Subject: POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT/Media
From: [email-masked] (MarkLSP)
Date: 2 Jun 1994 16:54:05 -0400
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Media and Public Information Coordinator for 1995 Farm Bill
Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

Application Deadline:  June 27, 1994

The Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group and Sustainable
Agriculture
Coalition seek a full-time employee to serve as spokesperson in
Washington,
D.C. and to coordinate the national, state, and local media and
public
information activities of a regional network of organizations working
for
1995 Farm Bill Policy that supports sustainable agriculture.  

Organization Description - The Midwest Sustainable Agriculture
Working Group
(MSAWG) was formed in 1988 to give organizations concerned about
sustainable
agriculture a more powerful voice on federal policy issues.  MSAWG is
a
network of farm, conservation, food, and rural advocacy groups from
the
Midwest.  MSAWG works primarily in four broad policy areas -- farm
programs
and trade, conservation and the environment, agricultural research
and
extension, and marketing and rural development.  MSAWG relies on
participating organizations to carry out much of its work.  The
Sustainable
Agriculture Coalition (SAC) is the lobbying subgroup of MSAWG and has
a
policy representative and policy analyst in Washington, D.C.

Job Description - In conjunction with SAC's Media Committee, develop
and
implement a media strategy and work plan designed to advance MSAWG's
policy
priorities for the 1995 Farm Bill, increase regional and national
exposure of
MSAWG's policy positions and participating organizations, and
complement
priorities and strategies for the national sustainable agriculture
agenda.
 The Public Information Coordinator will:

- Coordinate efforts by member groups and individuals to publicize
MSAWG
policy options and positions and shape the Farm Bill debate through
ample
coverage in major media outlets in key states and congressional
districts.

- Take responsibility for media and publicity work before, during and
after
MSAWG events and actions in Washington, DC, such as a fly-in planned
for
winter 1994, and press/media   interviews with key sustainable ag
leaders
visiting Washington.

- Serve as SAC's public spokesperson, conveying on-the-spot
commentary and
policy positions to media representatives at congressional hearings,
press
conferences, and other public events.

- Cultivate positive rapport with key national reporters and editors
in
Washington.

- Write and distribute news releases, guest editorials, letters to
the
editor, magazine articles, etc.

- Assist SAC's Washington representative and policy analyst in
writing,
editing, and preparing policy position papers, congressional
testimony and
other publications, brochures, and  promotional materials.

- Assist MSAWG member groups with their media efforts, including
advice on
news release writing, developing media lists, strategies, and
protocols.

- Organize media strategies and news conferences around release of
policy
analysis projects.

- Speak at events, meetings, conferences, and public hearings on
behalf of
MSAWG and SAC.

- Maintain current nationwide media mailing lists.

Terms of Employment - This is a full-time position that will operate
out of
MSAWG's Washington, DC office, and will continue at least through
1995.
 Salary range is $30,000 to $34,000, plus excellent benefits.  This
position
is funded by foundation grants to a SAC member group, the Land
Stewardship
Project (LSP).  The information coordinator will formally be an
employee of
LSP.

Qualifications - Applicants should have a strong background in and/or
working
knowledge of sustainable agriculture and federal agriculture policy,
strong
experience in working with the media, strong interpersonal
communications
skills, commitment to social change, solid writing skills, public
speaking
skills, work well with coalitions, and be highly self-motivated. 
Journalism
or P.R. experience is preferred.

Send resume, references, and five writing samples to Mark Schultz,
Land
Stewardship Project, 3724 12th Ave. So, Minneapolis, MN  55407 by
June 27,
1994.