Food Safety Outreach

2023 Summer Internship Description – Food Safety Outreach Intern

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (www.nesfp.org) is offering a full-time summer internship position to support survey development, data analysis, and information dissemination to support various grant and national FIELD Network projects.

Program Summary:  New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) improves our local and regional food systems by training the next generation of farmers to produce food that is sustainable, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate and making this food accessible to individuals regardless of age, mobility, ethnicity, or socio-economic status.  In doing this work, we provide critical training, career development, and economic opportunity to new farmers.

Duties and Responsibilities: Assist with food safety outreach to New Entry farmers and creation and revision of existing Food Safety training documents. Help organize and develop materials for grower Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) and Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) trainings. Support program staff to conduct site visits to farms to conduct mock food safety audits and assess readiness for food safety certification programs. Other responsibilities include supporting production and distribution needs for the New Entry farm and Food Hub. The role will be based at New Entry’s Beverly location on Moraine Farm. 

Intern Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

- Educate partner (Food Hub) farms /vendors on becoming Commonwealth Quality Program certified. Involves learning about CQP with materials, MDAR requirements, and consulting staff members as needed to become familiar with requirements, audit processes, and expectations for documentation and food safety plans.
- Engage in farm visits with producers to assess their current produce safety and food handling and sanitation protocols and what improvements would need to be made to come into compliance with CQP program requirements
- Document current status and learning needs, technical assistance requirements, infrastructure needs, and producer readiness to meet food safety plan, audit and certification requirements.
- Support staff to determine next steps, additional educational programming, resource materials development, and develop next steps TA requirements for producers.

Desired Qualifications:
- Experience in marketing, produce buying, food safety, relationship-building, and customer service
- Community organizing and cross-cultural experience helpful; prepared and excited to build relationships with beginning, immigrant and refugee farmer participants.
- Highly organized and attention to detail
- Strong leadership skills
- Self-motivated and directed; works well within a rapidly-changing environment
- Effective communications, interpersonal skills, and strong writing ability
- Confidence working with diverse software systems (MS Office, social media, Salesforce CRM, website content development, graphic design, Excel database, supply chain management tools)
- Access to reliable private transportation necessary for site visits
- Flexible schedule needed, including evenings and weekends
- Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions
- Ability to perform varied and repetitive warehouse tasks including manual lifting of boxes between 25 – 50 pounds, in conditions that vary from hot and humid, to cold and wet, and up and down stairs

Hours and Compensation: This internship is available as an unpaid (for credit) or a paid (stipend) position - $5250.  Th Internship period will begin May 22rd through August 18th, with an average of 35 hours per week for 12 weeks (with 1-2 weeks for vacation). Part-time positions may be considered.  The position will also be required to support food hub and farm field work on Mondays at Moraine Farm throughout the summer. If interested, current students may also have the opportunity to continue with related work through a fall semester directed study based at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. 

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume with background and experience to:  kimberly.kasper@tufts.edu.

Deadline to apply:  April 1, 2023