Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters
Speaker notes 3 areas students can work on to change the future of the agriculture industry.
2 Min Read
LESSON SESSION: Missouri FFA members gathered at the State Capitol Rotunda to listen to speakers discuss the future of the agriculture industry.
What will it take for youth involved in agriculture to truly shape the future of the ag industry?
That was the question posed to Daniel Carpenter, a young farmer from Norborne, Mo., who was taking part in a Workforce Readiness Roundtable event during National FFA Week.
Carpenter works alongside his dad and two younger brothers on a cow-calf and row crop operation. He shared with a group of 80 FFA members gathered in the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda that soft skills such as leadership, along with hard skills such as mechanics, will be needed to move the agriculture industry forward.
CHALLENGING CHOICES: Daniel Carpenter is a young farmer from north central Missouri. He is part of the Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow program, or ALOT. Carpenter spoke to a group of FFA members from eight schools about how they can shape the future of the agriculture industry.
Carpenter offered three ways for students to lay the groundwork now for creating ag’s future:
Step out of your comfort zone. “When going to contest this spring, sit down and eat lunch with someone not from your school,” he said. “You guys likely go to the same contest with some of the same schools from across your region, and you may even know some of the people.” But he urged students to meet other FFA members and get to know them. It is these early connections that provide future contacts.
Be versatile. “How many know exactly what you are going to be and do in 20 years?” Carpenter asked. “I didn’t know it either when I was in high school, but I am sitting in front of you today because I have learned to become versatile.” He said students should develop skills that are adaptable across the ag industry, such as leadership and communication skills. Only then, he said, will students be in position to take full advantage of opportunities when they come before them.
Find a mentor. “Whether it be your father, older brother, grandpa or close family friend, find someone you can talk to, learn from,” Carpenter said. Skills such as working on automobiles, changing a tire or changing your oil often are honed with a hands-on approach. Students should find individuals willing to teach and then be willing to listen and invest the time to learn. Carpenter added that while small skills often are not touted, they go a long way in the ag industry.
Above all, Carpenter said that the next generation of agriculture should remain humble and competent. “More people look at humility and competency more than anything when they are looking to help a young person,” he said. Success often comes down to attitude and aptitude.
His final advice, “Seize opportunities when they come your way.” That is how the next generation ultimately will shape the future of farming and ranching.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like
Current Conditions for
Boone, IA
46°F
Mostly Cloudy
Day 62º
Night 45º
11.37 mph
Enter a zip code to see the weather conditions for a different location.
Recommended
Aug 27 - Aug 29, 2024
Aug 27 - Aug 29, 2024
The nation’s largest outdoor farm event that annually hosts over 600 exhibitors from around the world.
LEARN MORE