculture #climatesmart #maine #foodsystems

We are hiring! Wolfe’s Neck Center is seeking a Director of Communications. Reporting to the Managing Director of Advancement, the Director of Communications plays an integral role in developing and implementing strategies that effectively convey our growing scope of work and impact. This is a unique leadership opportunity for an experienced communications professional to advance our mission to create a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/ertw9Xs

Welcome back, Dave! ❤️

Our fellows spent Earth Day planting over 1,000 onions at Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment 🌱🧅 We appreciate all the organizations, municipalities, and volunteers in our region who are working to make Maine a more sustainable place!