Director of Government Affairs

The Voice of Milk is a collaboration between Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the Dairy Business Association, the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, along with Farmers for Sustainable Food working together to bring the voice of milk to communities, congress and consumers. With the strength of over 1,400 dairy farmers and industry supporters, the Voice of Milk is a multi-state coalition speaking only on behalf of dairy farmers. What we do: We love the dairy community, and we want to see our farm families and allied businesses succeed. That’s challenging without sensible, scientifically sound and sustainable policies and regulations at the local, state and federal levels. We collectively serve the members of the individual organizations that make up the Voice of Milk, including dairy farmers, agri-businesses, dairy product processors and other supporters. We also lead Farmers for Sustainable Food, a multi-state sustainability initiative designed to bring data-driven sustainability programs to farmers and processors. Vision and Responsibilities: The Director of Government Affairs is responsible for leading Minnesota Milk’s state-level advocacy and legislative strategy in Minnesota. This position serves as the primary liaison between Minnesota Milk and the Minnesota State Legislature, the Governor’s Office, state agencies, other state-level policymakers as well as allied industry groups. The Director ensures that the interests of dairy farmers and the broader dairy industry are effectively represented and advanced within state government. Position Overview: The Director of Government Affairs will work closely with the Chief Policy Officer to align state priorities with national efforts that improve dairy’s position statewide and nationally. The Director will provide regular updates to the board and the Executive Leadership Team. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Develop and execute Minnesota Milk’s government affairs strategy, aligning policy objectives with organizational goals. Monitor and analyze state legislation, administrative rules, executive actions, and agency initiatives that impact the dairy industry. Draft policy positions, testimony, correspondence, and briefing materials for legislators, agency staff, and Minnesota Milk leadership. Represent Minnesota Milk before the Minnesota State Legislature, including direct engagement with lawmakers, participation in public hearings, and committee testimony. Build and maintain relationships with state elected officials, key committee chairs, legislative staff, agency leaders, and state-level advocacy coalitions. Coordinate member involvement in Minnesota advocacy efforts, including Capitol visits, in- district meetings, grassroots member engagement and public comment opportunities. Serve as staff lead for Minnesota Milk’s political action committee, including strategic planning, member outreach, and reporting. Provide timely policy and political updates to the CEO, board of directors, staff, and Minnesota Collaborate with internal teams to ensure policy messaging and member communications are aligned and effective. Represent Minnesota Milk at state-level conferences, roundtables, and industry events. Member Engagement & Growth Foster strong, transparent relationships with Minnesota Milk members, ensuring their interests guide organizational priorities. Build and maintain strong relationships with members through local outreach, grassroots engagement and facilitation of policy discussions to strengthen member participation. In collaboration with the Director of Value Chain Partnerships, develop programs and engagement strategies that add value for members and expand Minnesota Milk’s reach. Encourage member involvement in advocacy, events, and leadership opportunities. In-depth understanding of Minnesota’s legislative process and state agency structure Policy analysis and development Political strategy and advocacy planning Relationship management and coalition-building Effective written and verbal communication Professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion #J-18808-Ljbffr