Left to right are Ag Leader participants Henry Harrison, LSU AgCenter county agent in Washington Parish; Jess Barr of Monroe, Mark Marionneaux of Zachary, and Willie Danos of Iowa. The four are at an open-air market in Beijing. (Photo by Bobby Soileau)

Hank Schumacher, Husser, second from left, and Marty Wooldridge, Oil City, next to him, watch action at a farmers' market in Wuxi, China. Both men are cattle producers. (Photo by Bobby Soileau)

Justin Nix of Iota walks ahead on a bridge at the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou, China. (Photo by Bobby Soileau)

What does it take to become a more effective leader for agriculture? Many of the answers to that question are part of the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program. Applications for potential participants in the program are available for its 12th class, which will begin the two-year program of study in January 2010.

Established in 1988, the Ag Leadership Program provides potential leaders involved with agriculture and agribusiness the tools needed to become more effective voices for agriculture, according to Dr. Bobby Soileau, who serves as program director for the LSU AgCenter. Since its inception, more than 300 people have graduated from the program.

“It is a great opportunity to learn about the critical issues facing agriculture,” Soileau said. “In addition, the leadership skills participants acquire give them the confidence they need to become more effective communicators for agriculture.”

The curriculum includes 10 seminars during the two years – seven on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge and three involving trips elsewhere. The off-campus seminars include visits to Washington, D.C., to meet with the country’s leaders in agricultural policy and to California to see agricultural operations deal with environmental regulatory issues. The final seminar is an international study tour where the group learns about the agricultural, economic and social systems of another country.

“The international study tour is an eye-opening experience. They visit with farmers, government officials, agribusiness professionals and the citizens of other countries,” Soileau explained. “The class will understand they have to be prepared to compete globally.

According to Farm Bureau Associate Commodity Director Brian Breaux, the international trip was an “awakening.” Breaux, a 1996 graduate of the program, was with the group that went to Southeast Asia, including trips to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

“The agricultural technology there is as good as ours. It tells you that you have to be prepared to compete globally,” Breaux said.

International Destinations
The international destinations have included Europe, South America and Southeast Asia. The most recent was to China in January 2006. The group first visited Beijing where they were briefed on agricultural and trade issues by U.S. Embassy, Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce officials. The Ag Leaders also met with representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. Other stops in Beijing included a textile company, a forestry nursery, an agricultural university and a wholesale produce and vegetable market.

A trip farther south to Wuxi and Suzhou gave the group an opportunity to visit the Fresh Water Fisheries Institute, a farmers’ market, and a greenhouse vegetable and flower operation. The final stop was Shanghai, an impressive city of 17 million people.

The international trip is the culmination of the two-year program that teaches the participants about issues that affect agriculture. But the curriculum also gives participants the confidence they need to deal with these issues. Seminars cover such topics as leadership skill building, public speaking, effective communication, emerging technologies, public policy and economic development.

“The program gave me the 90 percent shove I needed to do the things I want to do in agriculture,” said Myra Rivet, a 2002 graduate from Pointe Coupee Parish who with her husband, Ricky, farms 1,800 acres cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, wheat, and raises 180 head of cattle.

Rivet like many other graduates became involved in local, state and national issues.

“I wouldn’t be doing a lot of the things I do now if not for that program,” said Jay Hardwick, a 1990 graduate from Tensas Parish. Hardwick is a row crop producer in Newellton, a past president of the Louisiana Cotton Producers Association and chairman of the American Cotton Producers.

Confidence and self-esteem are familiar themes among alumni and participants in the program. “The program gave me the confidence to get in front of people,” said Hank Schumacher of Tangipahoa Parish. Schumacher is a cattle producer who also makes and sells soybean candles with his wife Karen. “It also gave me the confidence to join organizations and get involved.”

Getting involved is the whole point of the Ag Leadership program. “I thought everything evolved around East Feliciana Parish,” said Dennis Aucoin, a 1998 graduate who owns and operates a logging company. “It (the program) got me out of the woods.”

Like many other graduates, Aucoin has accepted local, state, and national leadership positions to represent the logging industry. “The leadership qualities you develop from being in the class are recognized by people, and you get asked to serve in a lot of leadership positions,” said Aucoin.

According to Louisiana Forestry Association Executive Director Buck Vandersteen, a 1992 graduate, the program is a unique opportunity to interact with others to understand the big picture.

“It is one of the best programs available in Louisiana for people in their mid-careers who want to reinvigorate their vision for agriculture, forestry and natural resources,” said Vandersteen, immediate past chairman of the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching, which is a national network of volunteers who support the land-grant system.

Value of Networking
Learning from people with a different point of view was valuable for Lonnie Champagne, a 2002 graduate and the general manager of Louisiana Sugar Cane Products, Inc.

“Because sugar is not a traditional payment crop, being able to listen to someone else’s view about farm programs helps you relate to them,” said Champagne. “It helps you understand where the rice and grain farmers stand on issues.”

Jess Barr, Louisiana agricultural producer, says the networking helps with state agricultural issues. “All politics is local, especially on state issues,” said Barr, a 2004 graduate. “The network of leaders gives you a contact person from another part of the state to help with these issues and localize it.”

The Ag Leadership Program is supported through funded endowments from the Chalkey family of Lake Charles and H. Rouse Caffey, LSU AgCenter chancellor emeritus, who was instrumental in starting the program.

“It is one of the most successful programs from my tenure with the LSU AgCenter,” said Caffey. “I’m proud because it helps young people learn how to speak for Louisiana agriculture. The program gives them insight they wouldn’t get otherwise.”

Investing in People
“We believe investing in people is the way to ensure a vibrant future for agriculture and for the state,” said LSU AgCenter Chancellor Bill Richardson. “Our alumni from this program have gone on to become state leaders.”

According to Hardwick, agricultural leadership is more important than ever before. “To move forward, we have to intensify our leadership ability to make up for our diminishing numbers.”

John Goode, a 2002 graduate from Point Coupee Parish, said of the program: “I wish I could go through the program again.”

Soileau may be contacted for more information – (225) 578-5670 or bsoileau@agcenter.lsu.edu.  

The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and community programs.

(This AgCenter Lead was updated on April 21, 2009, by Linda Benedict)