20240215-USDA-OSEC-TEW-1383
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack has conversations with chosen undergraduate and graduate students across the nation who are participating in the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program during the USDA's 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), whose theme is "Cultivating the Future," on Feb 15, 2024, near Washington, D.C.
Cultivating Future Leaders in Agriculture
The success of tomorrow’s agriculture depends on cultivating today’s students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sowing the seeds of tomorrow through the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program, a joint effort between USDA and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Founded in 2007, the program introduces students from Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture to the work of USDA and its partner organizations.
Aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science and pre-veterinary studies, the program seeks students who exhibit leadership at their university and/or in their community. Part of the application process for undergraduate students includes writing as essay on "Agriculture as a Career.“ Graduate students are required to write an essay on "The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”
Twenty students will be selected this year. Program winners travel to Washington, DC, in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. They also participate in several USDA briefings with numerous opportunities to career development with leaders in USDA.
The Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is supported by academic institutions, corporations, and government institutions dedicated to promoting the education of the next generation of agriculturalists.
The AOF theme, "Cultivating the Future," underscores the history and evolution of agriculture in the U.S. while painting a vision of the future. The vision includes:
Protecting and increasing the number of farmers.
Preserving the portion of land in agriculture.
Creating new revenue streams, especially for small and mid-sized farmers.
The AOF event is USDA's largest and premier annual gathering. The breadth and timeliness of the AOF programs have consistently drawn a diverse group of participants, including producers, processors, policymakers, government officials, and non-governmental organizations. It routinely attracts upwards of 1,800 people in person and 4,000-5,000 virtual attendees from the U.S. and around the world.
The 2024 Program will feature a keynote address by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a presentation on the outlook for agricultural markets and trade by USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, a plenary panel of distinguished guest speakers, and 30 breakout sessions covering a wide range of timely agricultural, food market and environmental issues. More than a hundred experts from government, industry, and academia will share insights on topics such as commodity and food price outlooks, U.S. and global agricultural trade developments, agricultural innovations, climate change, and the bioeconomy.
For more information about the Future Leaders program, please see usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum/future-leaders
For more information about the AOF please go to reg.eventmobi.com/USDAOutlookForum2024
For more information about the USDA please go to USDA.GOV
USDA Photo by Thomas Witham.
20240215-USDA-OSEC-TEW-1383
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack has conversations with chosen undergraduate and graduate students across the nation who are participating in the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program during the USDA's 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), whose theme is "Cultivating the Future," on Feb 15, 2024, near Washington, D.C.
Cultivating Future Leaders in Agriculture
The success of tomorrow’s agriculture depends on cultivating today’s students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sowing the seeds of tomorrow through the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program, a joint effort between USDA and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Founded in 2007, the program introduces students from Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture to the work of USDA and its partner organizations.
Aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science and pre-veterinary studies, the program seeks students who exhibit leadership at their university and/or in their community. Part of the application process for undergraduate students includes writing as essay on "Agriculture as a Career.“ Graduate students are required to write an essay on "The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”
Twenty students will be selected this year. Program winners travel to Washington, DC, in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. They also participate in several USDA briefings with numerous opportunities to career development with leaders in USDA.
The Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is supported by academic institutions, corporations, and government institutions dedicated to promoting the education of the next generation of agriculturalists.
The AOF theme, "Cultivating the Future," underscores the history and evolution of agriculture in the U.S. while painting a vision of the future. The vision includes:
Protecting and increasing the number of farmers.
Preserving the portion of land in agriculture.
Creating new revenue streams, especially for small and mid-sized farmers.
The AOF event is USDA's largest and premier annual gathering. The breadth and timeliness of the AOF programs have consistently drawn a diverse group of participants, including producers, processors, policymakers, government officials, and non-governmental organizations. It routinely attracts upwards of 1,800 people in person and 4,000-5,000 virtual attendees from the U.S. and around the world.
The 2024 Program will feature a keynote address by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a presentation on the outlook for agricultural markets and trade by USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, a plenary panel of distinguished guest speakers, and 30 breakout sessions covering a wide range of timely agricultural, food market and environmental issues. More than a hundred experts from government, industry, and academia will share insights on topics such as commodity and food price outlooks, U.S. and global agricultural trade developments, agricultural innovations, climate change, and the bioeconomy.
For more information about the Future Leaders program, please see usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum/future-leaders
For more information about the AOF please go to reg.eventmobi.com/USDAOutlookForum2024
For more information about the USDA please go to USDA.GOV
USDA Photo by Thomas Witham.