Iowa Organic Association is looking for a part-time, collaborative, values-driven, and visionary leader who is passionate about organic agriculture in Iowa and motivated to further develop a growing organization.  The successful candidate will work to promote the success of organic farmers, create opportunities for conventional farmers to transition to organic practices, advocate for state and federal policies that support organic production and expand our outreach to organic gardeners and consumers.  The candidate will work with the Board and small staff to guide the organization into a future of growth. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors. (Click here for a printable version). For more information, contact IOA President, Scott Ausborn, at President@iowaorganic.org. 

About Iowa Organic Association

In 2006, a group of certified organic growers formed Iowa Organic Association (IOA) to support the growing Iowa organic market and community.  These founders were committed to organic as one of the best solutions for maintaining a family-farm system of agriculture in Iowa and making sure that Iowa farmers help grow the US domestic supply of organic products rather than rely on imports. Activities at the state level in policy, legislation and regulation served as the impetus for the formation of an association that would represent all of Iowa organic agriculture. 

Throughout the first ten years of the organization, IOA was involved as an important grassroots partner in several agricultural research projects, it gained a growing and consistent presence for Iowa organic agriculture at the Iowa State Fair, and represented the interests of Iowa organic farmers at the state policy level.  In 2015, with a change in board and staff leadership, the organization polled all organic stakeholders throughout Iowa to develop a strategic plan to lead it into the organization’s second decade.   The strategic plan was completed in November 2015 and is posted online: http://www.iowaorganic.org/strategic_plan. 

IOA focuses on three core concentration areas: Policy, Education, and Community Building.  Policy work on pesticide drift, GMOs and water quality are of utmost importance to organic farmers and other organic stakeholders, and IOA joined the new Organic Farmers Association in 2017 to network into more focused federal policy work.  Education for organic growers as well as transitioning and new farmers was identified as necessary to fulfill the US domestic supply of organic grains as well as state-level demand for organic food.  Finally, growing a strong organic community is a focus for the organization, as many organic growers are isolated in our very rural state and want IOA to help facilitate networking opportunities and celebration of organic food and farming to support our growing industry and farmer community in Iowa.  Over the past three years, the organization has expanded its programming in all three concentration areas and is positioned to continue this growth to better serve its growing membership.