The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program (IALP) Class of 2014 participants traveled to Washington, DC for a five-day seminar on national policy. The seminar included presentations by 43 speakers at eleven federal agencies and by nine agricultural associations and industry representatives.
Over a two-year period the group is attending 14 seminars covering current social, political and economic issues in the agriculture industry. In the nation’s capital, participants heard briefings from the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, the Office of Homeland Security, the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, the Farm Credit Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the World Bank and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Participants were provided with a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol.
“Our National Travel Seminar sponsored by Monsanto is a vital part of the learning experience for participants,” said Don Norton, IALF President and CEO. “We find out first-hand how federal policy is developed and prioritized. It also provides an opportunity to visit with our graduates who are engaged in policy-making in Washington, D.C.”
Presentations also were given by representatives of the Australian and Canadian Embassies. Former U.S. Trade Ambassador and Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yuetter spoke with participants, and the group met with Congressman Aaron Schock (18th District) and Congressman Rodney Davis (13th District) in one-on-one sessions. The group also heard a dinner presentation by Jim Walker, Vice President of Case IH – North America Agricultural Business.
The “National Travel Seminar” is sponsored by Monsanto. Associations and industry representatives who made presentations to the Class of 2014 in Washington, DC include Case IH, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, the National Corn Growers Association, CropLife America, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, the National Pork Producers Council, the Animal Agriculture Alliance and the Humane Society of the United States.
The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation provides a two-year seminar series that develops knowledgeable and effective leaders to become policy and decision makers for the agricultural industry. It is a non-profit educational corporation under Illinois law. A board of directors, comprised of recognized leaders in agriculture and business, oversees the program. Candidates for the leadership program are selected during a competitive application process. Men and women 25 to 49 years of age working full-time in production agriculture or agri-related occupations are encouraged to apply. More information is available at www.agleadership.org.
Members of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program Class of 2014 receive an update from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood during their recent National Travel Seminar in Washington, DC.
Comments are closed