Embark on a Greener Path: Exploring Organic Farming Internship Programs

For individuals drawn to the principles of regenerative organic agriculture and seeking practical experience to shape their future careers, a wealth of opportunities exists in the form of organic farming internship programs. These programs offer immersive, hands-on experiences, often coupled with educational curricula designed to equip aspiring farmers with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the field.

Immersive Learning Experiences

These internships provide a unique opportunity to integrate with a curriculum geared towards beginning farmers, allowing participants to learn the ins and outs of sustainable agriculture. Interns actively engage in various farming tasks, including planting, harvesting, weeding, trellising, and irrigation. The goal is to provide interns with a fulfilling experience that will be useful to them regardless of future career path.

Gaining Practical Skills

Interns delve deep into the realm of organic farming techniques, honing skills in agricultural production such as planning, crop rotation, weed control, and irrigation.

Hands-on Activities and Responsibilities

Interns are responsible for helping complete the day-to-day operations of the farm, including cultivating, harvesting, marketing, and animal care. Interns should be prepared to work in inclement weather and carry out repetitive tasks when needed to sustain farm production.

Developing Transformative Initiatives

Each intern is entrusted with ongoing projects to promote successful production within our organic farm community. Whether spearheading the development of a composting system, cultivating a vibrant pollinator garden, or optimizing irrigation efficiency, interns lead the charge in implementing transformative initiatives.

Featured Internship Programs

Several organizations and farms offer structured internship programs, each with its unique focus and offerings. Here are some examples:

Pennypack Farm

Pennypack Farm is an equal opportunity employer. They celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. PFEC encourages women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ applicants.

Evergreen Organic Farm

At the Evergreen Organic Farm, interns immerse themselves in a full-time, 40-hour-per-week commitment, engaging in hands-on activities guided by our experienced Farm Manager. As part of Evergreen’s Food and Agriculture Path, interns maintain individual WordPress portfolios, chronicling their activities and insights gained from the internship. In recognition of their dedication, each full-time intern receives a stipend of $3000 for the quarter, disbursed over six pay periods.

Third Way Farm

As an intern at Third Way Farm, you will receive training from us, Tommy and Michelle, alongside our experienced staff, fostering teamwork. High level of responsibility, care, and excellence is expected in all aspects and levels of work done here. At the same time, our farm seeks to cultivate an atmosphere of fellowship and fun in all we do, and we strive hard to make our work environment minimally stressful and maximally enjoyable. Intern schedules will be set but are flexible. Typically, interns work from 45 to 48 hours per week during our main growing season (April to October), and less during the winter season.

NCAT

Our farm internship program is designed for people interested in gaining experience working on a medium scale organic farm, learning about local sustainable agriculture. During the 12-week summer farm internship, interns will be engaged in farming tasks including planting, harvesting, weeding, trellising, and irrigation. Candidates must be comfortable working on their feet doing physical work for long periods of time. We do not require interns to have any previous farming experience; as an education center we are excited to share our knowledge about farming. Hours are Monday through Friday 7:15am-4pm.

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USDA Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a multitude of internship and employment opportunities for students and recent graduates across various fields, including agriculture, science, technology, and more.

Pathways Program

The Pathways Internship Program provides year-round paid work experiences for current degree-seeking high-school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Interns may work during the summer, fall, spring or year-round and are eligible for non-competitive conversion upon program completion.

The Pathways Recent Graduates Program is for graduates within two years of degree or certificate completion, and for veterans within 6 years of obtaining a degree. Fellows are placed in a one-year career development program that may be non-competitively converted upon completion of program requirements.

The Presidential Management Fellows Program is the flagship leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. In addition to salary and benefits, fellows earn a two-year appointment that may be converted to a permanent appointment.

Scholarship Programs

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program provides full tuition, fees, books, room and board to selected students pursuing a bachelor's degree in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines at one of 19 designated 1890s land-grant universities. When the student has completed the academic and summer work requirements of the scholarship, USDA may at its discretion convert the student to a permanent employee without further competition.

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The USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program seeks to increase the number of American Indian and Alaska Native students studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and related disciplines. The program provides full tuition, employment, housing or a living stipend, employee benefits, fees, and books each year for up to 4 years to selected students at one of 35 federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities and continuing at other higher education institutions.

American Climate Corps

The American Climate Corps (ACC), is a groundbreaking, workforce training and service initiative that will prepare tens of thousands of young people for good-paying jobs in the clean economy and for climate resilience. In year one, American Climate Corps will put more than 20,000 young people on career pathways in the growing fields of clean energy, conservation and climate resilience.

Indian Youth Service Corps

The Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC) is a Department of the Interior (DOI) initiative designed to engage Native youth in meaningful public service projects on federal and Tribal lands for the benefit of Native communities. Participants engage in projects related to natural resources; parks and recreation; environmental conservation and restoration; infrastructure and construction; energy; and a broad range of cultural, historic, and archaeological resources. These projects provide education, employment, and training to Native American and Alaska Native individuals ages 16-30 (or veterans up to the age of 35) and can serve as an invaluable community resource and hiring pipeline to careers in several critical fields.

Public Lands Corps

The Public Lands Corps provides meaningful, paid work experience for young adults between 16 and 30 to advance conservation and stewardship of public lands through wildfire risk reduction, trails and recreation management, habitat restoration, research, visitor services, and more, developing skills necessary to join the next generation of conservation leaders.

Resource Assistants Program

The Resource Assistants Program (RAP) is a rigorous, immersive, paid internship for individuals 17 years and older who are interested in natural and cultural resources careers. Forest Service staff to complete mission-critical projects that develop leadership, critical thinking, and strategic communication skills.

Youth Conservation Corps

Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer youth employment program that engages young people, ages 15 to 18, in meaningful work experiences in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries. Youth are engaged in fun, exciting work projects designed to develop an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility. Projects include building and repairing trails; preserving and repairing historic buildings; removing invasive species; helping with wildlife and land research; and leading environmental education.

Third-Party Internship Programs

USDA partners with a wide variety of organizations to provide students the opportunity to work with our 29 agencies and offices and gain practical experience in different fields. Each of these programs provide differing benefits for students. Recruitment and selection are completed by the host programs.

HEP/CAMP Internship Program

USDA offers a paid 10-week internship program for students from migrant and farmworker backgrounds. Interns will gain work experience and learn about career opportunities available within USDA while working at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The program is run in partnership with the National HEP/CAMP Association, comprised of universities, colleges, and nonprofit organizations that administer a High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and/or a College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). Participating interns will be current or former participants of HEP and/or CAMP programs at their respective institutions. This internship program is administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). Eligible students are current CAMP students, alumni, and HEP graduates attending a post-secondary institution.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) representing more than 500 member institutions across the United States. The HACU National Internship Program places students in federal and corporate internships. USDA has partnered with the HACU for more than 28 years to provide over 3,000 college students with paid spring, summer, or fall internships at various USDA offices in Washington, D.C. as well as field offices. The program gives undergraduate and graduate students valuable professional experience in the federal sector.

NextGen Program

USDA made a historic $262.5 million investment in 2023 in over 60 minority-serving institutions across the United States and Insular Areas to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of leaders in food, agricultural, natural resources and human sciences fields. Forest Service (USFS).

Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates

The Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) Program Area Priority promotes experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students at two- and four-year institutions such that upon graduation they may enter the agricultural workforce with exceptional skills. This grant program allows colleges and universities to design paid internships programs that provide undergraduate students with research and extension/outreach opportunities components in the food and agricultural sciences. Each project funded has its own timeline, disciplines supported, and selection process.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Internship Program

TMCF supports students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, agricultural, mathematics, and business at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This program accepts undergraduate students with at least a sophomore standing, graduate, and professional students. Applicants must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA with strong verbal and written communication skills.

Wallace-Carver Fellowship Program

Working with the World Food Prize, USDA offers college students the opportunity to collaborate with scientists and policymakers through paid fellowships at USDA research centers and offices across the United States. Fellows help analyze agricultural and economic policy; assist in the management of food, nutrition and rural development programs; and take part in groundbreaking field and laboratory-based research. Fellows also participate in a weeklong symposium hosted by the USDA in Washington, D.C. Named for Henry A. Wallace and George Washington Carver, two of American leaders in agricultural science and policy who made significant strides toward ending hunger, the Wallace-Carver Fellowship seeks to educate, inspire, and train the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Career Development Programs

These programs offer participating students opportunities for professional growth and career exploration by providing opportunities to develop their skills through real-world experiences at USDA agencies and increase their professional network and awareness of careers at USDA and the agricultural sector.

Agricultural Scholars

The Farm Foundation Agricultural Scholars program engages graduate student scholars working in agricultural economics or related agricultural policy work with a year-long series of learning experiences focused on gaining a deeper understanding of production agriculture, agribusiness, and government, in hopes of inspiring and training the next generation of agricultural economists interested agricultural policy, commodity market analysis, agricultural finance, and other applied fields of economics.

Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program

The Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program is a locally funded initiative that provides District of Columbia youth ages 14 to 24 with enriching and constructive summer work experiences in the private and government sectors. Eligible youth will have the opportunity to earn money and gain meaningful work experience; learn and develop the skills, attitudes and commitment necessary to succeed in today’s world of work; and gain exposure to various career industries.

Other Programs

The Forest Service Job Corps is a residential career training program for young people ages 16 to 24 to conserve the nation’s natural resources while helping them complete their high school education, train them for meaningful careers, and assist them with obtaining employment.

Finding and Managing Internship Listings

For those seeking to list or manage internship opportunities, resources are available to streamline the process.

Editing or Removing Listings

To edit an existing internship listing, login to your account and follow the My Internships link in your dashboard. The trash icon deletes your listing.

To permanently delete the listing, login and go to the My Internships page and then click the garbage-can icon. If your position has been filled for the season, but you want keep it for next year, simply click the pencil icon and find the Save Draft button.

Saving Drafts

To save a draft when creating or editing a listing, click the Save Draft button at the bottom of the form.

Considerations Before Applying

NCAT provides these listings only as a public service to the sustainable agriculture community and no recommendation of an organization posting a position on this site (other than NCAT’s own postings) is expressed or implied by NCAT or its Sustainable Agriculture Project. All listings on this site are posted by farms, non-profit organizations and other organizations offering internships to the public. NCAT makes no claims concerning the content, accuracy, suitability, intent, comprehensiveness, or availability of the positions posted. It is the responsibility of the prospective intern to take all necessary precautions when interviewing for or accepting positions. NCAT encourages all prospective interns to obtain as much information as possible about the farm or organization offering the internship before accepting any internship or apprenticeship offer.

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