NIAA opens application period for Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Institute for Animal Agriculture is accepting nominations for the fourth Cohort of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders. Nominations are due Nov. 17.

The 16-month leadership program blends in-person and virtual working sessions to focus on four areas of development: critical thinking, leadership development, connecting and relating skills and operational excellence.

Members of the program work together on applied-learning, small-group capstone projects, which will incorporate topics of interest in animal agriculture.

“It’s been a true gift to learn from and collaborate with the other commodity groups, organizations and associations represented within this leadership cohort,” said Sarah Coleman, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Council and member of Cohort 3.

“To learn more about so many things within the ag space is incredible — and to know that each of us, in our own way, is facing the same struggles, whether that is engaging youth, locating workforce, adopting new technology or facing animal rights action groups, is reassuring that there are so many of us who are working to ensure that agriculture is sustainable, in every facet of the word.”

In 2021, NIAA launched the program to provide emerging leaders a new opportunity to gain next-level leadership and professional development training specifically focused on the animal agriculture segment of the industry. Since then, the program has represented a wide range of agricultural sectors.

The program empowers professionals in the early to midpoint of their careers to build on previous leadership development experiences and collaborate with peers across the industry to advance animal agriculture’s role in today’s food system.

The United Soybean Board serves as the founding sponsor of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders program, with additional financial support provided by Farm Credit, NIAA and its members and partners. Participant investment for the leadership program is $2,500.

With sponsor and participant investments, the leadership program provides an estimated $10,000 in training, resources and NIAA membership during the length of the program.

If you or someone you know is interested in the applying for NIAA’s leadership program, reach out to Jessie Wadle at Jessie.Wadle@animalagriculture.org to express your interest.

More information about how to nominate or apply for the program is available at www.animalagriculture.org/leadership-program/.