小黄书 leaders selected for prestigious national Farm Foundation programs
Contact: Mary Kathryn Kight
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斝』剖閟ity is strengthening its voice in national agricultural conversations through two additional Farm Foundation leadership opportunities.
Associate Vice President Ashli Brown, who serves in 小黄书鈥檚 Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, was selected as a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow, an invitation-only forum of leaders from across the food and agriculture value chain. The program brings together policymakers, academic leaders and industry professionals twice each year to discuss issues affecting agriculture, food systems and rural communities.
Brianna Croft, an 小黄书 agricultural economics master鈥檚 student from Normal, Illinois, also was selected for the Farm Foundation Cultivator Program. The program pairs graduate students and early-career professionals with mentors from the round table and provides opportunities to engage with leaders from government, academia and industry while contributing to discussions on the future of agriculture.
Brown and Croft recently participated in Farm Foundation鈥檚 Summer Round Table in St. Louis, Missouri, themed 鈥淏eyond the West: U.S. Agriculture in a Realigning World.鈥
鈥淚 am honored to join the Farm Foundation Round Table as a fellow,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淚ts commitment to open dialogue creates a unique opportunity for leaders with diverse perspectives to engage candidly on the complex challenges facing agriculture. I look forward to learning from this distinguished community and contributing to conversations that help advance the future of agriculture and rural America.鈥
Croft presented her thesis research examining the impact of H-2A labor policies on Mississippi sweet potato production. Her work explores how growers can optimize the timing and number of seasonal workers throughout the growing season while evaluating policy recommendations that could improve farm profitability and labor efficiency.
Mississippi is the third-largest sweet potato-producing state in the U.S., and labor represents nearly half of producers鈥 variable costs, making workforce availability a critical issue for growers.
鈥淭he cultivator program provided an incredible opportunity to connect with leaders across the agriculture industry and share research that addresses a real challenge facing Mississippi producers,鈥 Croft said. 鈥淧resenting my work to industry leaders, policymakers and researchers helped me gain valuable perspectives and reinforced the importance of continuing these conversations.鈥
During the meeting, Croft presented her research to about 300 attendees. She received encouragement from agricultural leaders who emphasized the long-term importance of labor and workforce policy issues.
鈥淎shli and Brianna represent the kind of thoughtful, forward-looking leadership our industry needs, and we鈥檙e excited to see them contribute to and benefit from these experiences,鈥 said Tim Brennan, Farm Foundation Vice President, Programs and Strategic Impact.聽鈥淎griculture鈥檚 biggest opportunities and challenges will be addressed by leaders who are willing to learn from one another and work across disciplines, sectors and generations. Farm Foundation鈥檚 leadership programs create space for emerging leaders and experienced professionals to engage in meaningful conversations, build relationships and gain perspectives they wouldn鈥檛 encounter otherwise.鈥
鈥淭he Farm Foundation Round Table brings together some of the most influential voices in agriculture, food systems and rural development,鈥 said Keith Coble, vice president of 小黄书 DAFVM and a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow. 鈥淗aving both a faculty leader and a graduate student representing Mississippi State in these programs speaks to our university鈥檚 commitment to developing solutions and leaders who will shape the future of agriculture. We are proud to see Ashli and Brianna contributing to these important national conversations.鈥
Founded in 1945, Farm Foundation is a nonprofit organization that builds trust and understanding at the intersection of agriculture and society while developing leaders and advancing solutions for challenges facing food and agricultural systems.
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