CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/07/24

UGA program empowers leaders in Georgia’s agricultural and forestry industries

By Jordan Powers
A large group of adults stands holding awards, smiling at the camera.
Twenty-five professionals in two of Georgia’s largest industries — agriculture and forestry — are prepared to lead in their fields thanks to the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) program. (Photo by Blane Marable)

After completing 106 sessions, learning from 122 expert speakers and completing more than 220 hours of educational content over 18 months, 25 professionals in two of Georgia’s largest industries — agriculture and forestry — are prepared to lead in their fields thanks to the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) program.

The 2022-24 cohort was selected from more than 90 nominations, 60 applications and 40 interviews for the program, which is offered by the Office of Learning and Organizational Development (OLOD) in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

More than 120 professionals have graduated from AGL since it transitioned from the independent AgriLeaders program in 2014. That program ran from 1989 through 2009 and has more than 425 alumni, according to Lauren Griffeth, program director for AGL and UGA Cooperative Extension leadership specialist.

“Georgia is consistently ranked the No. 1 state in the nation for forestry, broiler production, blueberries, peanuts, pecans and spring onions. Our success does not come without intentional hard work. Leaders in our industries continually face a host of challenges they need to overcome to keep agriculture thriving,” Griffeth said. “In the AGL program, participants learn more about themselves and allied industries so that they can leverage their skills to make a positive impact.”

Gaining leadership experience across Georgia and around the globe

Each AGL class, including the 2022-24 cohort, is customized to include emerging industry issues and trends, covering competency areas including team dynamics, interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, advocacy, and leading and managing change.

The curriculum includes a variety of interactive sessions, in-state institutes, a national institute and an international experience. The 2022-24 graduates will head to Scotland in June, where they will engage with the Scottish Rural Leaders Program, visit the Royal Highland Livestock Show and tour the Scottish Parliament.

The 2022-24 AGL graduates

After a leadership keynote address from Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper during the 2022-24 class graduation, AGL honored four leaders in agriculture and forestry across the state:

  • Compelling Leader Award: Andy Paul, Georgia EMC
  • Leadership Project Impact Award: Adam Thornton, Columbia Farms
  • Legacy of Leadership Alumni Award: Jody Strickland, F&W Forestry Services
  • Director’s Award: Georgia EMC, accepted by Lindsay Bridges, AGL Board Member

The AGL graduates, listed alphabetically by last name, include:

  • Jazmond Carter, U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)
  • Brett Davis, Sam Jackson Inc.
  • Jed DeZelle, The Westervelt Company
  • Megan Green, Evergreen Resource Solutions
  • Gordon Grizzle, Green Diamond Management
  • Rawley Hicks, AGCO Corporation
  • Will Hinson, Leger & Son Inc.
  • Vontice Jackson, USDA-NRCS
  • Kyli Lamar, 1 DOG Ventures
  • Liz Maddux, Triangle Chemical Company
  • Robert McLeod, Tidewater Ag & Construction
  • Taylor Moses, Moses Pecan
  • Whitney Murphy, Corteva Agriscience
  • Tyler Nessmith, Furst-McNess Company
  • Andy Paul, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation
  • Ryan Phillips, Georgia Forestry Commission
  • Daniel Reddick, AgSouth Farm Credit
  • Ryan Reddish, Forest Investment Associates
  • Harry Sanders, Sanders Logging Incorporation
  • Mitchel Sheffield, Staplcotn
  • Dwight Sheppard, F&W Forestry Services Inc.
  • Jake Tench, Georgia Agribusiness Council
  • Adam Thornton, Columbia Farms
  • Mallory Tyndal, Carden & Associates
  • Whitney Zeagler, Planters EMC

“It was my sincere pleasure to get the opportunity to facilitate this class of outstanding participants so that they could give back through their professional careers and lead our state more effectively,” Griffeth said.

Applications for the 2025-26 AGL class open June 1. To learn more about the AGL program and get involved, visit caes.uga.edu/agl.

Jordan Powers is the public relations coordinator and writer for UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:
Jordan Powers
Experts/Sources:
Lauren Ledbetter Griffeth
An employee of Pyxus Agriculture Malawi shows a map explaining the various sites where the Feed the Future Peanut Innovation Lab works with 147 local farmers, Pyxus and the national agriculture program in Malawi. The demonstration was part of the 2024 Groundnut Tour in Malawi, a three-day event modeled after the Georgia Peanut Tour. CAES News
Georgia Peanut Tour inspires Malawi to host first groundnut tour 05/01/24 Allison Floyd
Ten years ago, the Georgia Peanut Tour welcomed its first visitor from the southern African nation of Malawi, where peanuts are part of the local cuisine but are only grown in small gardens or bought in informal markets. Over the next decade, visitors from Malawi attended the tour every year, traveling halfway around the world to see how farmers, shellers, researchers and others work together to get a large crop of peanuts to consumers every year.
Warnell professor Kris Irwin (right) helps campers set leaf-litter traps to capture macroinvertebrates, small amphibians and other organisms during Georgia 4-H Natural Resources Exploration Camp at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. CAES News
Georgia 4-H offers new Natural Resources Exploration Camp 10/17/23 Josie Smith, Alyssa Haag
A dozen 4-H’ers from around Georgia were the first explorers to experience Georgia 4-H’s newest summer program — Natural Resources Exploration Camp — and learn about wildlife, forestry, fisheries and other natural resources from University of Georgia faculty.
The fall 2023 Signature Lecture series begins on Sept. 6. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
UGA Signature Lectures to bring nationally recognized speakers to campus 09/04/23 Mike Wooten
The University of Georgia’s fall 2023 Signature Lectures series will feature a broad array of renowned scholars and thought leaders from the worlds of art, literature, law, health care, journalism, government, the sciences and more. “Each semester, this series brings groundbreaking speakers from a wide range of disciplines to campus to share their insights and expertise with faculty, staff, students and members of the Athens community,” said Provost S. Jack Hu.
The Joro Watch team is pursuing a number of approaches to Joro spider research, looking into their impact on native species — like pollinators and native spiders — habitat, lifecycle and management. To help facilitate more conclusive research, UGA experts ask that the public help gather critical data by monitoring spider populations in the environment. (Photo by Carly Mirabile) CAES News
Joro Watch engages citizen-scientists to study future of Joro spiders 09/26/22 Jordan Powers
They have been described as palm-sized, parachuting creatures with the potential to spread up the East Coast. Now dozens of webs are appearing in trees, on fences and in gardens around the Southeast, and social media and message boards are buzzing with Joro spider sightings. Discussions of eradication methods ranging from chemical sprays to “Joro sticks” are rampant. Joro season is here.
The AGL cohort of 2019-2021 gather during their federal policy institute in Washington, D.C. CAES News
UGA selects new cohort of Georgia agriculture and forestry leaders 06/08/22 Jordan Powers
From fruit producers to financial professionals, the newest cohort of the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) program was chosen from a broad field of applicants to the innovative, 18-month leadership development program.
Rice-fish demonstration site farmer in the Kebbi state of northeastern Nigeria explaining to community farmers how the rice-fish systems works, its benefits and challenges. In the photos are local rice farmers, students, and researchers from UGA and the University of Ibadan in Lagos, Nigeria. CAES News
Integrating aquaculture in African rice farms may increase health, wealth 03/16/22 Maria M. Lameiras
A program led by University of Georgia agriculture researchers is helping Nigerian rice farmers diversify food production through aquaculture systems that integrate raising native catfish in rice fields.