By Michael Dibbern

In early November, I experienced a “full-circle” moment in my leadership development journey. I had the opportunity to share advice — and perhaps even a bit of wisdom — with the current LEAD class (LEAD 43) during its Kearney Seminar alumni dinner.

The Nebraska LEAD Program has undoubtedly changed my life and transformed the way I approach challenges, whether on my farm near Cairo, Neb., or in my leadership roles with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. I hope I was able to convey that influence to the class, just as other alumni did for me when I was a LEAD fellow.

During my conversations with the LEAD 43 fellows that evening, I was reminded of a key truth: No matter the economic challenges we face, agriculture’s future remains bright. We must continue to focus on the big picture: what we accomplish over many years rather than year by year.

As an example

For instance, over the past 10 to 15 years, agriculture seems to have undergone a kind of rebranding, making it feel, dare I say, “cool.” I can say this because I remember a time in my life when I thought farming was the furthest thing from “cool.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved tractors and spent countless hours carpet farming as a kid. But back then, agriculture often felt like just a job, one that seemed to bring more heartache than triumph.

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The allure of agriculture finally struck me during my college years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The easy explanation might be that I was away from the farm for the first time and began to miss it. Or perhaps the agricultural economy was starting to boom. But the key takeaway is that agriculture’s “coolness” has only grown since then — along with its economic significance. This shift is evident in the rising number of young people drawn to agriculture, as seen in growing FFA membership and increasing graduates in ag-related fields of study.

No accident

This success didn’t happen by accident. It’s a direct result of advocates sharing their stories and seizing a seat at the table whenever the opportunity arises.

However, the economic realities of agriculture today are trending in the opposite direction. As positive as I’d like to keep this, it does no good to put lipstick on a pig when giving an outlook on our economic future (no offense to the pig). That said, although we can’t control the economics, we can work to ensure that agriculture’s positive brand endures. Let’s keep the momentum going by actively participating in our industry’s advocacy groups. After all, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.

Related:Nebraska vineyard ripe for growth

There are countless potential leaders in agriculture waiting for their talents to be developed through experiences like those the Nebraska LEAD program offers. If you believe you have a voice, I encourage you to apply for the next class. Together, we can keep agriculture thriving — and, yes, keep it “cool.”

Dibbern is a graduate of LEAD Class 38.