By Scout Nelson
Minnesota soybean producers have a limited amount of time to apply for the ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program for 2024–2025. Participants in the program will attend two essential training sessions, the second of which will be conducted in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic trade show and conference. The application deadline is September 20, 2024.
“For more than 40 years, the Young Leader program has helped identify and train soybean farmers to be leaders in the industry,” said Josh Gackle, North Dakota soybean grower and President of the American Soybean Association (ASA).
“Graduates of the program have gone on to make significant impacts across the industry, and five current members of the ASA Executive Committee are program alumni.”
As the first ASA state affiliate, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) is actively seeking participants to represent Minnesota in the Corteva Young Leader Program. Ryan Mackenthun, MSGA vice president and a 2019-2020 program graduate, shared,
“The support MSGA shows for the Corteva Young Leader Program is beyond amazing.”
Upon completing the program, participants have the opportunity to serve as at-large MSGA directors with full voting rights for three years. The program is open to individual farmers and couples, focusing on leadership development, communication skills, and agriculture trends. Growers of any age can apply, although the program is designed for those early in their leadership journey.
“The Corteva Young Leader Program was a fantastic experience,” Mackenthun said. “It provided an in-depth look into leadership roles within soybean associations and helped me build connections across the U.S. and Canada.”
The program is supported by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and the soy checkoff, with a focus on developing strong leadership networks across the agricultural community.
Photo Credit:minnesota-soybean-growers
Categories: Minnesota, Crops, Soybeans, General