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Photo by Keri Pickett

Photo by Keri Pickett

Job Title: Intertribal Hemp Collaborative Organizer

Job Description

  • Reports to: Winona LaDuke, Executive Director of Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute (AAI)

  • Job Type: Hourly, non-exempt

  • Location: Northern Minnesota

 Role Responsibilities:

Akiing and the Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute (AAI) are hiring an intertribal hemp collaborative organizer. The role is intended to support the board and visions of Winona’s Hemp, to see through the visions and business plans of the AAI Board members/ leadership of Winona’s Hemp and Heritage farm. The work is based in northern Minnesota with travel to the Dakotas where intertribal collaboration is to continue between farmers and processors of the fiber hemp economy. 

AAI & Akiing have been growing hemp for the past 6 years in an effort to evaluate the economic viability of producing hemp products to drive economic development in the local region, with a particular focus on hemp textiles. Over the past 4 years, Winona’s hemp has done extensive research into available hemp processing infrastructure and we are at an exciting inflection point in our journey: we are in negotiations with a hemp processing company willing to help AAI develop a cost-effective, right-scale, farmer-friendly hemp decortication facility that would grow jobs, revenue and economic sovereignty for our community. The intertribal hemp collaborative coordinator position would build on the past 6 years of research and business development, to support the refinement and implementation of this vision.

A day In this position would look like…..

Core responsibilities:
Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategy

  • Meet with tribes in-person including Sisseton, White Earth, Lower Sioux, Cheyenne River, Rosebud, Red Lake, and Native American farmers among others to: 

    • Jointly create tribal hemp policies

    • Procure and test seed varieties and share information about experiences.

    • Share technical knowledge.

  • Create a strong network of indigenous/tribal hemp farmers (facilitate technical assistance and capacity-building), and strengthen our Indigenous Hemp Cooperative. 

  • Support Youth: 

    • Graduate youth through our AAI curriculums/programs. 

    • Increase the number of youth participants and create the next generation of community organizers, indigenous scientists/farmers, and leaders. 

Communications

  • Develop communications systems and education materials to build a network of informed growers and tribal members and government leaders:

    • Develop a web page for Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute and for the Intertribal Hemp Cooperative.

    • Develop primers for tribal governments on hemp and cannabis to better inform tribal decision making and direct technical resources for farmers.

    • Create a data bank on technological options for hemp /cannabis processing to better inform tribal decision making from the field to the canvas tarp.

    • Develop a curriculum for use with tribal colleges, and in tribal communities, available nationally, but focused on this region.

    • Share farming and technology know-how broadly among tribal communities

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Native American Preference Applies: Preference given to qualified Native Americans pursuant to the Indian Self Determination and Education Act, public Law 93-638.

  • Experience working with Tribal communities.

Job Title: Hemp Project Coordinator

Reports to: Winona LaDuke, Executive Director of Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute (AAI)

Job Type: Hourly, non-exempt

Location: Northern Minnesota

Role Responsibilities: Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute (AAI) is hiring a hemp project coordinator to work with our community to develop, evaluate and assess feasibility value-added products for our hemp. This position will work closely with our sister organizations Akiing and Winona’s Hemp.

About Akiing, Anishinaabe Agriculture and Winona’s Hemp

Akiing, Anishinaabe Agriculture and Winona's Hemp are collaborating in the development of the fiber hemp economy in northern Minnesota,  - We call this the New Green Revolution, focused on the hempcrete, hemp construction, hemp textiles , hemp batteries, and other value added products associated with the renaissance of the hemp economy. Tribal  members and women are encouraged to apply. 

Akiing and AAI have been growing hemp for the past 6 years in an effort to evaluate the economic viability of producing hemp products to drive economic development in the local region, with a particular focus on hemp textiles. Over the past 4 years, Winona’s hemp has done extensive research into available hemp processing infrastructure and we are at an exciting inflection point in our journey: we are in negotiations with a hemp processing company willing to help AAI develop a cost-effective, right-scale, farmer-friendly hemp decortication facility that would grow jobs, revenue and economic sovereignty for our community. We are also working with tribal farmers and entrepreneurs to look at additional value added businesses for hemp including hemp paper, hemp crete/hemp for construction and hemp horse tack.    The hemp project coordinator position would build on the past 6 years of research and business development, to support the refinement and implementation of this vision.

A day In this position would look like…..

The ideal candidate for this position is not afraid of spreadsheets, google meets, invoices and tracking systems. A typical day might begin with a strategy call discussing seed ordering and addressing a strategy for dealing with delays in delivery of seed shipment, that will push production of hemp fiber out by 2-4 weeks. Next, the candidate might be filling out paperwork for the permit to grow hemp in Northern Minnesota from state and federal agencies. A portion of the day might include a site visit to the hemp fields and learning from the hemp growing team about the costs they’ve incurred this season, and helping them document these costs to produce a viable business plan.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategy

In collaboration with LIFT Economy, understand the current market strategy

  • Working with Winona, look at the feasibility and development of hemp industries including paper making, hemp for construction, hemp value added for rope and horse equipment.  

  • Hemp Market Development person will assist in the assessment of needs in business development including purchase of land, assessment of facility requirements and opportunities for hemp value added production near and on the White Earth reservation, and working with consultants, develop the feasibility assessments for these developments.  This includes hempcrete innovation projects with Parsons School of Design and the Snellman Store development- a collaborative between Winona’s Hemp and Aking. 

  • Collaborating with the Intertribal Hemp Coordinator, build and support business collaborations with tribal hemp producers regionally as appropriate. 

  • Develop market research to continue to inform that strategy

  • Understand the vision of an integrated hemp mill as described by the Executive Director and be able to act quickly and thoughtfully to execute on components.

Operations

  • Fulfill administrative tasks associated with reporting on grant opportunities

  • Fulfill administrative tasks associated with permitting (state and federal) for hemp growing sites

  • Coordinate & facilitate meetings with stakeholders

  • Attend meetings and take thorough notes

  • Track deadlines and send reminders as needed to keep on timelines

  • Respond to requests for quick turnaround items such as content for grant applications and other associated pertinent documents

  • Manage Google Drive organization and upkeep of storage of organizational documents

  • Alongside technical assistance providers like LIFT Economy, become familiar with operations model and financial projections and fundraising strategies for financing a textile mill on white earth

  • Alongside LIFT Economy, project manage and coordinate commercial feasibility analysis for market opportunities including hemp pasta, hemp textiles, hempcrete for building, hemp hurds for animal bedding, hemp seed sales.

  • Alongside Executive Assistant, learn to manage existing hemp pasta sales and distribution systems

  • Track and identify cost per acre to grow hemp through correspondence with hemp growing team, document all data in google sheets

  • Develop and iterate new google sheets systems for tracking pertinent information

  • Document related expenses including time-tracking, managing tight timelines and project schedules, ordering project supplies and materials, invoicing, and tracking all expenditures and receipts.

  • Support with finding facilities and helping with purchasing facilities.

Qualifications

Minimum

  • Proficiency and flexibility with office technology including PCs, smartphones, digital camera, conference calls (Zoom), Online cloud storage, google sheets & google docs, Word and Excel

  • Experience working with Tribal communities; willingness to learn about contemporary challenges, concerns, and interests of Lake County tribal community and ecology

  • Able to work with diverse groups, build and maintain strong working relationships

  • Able to develop and follow a prioritized plan of work, set and keep deadlines and work on multiple projects concurrently

  • Strong communication skills with the ability to listen well, and write and speak effectively

  • Able to contribute to a high-functioning, collaborative team environment

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Grant writing experience for successful projects and business skills preferred

  • Native American Preference Applies: Preference given to qualified Native Americans pursuant to the Indian Self Determination and Education Act, public Law 93-638.

  • Ability to relocate at own expense to Northern Minnesota

  • Vehicle and valid driver’s license

  • Ability to carry up to 50 lbs, work outdoors in all weather conditions.