AgGrad Live Podcast

Voted most likely to never leave her hometown, Jordan Bonham Rasmussen was in love with the small town feel of the town that she grew up in in southwest Ohio. It caught everyone, including herself, by surprise, when she got the bug to challenge herself, step outside of her comfort zone, and for an internship, travel to a new place: Albion, Nebraska.  Receiving a bachelor's degree in agriculture communications from Ohio State University, it was a grain marketing class in her agricultural business minor that first sparked her interest in the excitingly competitive and ever-changing world of grain marketing. Getting what she calls a “wild-hair” in college, she told a recruiter for a chemical company that she wanted to go to Oklahoma or Kansas.  However, his only open opportunity was in a small town in northeast Nebraska, called Albion. She loved it so much that she accepted another internship there with Cargill, then accepted a training position after college, and now lives and works there full time.  The Perks of Internships Wanting something different, Jordan took the internship in Nebraska and packed up her Pontiac G6 and drove to live somewhere she had never been before, where she knew no one and worked for people she hadn’t even met. Even to this day, she realizes how crazy that sounds, but she also can’t imagine where her life today, as a Grain Marketer for Cargill, would be.  “When you are in college, it’s the perfect time to try those things and push yourself beyond those limits,” says Jordan. “It was something that I was questioning, and I wondered what life would be like out of Ohio - you never know, unless you try!”  Capitalizing on Collegiate OpportunitiesOriginally terrified to go anywhere other than where she currently was, Jordan told herself that “if you want to know anything else than what you currently know, learn new perspectives, see how other people think or what you do but do differently... you have to go elsewhere.”  Jordan laid the groundwork to be comfortable accepting such an exciting and slightly terrifying change in relocating for a few months for her internship was by immediately getting herself involved in organizations in college. Starting off, she was involved in two or three for a semester and then, as she got a handle on those, she found other groups to join that had some interest to her. Whether it’s a club, an organization or a study abroad program, you can figure out how to make it work.  “There were plenty of times that I hit a breaking point,” Jordan admits. “I knew that I had reached my max capacity and that I needed to reel it back in and focus on what truly mattered.”  Grain MarketersJordan finds it can be hard to explain to friends and family what exactly she does as a grain marketer, as she is sometimes selling a product to buy. For example, she is selling a contract and through that contract, she is buying that farmer's corn, which can be hard to wrap your head around if you’re just starting out.  “You have the futures aspect and the basis aspect,” explains Jordan. You have to sit down with your grower and figure out if the grower is the type to really understand technical aspects and their correlation or lack thereof, or if they’re simply thinking of the cash-price at the end of the day. Then you have to determine the best way to serve them.  COVID-19 ImpactsIn normal years, Jordan buys corn for Cargill that then sends through a conveyor to nearby Valero. Valero then processes the corn into the final commodity of ethanol. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the ethanol market in such a way that they actually turned into a shipper of corn utilizing the nearby Union Pacific Railroad to send the corn to California for chicken arms.  “I was very much in the flow of buying for an ethanol market and had to go back to buying for a rail market,” says Jordan, whose first role with Cargill was a farm marketing role

David Chan is currently the Chief Operating Officer of FarmTogether - a technology-enabled farmland investment platform that provides investors with direct access to farmland as an asset class. With a diverse team under its name and over 70 years of combined experience in agribusiness, investments, and climatology, they carefully curate farmland properties that they themselves would invest in for their investors. Farm land is an asset class that is uncorrelated with other major asset classes making it unique.  As uncertain as 2020 has been, being a new startup has enabled FarmTogether to be agile and nimble, already accustomed to working remote and navigating with the times. David’s primary role as the COO is to serve as a thought partner and support to CEO and solo-founder Artem Milinchuk. Located on opposite coasts, they are able to connect with hotspots on each coast to advance FarmTogether’s network.  The COO is also required to be a Jack-of-all-trades and David’s tasks include a little bit of everything, such as:  Investment underwriting with members of the investment team Sales and Marketing Distribution initiatives Human Resources Accounting Strategic Initiatives Syndicated crowd-funding management “Given these unprecedented and trying times [during the novel-coronavirus pandemic], I can’t imagine operating a growing business alone in this environment,” says David about the close-knit team culture of FarmTogether. “It’s extremely daunting and very lonely. I think it’s great that we have a great team that works together and that we see each other as equal partners.”  If you are interested in learning more about farmland and agtech investing, check out the free resources on http://www.farmtogether.com (www.FarmTogether.com). As the business continues to grow and expand with the growing carbon efforts, their team will also grow and expand. Careers and opportunities are listed on their website.  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Not only is there a large disconnect from the average American to animal agriculture, there is actually a perceptible growing negative sentiment towards animal agriculture. Most people don't have much interaction with food outside of ordering it at a restaurant or removing it from a grocery store shelf. This growing distance in generations between conventional animal agriculture and the average consumer continues to broaden.  Even though farmers and ranchers can be frustrated over the unawareness of the average consumer, the consumer is not to blame. The problem is a very small but loud percentage of the population that doesn’t believe that animal agriculture should be done, that there is no way to responsibly raise animals for production, and that no amount of animal welfare policy could ever be enough, use fear-mongering and the spread of misinformation to widen that gap even more.  Hannah Thompson-Weeman is the Vice President of Strategic Engagement for the Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance). A non-profit created to bridge the communication between the farm and fork, she works with influencers like the media, dietitians, restaurants, and retail groups to answer questions about animal agriculture. With an undergraduate degree and a masters both in agricultural communications, Hannah is no stranger to the communication strategies and tactics necessary to help the Alliance’s members communicate effectively on animal agriculture.  Influencing the InfluencerThe purpose of the Alliance is to influence the influencers. By not focusing on the difficult and often expensive audience of the end consumer, Hannah finds the people, companies, and organizations that are the gatekeepers of information about food and agriculture.  Media Dietitians Social Media Influencers Restaurants  Retail Brands  “We try not to spread ourselves too thin,” says Hannah about the Alliance’s small team of five. “We spend our time with the groups that are turning around and influencing bigger [spheres].” Communication to Influencers“We aren’t here to tell you to eat more meat or encourage consumption of one protein or animal by-product over the other,” says Hannah. “You can make your own food choices and those can be made on your own values and budget.”  What Hannah’s team wants to ensure is that the facts made by those with influence is based on facts, not fear and misinformation. It’s oftentimes forgotten that the term vegan is not synonymous with activist, and that even those who personally choose not to eat animal by-products don’t have to be against animal agriculture.  Handling the Hard Conversations  Radical TransparencyHannah believes in radical transparency and that, if animal agriculture practices are scientifically sound, veterinarian-supported, and necessary for animal care and food safety, then we should all be comfortable talking about them. We must identify the areas of concerns that make people ask questions that we are hesitant to talk about. If we can’t explain that, then we need to take a hard look and think about why we do that in that way. If we can’t stand in front of an audience and talk about it, then maybe we need to change it.  Engagement versus DefenseIt’s better to come from a place of engagement versus a place of defense. When you comment, react or share a negative post about animal agriculture you are simply playing into the hands of those that want animal agriculture gone and pushing their post in the social media algorithm. This applies even if you share the post with your own commentary.  Hannah’s advice is to write your own response or post a screenshot if you have too but all of those scenarios is a sign of defense. Engaging in the controversy of the message with radical transparency by sharing your opinion, what you do on your farm or what you have seen on other farms that raise that kind of animal is a positive way...

“What is neat about ag engineering is that every sector of agriculture needs an engineer - I could talk [for hours] about the opportunities in ag engineering,” says Alacyn.  Attracted to the amazing complexities of ag equipment in high school, it wasn’t until her junior year of college that Alacyn was able to dig into the specific courses in machine systems with coursework involving the study of hydraulic systems, the science behind motion and movement, dynamics and technical details. Through the first few years of her undergraduate, she joined other future ag engineers in learning about the diverse world of ag engineering that included soil conservation, designing equipment and livestock management.  After her sophomore year of college, Alacyn accepted an internship at John Deere where they placed her in manufacturing engineering at the factory where they make combines. An amazing opportunity, Alacyn had never been in a factory before and now found her office situated in the middle of a factory floor where she got to see all of the moving parts of engineering and building equipment every day from her desk.  “I loved working closely with the equipment, but what I was lacking was the relationships with the customers,” says Alacyn. “Our meetings were constantly about making a quality product, there weren't people talking to technicians, farmers and dealers [in our direct space]. I didn’t love not seeing and working with the customer.”  In a bold move, at her exit presentation, Alacyn said, “If I get the chance to come back, I would like to work with customers.” Not only did they bring her back, but they listened and the following summer she accepted an internship that gave her that opportunity.  Alacyn believes that there are many skills she has learned through her agricultural engineering degree that has served her well in her career even though she’s not an active engineer at John Deere. It’s allowed her the capacity to be systematic, detail oriented, and focused on solving problems - all while being able to communicate results and data in a way that can be understood by customers, dealers, and peers alike.  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Garrett Lister didn’t grow up in the traditional agricultural family lifestyle but his father was a high school ag teacher and, through that, Garrett found himself involved in 4-H and FFA. Attending college at Kansas State University, he figured he would start his degree in the world of Agricultural Economics, assuming that he would transfer to another direction when he discovered that passion.  Garret finds himself rotating between two different roles in his current position of cattle risk management for Innovative Livestock Services. One one end, he works at the hedge desk. Hedging based on risk and Garrett’s job is to deal with, primarily, price-risk. In hedging, you try to put yourself in a position that protects you from a negative market drop. If the market goes up, you don’t make as much but, if it goes down, you don’t lose as much.  By placing hedges, they are able to focus on the important aspects of raising cattle such as care of cattle, good herd health, cattle growth, and the production of a great product that packers will pay a premium for.  “We are there to take some of those swings in prices out of the equation, and let the producers focus on doing production to the best of their ability because it will directly drive their bottom line,” says Garrett.  When Garrett is working at the hedge desk, he is running the bid sheet and having conversation with buyers to execute strategy of what they are thinking in regards to the cattle and averages. Plugging in numbers, he is able to get values to make the snap decisions on if the cattle are worth the risk.  “Ultimately, a very good reason to manage risk that you know about ahead of time is that there is a lot of risk that you don’t know about, and, when they reveal themselves, you want to be able to give them your full attention,” says Garrett.  Being hedged and having that price risk taken care and a disciplined strategy for their business has allowed Innovative Livestock Services in 2020 to focus on the turbulent times that the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted on the cattle markets. Through their structure, they were able to quickly think about the supply chain, market cattle, and focus on changes into the production inputs for cattle. It also required cost-analysis on the risk of leaving pens empty or purchasing cattle to fill those pens.  Post college, Garrett read a book called Grit by Angela Duckworth and found truth in her words about fostering passion. Garrett believes that passion is not something that can always be found through self-reflection or introspectively, but is something that you can discover through curiosity. Asking questions and realizing what topics or interests spark more questions is a great way to discover your passion. Be curious and you’ll find a passion to follow.  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Tyler Nuss wears many hats in his day to day life but, whether it’s working his day job in supply chain and operation for Rivian, an electric car startup, or being an advocate for sustainable agriculture - he’s on a mission to change the world. Co-founding the podcast the Modern Acre with his brother Tim. Tyler’s goal was to provide a community about innovation in food and ag business. Indirectly, it has built Tyler and Tim’s relationship with their family farm, allowed them to consult on other farms, and continue to broaden their horizons and, subsequently, the opportunities of Nuss Farms.  The mission of The Modern Acre was to inspire other entrepreneurial and like-minded people in agriculture with their podcast, making a cross-pollination of people on the farm, farmers that were innovating and doing different things from the “normal” systems, and business leaders in the world of food and ag.  “We both knew very early on that this was a long-term vision and that we saw the value in building an audience, building great content, and putting it out in the world,” says Tyler. Despite the original plan to make a “Bigger Pockets” concept, the show morphed on it’s own as they focused not on monetary gain, but on putting good content out for two years.  With good content creation comes amazing opportunities, which the Nuss Family Farm has begun to see as an indirect result of the Modern Acre podcast. While the most common form of podcast monetization is sponsorships and advertisements, Nuss Farms has been able to partner with new business model opportunities and then promote them through the podcast.  At a minimum, Tyler says that these opportunities have been extremely fruitful as just recently, their sustainable vegetable farm has partnered with Pasturebird. Pasturebird is an affiliate program that they have incorporated and, while it may seem like an untraditional concept, it provides a unique multi-faceted opportunity for their farm. Find your niche and what makes you different - then lean into that! Both Tyler and Tim have built careers off of the farm, Tyler in technology and Tim in import/export of produce. Finding what makes them unique makes it interesting - no matter what. For example: Tyler talking about farming is okay; Tyler who is a fifth generation farmer talking about farming is more interesting; Tyler, a fifth generation farmer involved in the building of electric pickups talking about farming is very interesting! If it wasn’t for the podcast, Tyler doesn’t believe that neither himself nor Tim would be as engaged in the farm as they would have been without Modern Acre. As they learned more information and chatting with more industry professionals, they found themselves routinely going back to the farm to have open conversations with their brother and father about the operation. They have also found themselves having consulting conversations with others in agriculture, specifically those looking to diversify their farm and move into a more sustainable or regenerative farming aspect. Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Originally, Peter Bachmann wanted to be a large animal veterinarian but, within just a week on campus, he realized that wasn’t where he wanted his career to go! But he always knew he wanted to be involved in agriculture and by never letting what he thought was his dream get in the way of his destination, he has become a monumental force for agriculture in Washington, D.C..  Taking a variety of internships that ranged from dairy science to sow farms, Peter took a different direction when he accepted an internship with CropLife America, as Barb Glenn’s intern. In an internship whiplash, he moved from large animal agriculture to the regulatory pesticide industry and he was hooked.  After graduation, he found a job with the National Association of Conservation Districts, and knew that it was his first big step into agriculture in Washington, D.C., by way of conservation. Once he had his feet under him in that role, he took a position at the USA Rice Federation as the Manager of Government Affairs.  Then President Trump won the election in 2016 and, despite being politically unattached, he took an opportunity as a policy advisor with the USDA. After a year that changed again and he became the Senior Advisor to the secretary, a critical part of the infrastructure, Peter was relied on and a trusted advisor with his insights into “the swamp,” or the navigation of the Hill and Congress.  After remaining in that position for a number of years, USA Rice reached out to see if he would be interested in the Vice President of International Trade Policy. At that point in his career, he was at a position in the USDA that didn’t have much room left for growth and was feeling burnt out. USA Rice provided an opportunity to jump back “into the weeds” and have long term opportunities.  Peter stresses that one of the most important parts about working in Washington, D.C., is that you have to network, build relationships and then nurture those relationships. Washington, D.C., specifically the ag sector, is very small and you never know when those relationships will come in handy. Everyone in agriculture knows someone, whether its from 4-H, FFA, AGR fraternity, AGA, or any other state or local organization.  Building that network of friends, you start to meet the older generations in their industries as well through events, conferences, and, even, weddings. Peter says to “be patient, make friends, and say yes to all opportunities. Even if you want to go home and relax … you have to say yes initially to get out and meet those folks.”  At the end of the day, it’s about building goodwill. A part of that is Peter’s recommendation to take advice from everyone - albeit with a grain of rice! Don’t be afraid to show up in person and fight for your spot in Washington, D.C., if that is truly what you want to do!  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Not only did Ellie Symes start her master’s degree program the same year that she was finishing her undergraduate degree at Indiana University, she also pioneered an ag start-up all about bees and agriculture’s pollination processes. Constantly moving throughout her childhood, Ellie has found a home in Indiana where she and her co-founder, Wyatt, continue to build research, relationships, and processes to solve the problem of accuracy in pollinator counts, specifically for almond orchardists.  The official product of The Bee Corp, Verifly utilizes the research Ellie and her team have done on beekeeping, pollination and beehives through infrared cameras. Not the first product that they have created, it’s their current staple product, and utilizes infrared cameras at nights to create a snapshot of the hive's health. The reason why sensors are helpful to understand beehives is because bees are their own heating and cooling system for their home. They control a lot of other factors in the hive in order to incubate their eggs. All of this can be monitored by sensors versus the usual method of manual inspection that requires the hives to be opened.  Choosing to be in a Benefit Corporation in the very first meeting, held in an audience with the same professionals that had encouraged them to dream bigger, Wyatt and Ellie built their business model. One of the board members who was formerly a lawyer, encouraged them to look at the difference between private, non-profit and B Corp. “[B Corp] sounded like the best marriage of our value as founders in doing well, while also fitting well in what we were trying to create with a business model,” says Ellie. Using the B Corp outline has helped The Bee Corp structure the company culture and their strong values around how their products won’t just benefit their business but the industry as a whole.  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Through his involvement in extracurricular events provided by his local California Farm Bureau chapter, Zane Peterson was able to be a part of logging industry conversations that provided him with the opportunity for legislative involvement that would shape his future career. A young forester, Zane’s parents were involved in the California timber industry via the operation of saw mills and power plants. While an industry that he had always been involved in, Zane is paving his own way in the timber industry today!  Most loggers want trees that are 10” in diameter and up while Zane is dealing with trees that are 10” in diameter and down. Chipping is the stuff that “no one wants to do” because it’s harder, costs more, and is less efficient. Zane has used his resources and education to make chipping efficient and, as a result, has very few competitors. Asking the veteran’s what they would have done differently and blending those responses with the opportunity in front of him, he was able to set himself for success.  Hiring skilled labor has been one of the biggest challenges for Zane, whose goal is to not pirate employees from fellow loggers. Zane’s team uses the most efficient and most comfortable equipment, which, as a result, allows him to hire the best of the best in the industry.  “A lot of people think of entrepreneurs that throw risk to the wind but you have to have very calculated risk,” says Zane, who believes that being calculated in everything that you do is a great advantage.  In order to not steal top caliber laborers from his friends in the industry, Zane is involved with Shasta College where, upon graduation, he went back to develop a school specifically for heavy equipment operators. From hands on training experience with field trips to his operation, students get a hands on opportunity to learn more about operating the heavy equipment required in logging.  “We have a lot of awesome employees now that wouldn’t have if that program hadn’t been available,” says Zane.  Zane firmly believes that community colleges are underrated as they provide useful, practical and career-focused courses and opportunities.  Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

A native of western Canada, Rosie Thoni had always grown up around agriculture and had been heavily involved in 4-H and junior cattle associations. Despite her love for Canada and the nearby, world-famous Calgary Stampede, Rosie knew that she was going to have to take a chance to follow her passion of being an agricultural communicator. A passion that was recognized by her father when she was very young as she would write junior members’ agriculture stories on their auction bid cards.  Work at agencies like AdFarm is diverse and can include strategic planning, account services, project management, creative, media planning, public relations, content creation & management, marketing automation and customer relationship management, marketing perspective, production research, search strategy, and web development.  “I thought I wanted to be more of a generalist, maybe an association job,” says Rosie about what direction college-Rosie would have thought her career would head. “While I think that’s still an excellent career choice, what I discounted is that I would get to do all of those different [career aspects] but I would have subject matter experts and highly trained individuals at my fingertips.”  Rosie’s prediction is that agency life will move towards specialist freelancers that can help on specific projects within industries and she encourages agricultural communication students and graduates to find their specialization, hone it, and broadcast it. For example, Rosie was interested in public relations and, while OSU didn’t have specializations at that time, she stated that she was a specialist in writing and built her resume through college on freelance writing. Make sure to subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA (AgGrad YouTube Channel )to learn more about career opportunities in agriculture and follow along on the special “https://aggrad.com/introducing-aggrad-30-under-30/ (30 Under 30 in Agriculture)” series! Interested in nominating someone under 30? Nominate them https://aggrad.com/30-under-30/ (here)! 

Mitchell Hora’s first word was “corn,” which couldn’t be more fitting for this seventh generation Iowan farmer. In fact, in 2021, the Hora family will be celebrating 150 years of Hora family farming legacy and innovation in their hometown of Washington, Iowa. Mitchell still works closely with his father, trialing and experimenting with new processes of production to improve soil health and sustainability.  In 2015, Mitchell took his passion for soil science, sustainability and regenerative agriculture and combined it all into his own company: Continuum Ag. Originating with excel spreadsheets and human-interpretation, Mitchell analyzes reports from the Haney Test, which uses unique soil extracts in the lab to determine what quantity of soil nutrients are available to soil microbes. The most current soil test for showing available nutrients today, Mitchell tests his own soil weekly to continue adding and analyzing data to their research, but recommends everyone to test their soil every other year.  Continuum Ag has built the first software to help interpret the Haney Test and has the largest private database of Haney Test results and has served 40 states and ten countries. As Continuum Ag continues to grow, the plan is to use a wide array of tools to provide comprehensive, unbiased and scalable systems to help farmers make decisions in a transparent and unbiased system.  “I have very intense data and that’s why I work very closely with Dr. Haney,” explains Mitchell. “The soil is a living system and is always changing so that I can cross-compare a soil sample from one-second in time across all of our data.” 

Today’s episode is with AgGrad 30 Under 30 Winner Alika Chuck. Alika is the Co-Founder and CFO of Pharm Robotics, which is an agtech startup based in San Jacinto, CA. Alika and his Co-Founder are developing a robotic injection system for dairy and beef producers. So like a robot that gives shots to animals. This alleviates labor pressures and labor costs and ensures that medical practices can be performed with 100% compliance without the potential for human error. One of the most impressive things about Alika is he did not grow up on a dairy, and didn’t have any experience with robotics before starting this endeavor.  Pharm Robotics is beginning construction on the prototype and demo’ing it on his Co-Founders dairy in California. They hope to be commercially available in the summer of 2021. Go check them out at pharmrobotics.net.  I hope Alika’s story inspires you to tackle whatever it is that’s stopping you from getting your business or career to the next level. Who knows you may be able to teach yourself on YouTube things like coding, writing patents or grants, or whatever your next challenge may be.  If this episode was a good use of 10 minutes of your time today, leave us a rating and review on itunes or wherever it is you get your podcasts. We are hitting our stride now, and will be back with another episode next week.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website (http://aggrad.com/) AgGrad on Twitter  (https://twitter.com/aggradjobs) AgGrad on Facebook  (https://www.facebook.com/aggradmedia) AgGrad on LinkedIn  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/aggrad) AgGrad on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aggrad/)  

Anna Glenn describes life in international agricultural development from her experience in Liberia. She talks about some of the challenges and opportunities of this work. If you've ever considered international work, or just want to develop more of a global mindset, make sure you listen to this full episode! Links: AgGrad YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA) Hope in the Harvest International (https://www.hopeintheharvest.org/) AgriCorps (https://agricorps.org/) Liberia International Christian College (https://www.facebook.com/liberiainternationalcc/)

**NEW SHOW NAME AND FORMAT** Give it a listen and let us know what you think of the changes. Today you’ll hear from Clayton Wolfe. Clayton was born to a farm family in Saskatchewan, Canada, but was mostly raised in Arizona. He returned the family farm in Saskatchewan every summer. Since taking over management of the farm, he has launched Northerly, his own brand of oats grown right there on his farm. Ready to buy some oats? For a lot of us filling our pantry is a priority right now. What better way to do that with some delicious, shelf-stable rolled oats directly from this young farmer?  Pick up a bag for yourself at Northerly.ag. They have packages ranging from 2lbs to 2k lbs and can ship anywhere in the U.S. That’s northerly.ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website (http://aggrad.com/) AgGrad on Twitter (https://twitter.com/aggradjobs) AgGrad on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/aggradmedia) AgGrad on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/aggrad) AgGrad on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aggrad/)

Born and raised in the heart of Louisville, a search on Ancestry.com showed Griffin Huelsman that he came from a long line of farmers. Somewhere along the way, however, the family left the farms behind for work in the city. When his aunt and uncle purchased their own small farm when he was in high school, Griffin found himself bucking hay and assisting with seasonal chores. The impression his ancestors 1700’s farm had left on his brain at 5 years old was enough to show Griffin that farming was exactly where he wanted to be. 

The legacy of a generational ranch is of great importance to the members of the family and Kaden Eisenbraun feels no different. A seventh generation cattle rancher from South Dakota, his family have raised commercial cattle, a herd of both registered black and red Angus, and even used to show quarter horses. As well as the ranching operation, they also have their dry ground farming and hay production. Being the youngest and, with an 80 year-old grandfather still going strong working on the ranch, Kaden knew that he was going to have to find work elsewhere before he could work full time on the ranch. He found the perfect fit as the farm and ranch management instructor and program director at Western Dakota Tech, a technical college in Rapid City, South Dakota. While he may seem young for the position, he has found ways to excel, give back to the future of agriculture, and create his future in agriculture.

Born and raised in Ohio, it may come as a surprise to most people that when Lynn Moore made the decision to go away from her home base for the first time, she went as far away as Germany for an entire year! Leaving behind her husband who had to stay with his job, learning a new language, and experiencing life at its utmost.  Lynn says it all began with her internships, her education and her willingness to try new experiences. The lessons she learned about the food product system internationally continues to assist her today as she nears the end of a decade with her employer, Nestle, in the research and development profession. For someone who hasn’t hit their 30th birthday yet, that is an impressive feat!

In 2015, Colin Hurd founded a company called Smart Ag that he then sold in a merger acquisition to Raven Industries after four years. After all that work and effort, frustration and excitement, it seems strange that Colin would sell his pride and joy.  However, it was for the betterment of Smart Ag and the future of agriculture overall. Savvy business decisions, like this, are a big part of the reason that this Iowa State University graduate in Ag Business is continuing to be one of the top young movers and shakers in agriculture. 

Being proactive, planning ahead, building strong relationships, learning as much as she can, and continuing to chase her dreams; Elizabeth Burns-Thompson is a young woman on a mission for agriculture, added value to agriculture, and (https://www.regi.com/) !

It’s a go-to favorite for many people but have you ever thought of why the food is so delicious at Chipotle? Yael Cypers can. She points directly at the company that brings high quality ingredients into an accessible and affordable light through elimination of inefficiencies within the supply chain. A former sustainability supply chain manager for Blue Apron, scaling to the Chipotle model to manage meat sustainability was a job that she had been thinking about since Yael was a young girl.

Persistence Pays OffThe farming & entrepreneurial ventures of Jarrod Creasy. It’s with a sense of self-assuredness that Jarrod talks about the plans he made for being an entrepreneur and first generation cattle rancher with his wife. The only catch? He didn’t own land and he hadn’t even asked his future wife on a date, but he knew what was in his heart and in his passion. Through persistence, hard work, networking, education and more persistence, Jarrod & Becca Creasy are the proud owners of 920 Cattle and Company in southeast Georgia. But that’s not all. This ranching power couple have gone above and beyond in creating a multi-faceted entrepreneurial agriculture adventure. 

This is a re-release of an interview Tim Hammerich did for the "AgTech, So What?" Podcast by Sarah Nolet. You can find the original episode here: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/bushtechpodcast/2019/09/26/episode-50-tim-hammerich Tim Hammerich is the Founder of AgGrad and the host of the Future of Agriculture podcast. Tim grew up on a hobby farm in Northern California selling pigs, goats and ducks. After 8 years working in a feed and grain business, Tim saw an underserved market for helping young people get jobs in ag and agtech. He founded AgGrad to fill the gap.   AgGrad began as a ‘traditional’ recruiting company where Tim would do the legwork of recruiting talent for agribusiness. It’s since become about helping employees find their place in modern agriculture through a wealth of content for job seekers and employees.  In this episode, Tim shares his insights on what agtech companies are looking for, tips for getting and staying hired, and ideas for how all ag companies, including farms, can hire ‘right’ from the start.

Don’t be fooled by John Romo’s title as a first year high school agriculture teacher in South Texas. It may seem as if he is a rookie, but he’s more of a veteran than one would guess by his young age. Not only did he graduate from Texas A&M with his undergraduate degree, but he also got his masters from Oklahoma State University. Between the two degrees, he spent time internationally in Ghana working in school-based agricultural education with AgriCorps before becoming a recruiter for their fellowship program, then heading back to Ghana for more outreach work, and then coming back, full circle, to South Texas.

While she may have grown up in the New York City suburbs, Connie Bowen now resides on a farm in small town Scio, Oregon. An entrepreneurial fellowship program for Venture for America helped combine her interest in conservation, engineering and cooking. Using that experience as a springboard, she is now working for Farmacopia Farms! This farm is more than just a co-op or a farm, it’s a group working for a cause. It seems that Connie is on the cusp of all things new and exciting in the world of Ag Tech! 

Mindy McBee knew that she had a passion for working with people but if you had told her she was going to manage pricing and feed for Cargill Feed & Nutrition, she might not have believed you. Mindy began her career journey at Kansas State University in the apparel design program. She found herself navigating through Cargill taking trainings and moving upwards in her career, before she found the opportunity to be the pricing supervisor.

Locus Agricultural Solutions provides soil amendments to improve its physical or chemical properties. As the Vice President of Agricultural Operations at Locus Ag, Alexander “Alex” Fotsch manages the product development team. He also can be found traveling, networking, working with universities and extension agents, as well as managing the company’s financial forecast and business model. For someone in his late 20’s, Alex may seem a little “young” for this large of a role, but the challenges that he’s accepted in his young career has been just as pivotal as the amendments that they sell in saturating his life with the opportunity for growth. Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/category/video/

Originally from a cow-calf operation where “if you tried to stick a drill in the ground, it might break,” Jonathan Williams found success in a career that he never would have expected. Jonathan is a regional product agronomist for Hoegemeyer Hybrids. A career that is tasked with crop science, proactive continued education, one-on-one relationships with growers, and lots of traveling - it seems that Jonathan has found his niche.

Meet the people that literally wrote the book on launching your career. Dr. Kerry Litzenberg and Codie Wright join us to share their book Launchers: Don’t Just Take a Job, Launch Your Career. The book was inspired by many questions posed to them by students who were exploring their career options. They hoped to relieve some of the common frustrations seen in current populations of students. “There is this mounting pressure to decide ‘what am I going to do?’. And if you don’t know that, it can be very daunting and very exhausting,” says Wright This book is meant for proactive individuals that want to own their career through personal individual development and growth. “What we find is that you learn in your twenties so you can apply what you have learned in your thirties and you can reap what you have sown in your forties and fifties,” explains Codie Wright. Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/category/video/

Growing up on a dairy farm, Bo Harstine always thought that if you had an interest in science and animals that you had to be a veterinarian. Through an internship at Select Sires that opened up his awareness to the growing technological genetic advancements in the cattle industry, Bo has been able to find his job not only as a researcher in cattle breeding services but also as a university professor.

If you had an idea and were asked to take time off school, give up all your resources, couch surf and spend your time attempting to fundraise millions of dollars - would you do it? Matthew Rooda did in 2015 when he and his co-founder started forward with an idea to automate swine care and the current health care industry through agricultural technologies that weren’t developed as of yet. The result was admittance into an accelerator program, a semester off from school, investors, development, and a new business - SwineTech.

Promoting Agriculture on Capitol Hill Riley Pagett’s position has been newly created with the signing in of the 2018 Farm Bill. Formerly working for the National FFA office, Riley is now the Chief of Staff for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement for the United States Department of Agriculture on Capitol Hill. Covering a broad spectrum of topics, Riley shares how law school, always saying “yes,” and working hard has allowed him to find success in promoting and sharing the story of agriculture to a group of individuals that may not understand the agricultural world that we live in.  Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/category/video/

A member of the agriculture industry for only two years, Jonathan Hua started and failed two businesses before going back to business school with a focus on Capitalist Venture. There he realized he wanted to be an investor in the Silicon Valley but, unsure of how to get his foot in the door, he took a position for a non-profit consultation program. There they tasked him with the project of building an ag tech conference and, in doing so, he became the master of event management and event networking. Through the process of that internship, he fell in love with the agricultural industry and has led to his new position as the Thrive Accelerator Manager for SVG Ventures.

Throughout internships and explored career paths, Jessica Kueffer wasn’t sure what exactly set her passions on fire when it came to a career. A common denominator was facilitation of trainings and mentorships, which led to a career recommendation by her mentor to a position that was not only her dream job, but one that she didn’t even know existed prior to the recommendation. As the recruitment and employee development manager for MFA Incorporated, an agricultural cooperative in her home state of Missouri, it was the perfect fit and she has enjoyed the challenges, growth and leadership roles it has given her. Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/category/video/

Levi Hall spends his time understanding the different challenges of not only the grain industry, but also of running a business across state lines. As the General Manager of Beach Cooperative Grain Company, Levi finds himself split over the state lines of Montana and North Dakota, while also being close to the southern border of Canada. As a young manager, his role includes a variety of tasks, as well as managing multiple employees and cooperative members. Read the full article at www.aggrad.com.

TEDX and SXSW speaker Reagan Pugh joins us today to share his insight on corporate culture, motivation and identity. In 2016, he was a cofounder of Assemble, a consulting firm in Austin, Texas. Reagan explains generational gaps in finding your own personal identity and how the modern-day relationship with work has led to it consuming our identity. Unfortunately, this is often detrimental, leads to burn out and fosters and environment of stress and fear rather than pride and accomplishment. Also, how will millennials communicate effectively and appeal to baby boomers when their communication styles are drastically different? Reagan emphasizes the shift to community building being a focus in the workplace to allow employees to develop relationships within an organization and establish an identity that leads to better productivity and quality of life.    “What I found is the goal has to be where are we finding our identity, where are we finding the value of who we are and what are the stories that we’re telling about ourselves on the inside.” -Reagan Pugh

When faced with the challenging decision of whether or not to take a semester of student teaching as a part of his agricultural education degree, Steven Brockshus found himself deciding to instead focus on his agricultural start up. Constant journaling and notetaking throughout his childhood and in traveling the country as a national FFA officer, he found that there was a strong need for assistance and data in buying, selling, and valuing ag real estate - a void he thought he could fill with the use of technology. He was right and Farmland Finder was created - a real estate tech player, it leverages data and technology to make the process of buying and selling farm land simple. Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/stephen-brockshus/

Imagine getting to work at the forefront of strategy in combating those groups set against the animal agriculture industry - utilizing marketing, communications, speaking engagements, political legislation, industry specific groups and more to ensure that those on farms and ranches can continue raising their animals. Welcome to the world of Allyson Jones-Brimmer - an FFA alumni whose love of animals has led her to her position as the Director of Industry Relations for the Animal Agriculture Alliance!  Read the full article at https://aggrad.com/category/video/

In a world where sustainable agriculture must be at the forefront of marketing, production, and business for farmers and ranchers, it takes individuals like Mackenzie Dierks to help them document, manage, strategize and protect their business. Mackenzie is a Senior Associate at K Coe Isom, an agriculture business advising firm historically focused on accounting and tax, whose mission also includes the sustainability of businesses. Read the full article at aggrad.com.

Everyday there are fires that have to be put out, but these are the tasks John Farmer tackles as Chief of Staff at Clara Foods. A strong interest and passion in biosecurity and food security, John has been involved with a variety of careers that have moved him further and further into the unique world of sustainable and alternative agriculture. Using strains of yeast to reproduce animal proteins of interest and selling them worldwide to a variety of companies, it’s no surprise that this may be one of the more unique and science-based careers in agriculture. Read the full article at www.aggrad.com.

Despite his friends thinking that all he does is go for coffee, lunches and dinners, Caleb Wright’s active role in social networking is actually a part of his job in public policy at both the state and federal level of the Pennsylvania Legislature. As Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Versant Strategies, Caleb wears multiple hats of social networking, analytical policy reading, strategic consulting, and organizing operating systems for business. One thing is for sure, though, he definitely loves his job! Read the full article at aggrad.com.

Ethan Smith grew up with production agriculture in his blood and, through involvement with groups like 4-H, FFA, scholarship applications and internships in college, he discovered an interest in farm and ranch management. Ethan now fulfills this role in a diverse and broad ranging “territory” from the southern tip of Texas up through New Mexico and over to the panhandle of Oklahoma. A native Nebraskan, he gets to be the liaison between landowners and tenants on a variety of farm and ranch lands as a Farm and Ranch Manager with Farmers National Company.

Some careers have slow downs - times where an employee can be on autopilot and work without much cognitive thinking. This is not the case for Lucas Fuess, the Director of Market Intelligence for HighGround Dairy of Chicago, Illinois. Lucas’ day-to-day job includes crunching numbers, reading reports, analyzing data, and synthesizing all of that information into a direct market opinion on the dairy industry that is, in turn, shared with customers in an articulated report. Whether or not you aspire to be in an analyst career of sorts, these skills are pertinent in any business and Lucas discusses tips on how you can improve. Read the full article at aggrad.com.

It may come as a surprise that as a Senior Business Analyst for The Context Network, Seth Pratt isn’t found in an office building crunching numbers day in and day out; he will be found working in his home office in the beautiful ranch lands of southeastern Idaho. When he’s not working on advanced agriculture analysis, Seth is hard at work as a fifth-generation cattle rancher. His knowledge and skills of sustainability and economics, while also being able to stay connected to his work virtually, has helped build him into an educated, informed, and socio-economically aware rancher and consultant. Read the full article on how Seth manages environmental and social concerns in regards to agriculture, as well as how he manages work at a remote office while also ranching with his family at www.aggrad.com

“I love everything that has to do with words,” says Meg Becker and she most definitely does! As the Marketing Specialist at Cargill Animal Nutrition, Meg wears multiple hats that all focus on working with their team on marketing initiatives. This can include anything from internal newsletters, assisting the sales team with marketing material, and communication through the rest of the company. More than manage all of these responsibilities and team members, Meg also works in two offices; her business office and her home office. She’s not the only one, so does her boss! Learning how to manage the two locations has been both rewarding and efficiency increasing, but took some time.

Karoline Rose took the bold leap of entrepreneurship straight from college graduation in the spring of 2015. Within six months she had made the daring venture to hire her first employee and, since that time, she has used her gut to help her make decisions in hiring five more employees and six contract workers. KRose shares tips for buying, selling and marketing cattle with KRose Cattle Company as well as marketing courses for small businesses with KRose Marketing! Read the full article at aggrad.com.

Expectations Study hard. Get good grades. Get a good job. Work nine-to-five for the rest of your life. Coming from a conservative, middle-class family in India, Bharath Sudharsan never considered a career world outside of the standard that he grew up in. Then he came to North America and all of that changed. “There were so many entrepreneurial activities!” Bharath exclaims, still almost in disbelief. “Mental barriers are harder to surmount than any physical barrier… [there was an expectation that] you needed to be someone of a specific caliber or to have an MBA. North America taught me better.” The Creation of SomaDetect What does SomaDetect do? On the most basic level, (https://somadetect.com/) to manage their herds easier. However, there is nothing “basic” about SomaDetect. An Artificial Intelligence developed to monitor dairy cows 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to see how they drink, eat, produce milk, milk quality, etc. to help diagnose patterns that make herd management easier. Milk is a complicated fluid, an emulsion with fats, chemicals, and hormones, all moving at gushing speed under vacuum pressure. Being able to analyze the image of the milk with AI is where AI fits into the milk quality and herd management analysis. The more data that it collects over time, the better it is for future customers. What is AI? “In my opinion,” explains Bharath, “Artificial Intelligence is a simple program that you write that has a decision that it makes by itself; it is artificially inspired.” Where the intelligence gets a little fuzzier is when you begin to learn from your mistakes or “machine-learning.” This is how toddlers learn to walk; “step over the step and not run through it because then you will fall.” “Deep learning” goes a little bit further into the details, taking several parameters and making complicated analysis. AI goes one step further by artificially using deep learning. Breaking into Agriculture AI With a basic training in electronics from undergrad, Bharath found himself transitioning from signal processing to image processing. This is the difference between one dimensional to matrix, or, as Bharath says, “At least there’s pictures! Way better than just looking at numbers and code!” Bharath noticed a trend, however, that his peers were going into areas tagged as “cool tech,” such as self driving cars. In fact, his professor even said that agriculture was the industry that technology goes to die. Being a native from India, where the growing economy puts a higher strain on agriculture to provide food security, Bharath was curious as to what his role could be. Finding agriculture universities that needed robotics engineers, he got into a program with a full scholarship. Education involved self-driving tractors, drone sprayers, and other futuristic agriculture practices of tomorrow. A natural progression within the industry led to food safety. From Cushy Office Job to Entrepreneurship “I know you are looking for exciting opportunities, I have these close friends who would like to have breakfast with you,” said a mutual friend of Bharath and his future co-founders Nicholas and Bethany. In what can only be typed as a “get to know each other” meeting, Bharath exercised caution in building the relationship and loyalty with Nicholas and Bethany over the next six to eight months. In that time, they were able to build their business relationship to a point that with confidence and (some) comfort to make the leap to full time entrepreneurship. Nothing Falls Into Your Lap; You have to fight tooth and nail for it. Applying for a large scientific-entrepreneur grant, the team was confident they were well on their way. Bharath quit his full time job, booked a flight home to tell his family of his business venture and to give them a heads up that he may not be able to come see them for a few years. Upon returning back to Canada, Bethany broke the bad news that they...

  Never Eat Lunch Alone Andrew Lauver’s grandfather always said, “never eat lunch alone.” A captivating thought that Andrew saw epitomized in a John F. Kennedy story of a tour of NASA, where he asked the janitor, “What do you do?” The janitor’s response? “Send rocket ships to space.” (https://youtube.com/aggrad) It’s the age old statement that is sometimes forgotten in the modern activities of today; every person, from the janitor to the CEO, matters in the mission of the company. An Iowan farmer, Andrew has been raised with the morals and values of small rural communities, but has capitalized on networking relationships to continue to chase his dreams of being a leader in agriculture and named to the AgGrad 30 Under 30 list. (https://youtube.com/aggrad) Current Professional Role: Manager of Industry Relations at Syngenta North America Focused on commodity associations and working with the grower leaders of these associations is how Andrew spends his professional career. It involves agriculture policy, discussion on issues and seizing opportunities in agriculture, and the efforts of an annual week long media, public speaking, technology and issues training seminar called Leadership at its Best. Being able to have comfortable conversation between both business leaders and growers, bridging the gap between the two, is imperative to his role. (https://youtube.com/aggrad) There isn’t a direct path to this position, it’s based more on the route taken and efforts made in the field to connect with industry professionals and growers alike. For Andrew, that route started at three years-old, bouncing in the buddy seat of the tractor with his father and grandfather; both men that he highly respects. Knowing that the family farm wouldn’t be able to sustain four families and three generations, he earned his undergrad at Iowa State University, then a masters in Agriculture Business from Kansas State and now he’s currently enrolled in Law School at Drake University, pursuing a masters of jurisprudence in agriculture and sustainability. Tips for building a relationship with someone who has more experience than you: Be careful of how you present yourself when you stand up and talk. You can always control what you wear; dress professionally. Come with talking points prepared for that meeting. Communicate the context of the agenda with the host of the meeting. Do your homework. Talk internally with colleagues with more experience than you. Over-prepare. When you don’t know, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I will check and get back to you.” Recognize where your experience falls in line and find the best time and way to share. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Staying Motivated “As I keep moving through my career, I continue to remind myself that I am a farm kid from Lake City, Iowa. I always reflect back on those days in 4H exhibiting cattle. My father always told me that the calves eat breakfast before you do. It was important to feed them before I ate because they couldn’t feed themselves. That’s something that I have carried with me everywhere I go - executing on what I say I am going to do; if I say I’m going to do it, I will get it done. I never want to be more than one step from the farm.” “Where are you going?” “I’m going to see you Senator!” As a junior in college, Andrew was part of a group that started the Iowa State Corn Growers Association, a college chapter to the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Heading towards Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Andrew saw Senator Charles Grassley eating an apple, sitting on a bench and reading a newspaper in the Des Moines, Iowa airport. (https://youtube.com/aggrad) “Surely he’s sitting first class,” Andrew though when he saw him. Boarding the plane, as Andrew went to place his bag in the overhead carrier, he realized he was assigned to sit right next to Senator Grassley....

Jackie Mundt comes from a long line of national champions. They train, practice, live and breath the passion and the lifestyle that results in the amazing opportunity to bring home a National Championship. However, Jackie’s National Championship is more than just a sporting event, it’s the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, and, instead of a ring or a medal, she came home with a brand new pick-up truck! (https://www.fb.org/programs/young-farmers-and-ranchers/competitive-events/) Discussion Meets A discussion meet is about using the skills practiced by successful employees every day, no matter the career. It emphasizes your ability to have a conversation, understand the background of an issue, develop an opinion, articulate said opinion, and have an active conversation to be a part of moving that issue forward. Competition Structure Organized to simulate a committee meeting, some people have likened walking into the competition room as if you are walking into a board meeting or a hearing. Five big picture topics, related to agriculture, are presented at the beginning of the year to allow competitors time to analyze and learn anything and everything about the topics. Opening StatementIn groups of 4-6 people, each has an opportunity to give 30 seconds of what their initial impression of the topic is and why it is important. It is also their opportunity to make a connection. Open Panel Conversation Roughly 20-30 minutes is given for a productive conversation, not a debate, where contestants are expected to help lead the conversation to find an understanding and potential solution to the topic.While there is a moderator present, they only step into the discussion if absolutely needed (i.e. off topic or rude). This is a discussion, not a debate. Closing StatementCompetitors have one minute to gather their thoughts and then an additional minute to present a recap, a potential next steps or outcomes from the conversation. Judging Criteria Ability to present ideas and speak Understanding of the problem Problem solving skills Ability to articulate next steps Leading up to the National Competition Jackie’s Background in Discussion Meets “I come from a long line of discussion meet champions,” Jackie laughs. “I have been competing for almost 20 years! Most people don’t compete in sports for 20 years!” Originally from Wisconsin, Jackie won the high school state level her senior year before heading off to college. There she placed Discussion Meets on the back burner, knowing that with an age limit of 35, she had plenty of time to learn and apply herself to her education at Fresno State. In college, she was re-introduced to the competitions at the collegiate level as a part of the collegiate farm bureau group at Fresno state. Preparing for a Discussion Meet Training Mode “When I am in competition mode, I equate this to being a performance athlete, like those who train for marathons or sports,” Jackie explains. This meant that she went to bed early, rose early, practiced extra, treated her mind and body right, and other disciplined aspects of performance competition (https://aggrad.com/using-time-management-for-productivity-and-efficiency-career-skills-with-kirby-green/). Mentally she had to be knowledgeable about all the topics presented. Understanding her learning method as a workshopping technique, Jackie spent time every week discussing ideas with mentors who were specializing in those topics. This preparation allowed her to grow her knowledge and experiences base, allowing her to become an expert ( (https://aggrad.com/?s=preparing) ). Strategy Knowing her rubric, pulling from her past experiences, and working with her team, Jackie knew that what specific points she needed to “hit.” She also kept the standard that every time she opened her mouth, that she touched on a point that was relevant and unique, connected with it and included a solid tangible...

It may seem like a small thing, but investing in relationships in any opportunity can prove beneficial in the building of your career trajectory and professional goals. First connected with AgGrad in 2016 by taking over the Snapchat for National Ag Day, Elizabeth Galbreath has been able to capitalize on seemingly normal encounters to improve her skill set and career path. A part of the Agriculture Sales and Marketing Professional Development program at BASF, it's been a wild ride for Elizabeth but she wouldn’t change a thing ( (https://www.basf.com/us/en.html) ). What is the BASF Program Like? One of the many advantages to working with BASF is the developmental opportunities they provide whether it be conferences or research. It is the perfect place for someone who is trying to figure out what they want to be doing. BASF also teaches you everything that they ask you to do and are extremely supportive. Mastering the Elevator Pitch It’s important to always have an “Elevator Pitch” at the ready as you never know when you’ll only have a couple of minutes to say, “this is who I am” and “this is why you would want to hire me.” Not insincere when done correctly, this is exactly the technique that Elizabeth used when the opportunity presented itself when she recognize the individual on an elevator with her as a Vice President at the company that she had applied too (https://aggrad.com/top-tips-successful-networking/). “I’m the first person I’ve ever heard of using an elevator pitch in an elevator,” she laughs as she explains how she got the opportunity at BASF. Introducing herself and giving her quick spiel, it was only a few days later when it was arranged for her to fly out for an interview (https://aggrad.com/networking-101-introducing/). What is your favorite part of working at BASF? Welcoming and open co-workers, willing to sacrifice their own time to answer her in-depth questions with absolute patience, is one of the reasons that Elizabeth loves working at BASF. A supporting reason is BASF’s partnership with a variety of different organizations and causes that are important to Elizabeth. What is the most challenging part of working at BASF? The biggest thing is to have trust in the process. You may want to accelerate where you are at and where you are going, but you need to be able to accept all that comes your way. Elizabeth says that this alone has taught her more than most other parts of her job. Involvement with AFA Studying the leadership and community development side of agriculture at Virginia Tech, Elizabeth found herself investing in the 4-H extension side through both her major and department. This led to her involvement in AFA ( (https://www.agfuture.org/) ), which gave her an understanding and comprehension on how big the agriculture industry really is and what her role in it could look like. An organization dedicated to building bridges for young leaders in agriculture and food, AFA holds one premier event in Kansas City every year called the AFA Leaders Conference. With 800 and growing college students attending, all pursuing agriculture and food careers, they also provide institutes throughout the year for a variety of different sectors. A huge part of her college career, attending events, allowed her to combine development with industry networking. Career Advice   Do not let others dictate for you. Whether that is your family or your major/department/professors or what you think society expects of you, do what is best for you. What is best for you and your long-term development down the road? You need to take on roles that really develop and challenge you. With that in mind, you won’t know much about the next job until you take it (https://aggrad.com/4-questions-to-determine-a-great-long-term-opportunity/). Fake it ‘til you make it!Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for mentors, and learn! Be involved with community. Be a sponge! “What would your 80...

As a formal agriculture teacher from Kentucky, it’s no surprise that while Kirby Green no longer works in the classroom, she is continuously working every day to maximize the productivity and knowledge of herself and others. A former district sales manager for Monsanto, Kirby fulfills the same position now at Bayer Crop Science in Indiana, but how did she move from being a teacher to a district sales manager? She managed her time efficiently while also finding ways to continue to grow. Building an Authentic Network “I still joke with my teammates to this day that if you look at the application, I didn’t meet a lot of the qualifications,” Kirby says with a laugh about being a non-traditional candidate. While there are qualifications that an employer can’t budge on, there are things that they can. Never Eat Alone, a book about building relationships and networking (https://aggrad.com/top-tips-successful-networking/), is a must-read for this educator. Relationships are something that you constantly maintain and invest in, they aren’t something that you put up on the shelf and pull down whenever you need something. You must continuously invest and add value to those relationships. Sharpen: the podcast for young professionals In April of 2017, on maternity leave after having her second daughter, Kirby found herself skimming LinkedIn where she read an article about the number one mistake that women in their thirties make: They stop networking. At a point in their careers where they are jiving and work is going smoothly, they become complacent in where they are professionally.  In comparison, when you first start a career you spend a lot of time asking questions, job shadowing, doing ride-alongs, and more. Kirby immediately decided to anticipate that change in her professional life by maximizing her time and becoming a lifelong learner (https://aggrad.com/what-social-media-can-teach-us-about-building-real-relationships-2/). She found that podcasts and audible books were great resources while driving for work. Interested in a podcast for a professional in their first decade of work, she decided to start her own podcast when she couldn’t find one that fit the description. She created Sharpen: the podcast for young professionals (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sharpen-the-podcast-for-young-professionals/id1227791827?mt=2) with the tagline, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” It is a podcast and community for young professionals to sharpen their gifts and influence in the workplace and beyond. Fueling Your Passion Project “Everyone is short on time but everyone gets the same amount of time every day.” Time ManagementTaking time to edit and produce podcasts was more important to Kirby than scrolling her Instagram feed. Cutting out the time wasters and the “stuff” that doesn’t make a difference allows you to maximize the time that you do have (https://aggrad.com/time-management-while-job-searching/). Using Your MorningsEven if you aren’t a morning person cultivate your morning to be a time to not just be reflective but to also get work done. Even getting up 30 minutes earlier can have on the amount of work you can accomplish for your passion project before the rest of the world is awake, emailing and calling. Build RelationshipsSpend time building relationships with those that are passionate about what you are passionate about. Build that community or team that will keep you motivated and inspired. Attend Conferences & ReadA lot of information can be consumed easily for very little expense. Find conferences, podcasts, books, online classes, etc. that can help improve your skills (https://aggrad.com/starting-a-side-hustle-with-kelly-stanze/). Productivity Tips for the Road Take advantage of investing in those authentic relationships and networks by spending time with your team or someone in that city that you don’t normally see. Make a list of 1-3 items that can...

Taking Risks & Balancing Careers Brittany Bailey’s title of “Millennial, Meat Eater, Mom” on LinkedIn accurately groups the many facets that make up the day-to-day for this mom of two, Meatingplace blogger, and newly named Food Safety Marketing Manager for Zoetis. By following her number one career advice of “not being afraid to take a risk,” Brittany has navigated continued education and multiple careers while continuing to build her skill set and resume along the way.   From Pre-Pharmacy to Food Security Brittany first attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa as a pre-pharmacy major with the end goal of being in pharmaceutical sales and possibly pursuing an M.B.A. thereafter. However, after a change of heart she changed her degree to BioChemistry Cellular Molecular Biology with a business minor. Brittany found a true passion in marketing which evolved into a full-fledged marketing minor.   Her first job upon completing college was in marketing for a food ingredient division of Kemin Industries. Through a series of promotions, she was there for almost five years before an opportunity at a lab testing agency presented a new challenge: managing people.With nine people reporting directly to her and 30 indirect reports, it was a huge undertaking unique to any experiences she may have had before.  “It was much more difficult that I thought it was going to be,” Brittany says about adding people management to her skill set. In developing her passion for the food industry, Brittany continued her education with a masters in public administration. Following that, for a more technical background in the same industry, she completed a masters in food safety.  Blogging for Meatingplace Magazine The go-to source of all information red meat and poultry processing in the United States and Canada, Brittany had long been one of the worldwide subscribers to the daily industry updates by Meatingplace. While also working at the National Pork Board a call-to-action was sent through her email inbox; Meatingplace was looking for a guest blogger to fill some holes in their posting calendar that had been vacated. Brittany had considered blogging for roughly three years prior so when she saw that they were looking, she took action! She penned a blog that day, turning it in within 24 hours, telling herself that if she was the first one to respond, she would stand a better chance at being selected! Her trick paid off and the blog was chosen for November 2017! This led to a direct request from Meatingplace for her to blog in December 2017, which then, in turn, led to a more permanent offer. Millennial Musings is Brittany’s Meatingplace blog that she updates monthly, joining forces with 11 other professionals specializing in a variety of topics.  Balancing Personal Branding & Your Career A lot on her plate, Brittany says that none of it would be possible without the support of her spouse. With two young children and a lot of time in her career on the traveling she must balance her personal life, career and hobbies. It can also be challenging to keep her personal brand and her career separate, especially through the blogging platform of Meatingplace. Quick rules to keeping your personal brand and career separate: Include the disclaimer that the opinions expressed are your own and not those of a company that you may represent.  Be careful to not interject specific claims or information about your job. Do not focus on the topic that your job is in (i.e. Brittany doesn’t focus on just pork, she also discusses chicken and beef on her blog). Leaps of Faith Takings Risks In her fourth career post college, Brittany now finds herself supporting the sales team in selling the company’s products. This involves everything from riding along with the sales team, to finding out what customers need, to researching and developing new products, and creating marketing strategies.  “You...