Soil Health and Grower Programs Manager

About Us

With over a century of expertise, Adam’s Group is a fifth-generation family-owned company providing global solutions to the food industry. As a leading supplier of organic and non-GMO bulk and specialty oils, lecithin, and grains, we serve B2B customers in the natural and organic space, including food manufacturers, infant nutrition brands, and industrial processors. We are committed to delivering high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients that support innovation and clean-label formulations.

Position Summary:

The Soil Health and Grower Programs Manager serves as Adams Group's technical lead for advancing soil health and sustainable agricultural practices across our grower network, domestically and internationally. This role combines deep agronomic expertise with a collaborative approach to support farmers through context-specific technical assistance, meeting growers where they are, and partnering with them to identify pathways that work for their operations.

Reporting to the Director of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing, this position works across the spectrum of agricultural practices, recognizing that sustainable agriculture transition is not one-size-fits-all. This manager builds trust-based relationships with growers, designs farmer-centric programs, and measures soil health outcomes that advance both farm resilience and Adams Group's sustainability goals.

This role requires extensive domestic and international travel (up to 50%) for on-farm projects, soil health assessments, and building the deep farmer relationships essential to successful agricultural transitions.

Key Responsibilities:

Grower Relations & Technical Leadership

• Serve as trusted technical advisor to farmers across Adams Group's supplier network, building relationships through understanding of their operations, challenges, and goals
• Work with international growers to provide expert guidance on soil health assessment and improvement strategies tailored to unique agricultural regions and specific orchard and crop systems
• Develop context-specific transition pathways that respect each grower's starting point, risk tolerance, and economic constraints
• Facilitate peer-to-peer learning through farmer field days, grower networks, and knowledge-sharing platforms
• Represent grower perspectives in internal discussions about sourcing, program design, and sustainability strategy

Program Design & Implementation

• Lead development and execution of international soil health and grower partnership programs aligned with Adams Group's sustainability strategy
• Develop field-level co-investment opportunities for Adam’s customers to help drive investment and sustainable improvements at the farm-level
• Design and execute field trials and on-farm demonstrations to test and validate practice changes
• Provide technical assistance on cover cropping, reduced tillage, crop rotations, integrated pest management, nutrient management, and other NRCS practices
• Co-develop plans with Field Experts and growers to significantly reduce and eliminate synthetic inputs to farming
• Collaborate domestically with Adams’ Field Experts to implement robust programs toward improving on-farm sustainable agriculture practices in the Sacramento Valley and other US regions
• Support farmers pursuing organic or regenerative certifications (USDA Organic, Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC), Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI), A Greener World (AGW), Regenified, etc.)
• Coordinate with external partners including agricultural consultants, research institutions, and certification bodies
• Create educational materials and resources tailored to specific crops and regional conditions

Data Collection & Measurement

• Design protocols for measuring soil health indicators, carbon sequestration, biodiversity metrics, and other sustainability outcomes
• Conduct regular farm visits to establish baselines, monitor practice adoption, and collect field data
• Coordinate soil sampling, laboratory analysis, and interpretation programs
• Document case studies and success stories from grower partnerships
• Provide field-level data to support sustainability team's ingredient-level footprinting and reporting

Supply Chain & Strategic Integration

• Collaborate with procurement teams to integrate soil health and sustainability criteria into supplier relationships
• Evaluate potential suppliers from agricultural sustainability perspective
• Provide technical input on sourcing contracts and specifications
• Identify regions and farming systems with strong potential for sustainable agriculture partnerships
• Represent Adams Group in agricultural research forums and industry collaborations

Grant Research & Funding Development

• Research and identify grant opportunities from government agencies, foundations, and industry organizations
• Develop grant proposals for sustainability programs including regenerative agriculture, community development, and climate initiatives
• Manage grant application processes, reporting requirements, and funder relationships
• Track and communicate grant outcomes and impact to internal stakeholders and funders

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Science, or closely related field
• 5 years experience in sustainable agriculture, agronomy, or regenerative farming systems
• Deep technical knowledge of soil health principles and sustainable farming practices
• Direct experience working with farmers in advisory, extension, or partnership roles
• Strong understanding of organic farming and USDA certification requirements
• Excellent communication skills to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences
• Willingness to travel extensively (up to 50%) to farms and field sites
• Valid driver's license and comfort working in outdoor farm conditions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in relevant agricultural science field
• Knowledge of regenerative agriculture certification programs
• Background in carbon farming and climate-smart agriculture
• Experience with agricultural extension methodologies
• Field research experience including trial design and data collection
• Experience in organic ingredient supply chains or food/CPG industries

Working Conditions:

• Extensive travel (up to 50%) to growing regions and farm sites
• Outdoor field work in varying weather conditions
• Flexible schedule for farmer availability (early mornings, evenings, occasional weekends during planting/harvest)
• Physical requirements: walking fields, kneeling for soil sampling, carrying equipment
• Home office for non-travel work
• Seasonal intensity with heavier travel during growing season