CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/02/14

Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry graduates inaugural class

By Merritt Melancon

After two years learning about Georgia’s largest industry and developing leadership skills, the inaugural class of the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry has graduated from the program.

UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty launched the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program, known as AGL, in 2012 to educate and empower Georgia’s agricultural and natural resource industry leaders to become effective advocates for the largest economic drivers in Georgia — the state’s agricultural and forestry industries.

Thirteen industry leaders from across the state have spent the last two years touring farms and processing plants, traveling throughout the state and across the nation. They also spent two weeks in India learning about Georgia agriculture’s role in the global economy.

“This class has shared in a journey that has covered many counties in Georgia, multiple states and a foreign country,” said Elliot Marsh, precision agriculture coordinator at Southern States Cooperative and AGL advisory board chairman. “These graduates are already making an impact in our communities and the state of Georgia. I believe that their experiences will play a tremendous role in Georgia's Agriculture community for many years to come.”

The AGL program brings together leaders from all segments of the state’s agriculture and forestry industries. During their time together they helped one another understand and analyze the issues facing their industries, as well as challenges that may emerge in the future.

“My experience with AGL made me a better leader and citizen,” said Mark Risse, a 2014 AGL graduate, UGA Georgia Power Professor of Water Resources and director of the UGA Marine Extension Service. “I met hundreds of leaders across Georgia, and my interactions with them taught me that leadership comes in many forms. The experiences that I had, the people that I met and what I learned about myself put me in a better position to accomplish my goals as well as to advocate for those things that I think are important.”

The AGL program is coordinated by faculty in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication.

"Adult non-formal educational opportunities sponsored by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences like AGL are helping Georgia become a top agricultural state in the nation and world,” said Kay Kelsey, head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. “Graduates represent the elite in Georgia's agricultural and natural resource-based industries. We would like to see this program expanded and are encouraging interested persons to apply for Class II. Its an experience that will be a game changer for participants."

Graduates of the first AGL class include:

  • Brent Allen of UGA Extension, Washington County
  • Brandon Ashley of the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Bibb County
  • Sarah Cook of the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness, Turner County
  • Steven Gibson of the UGA CAES Business Office, Clarke County
  • Jennifer Harris of White Oak Pastures, Early County
  • Jutt Howard of North Georgia Turf, Heard County
  • Jesse Johnson of the Southern Land Exchange, Oglethorpe County
  • Duane Myers of Kroger, Henry County
  • Tate Izlar O’Rouke of U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson’s office, Hall County
  • Mark Risse of the UGA Marine Extension Service, Oconee County
  • Amanda Tedrow of UGA Extension, Clarke County
  • Rebecca Thomas of UGA Extension, Chattooga County
  • Derick Wooten of Rocky Hammock Farms, Jeff Davis County

Organizers are now accepting nominations for the second class of AGL participants. The second AGL class will commence in early 2015. Those seeking more information about the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry can visit agl.caes.uga.edu.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Kay Kelsey
Director of the innaugural year of the UGA's Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program Rochelle Strickland (back row, second from left) and assistant director Kristi Farner (middle row far left) introduce the first class of leaders to graduate from the program: from left to right; (front row) Jutt Howard, Sarah M. Cook, Amanda Tedrow, Derick Wooten, Jenni Harris, Steve Gibson, (middle row) Brandon Ashley, Jesse Johnson, Rebecca Thomas, and (back row) Duane Myers, Tate Izlar O'Rouke, Mark Risse and Brent Allen. Image credit: UGA Public Affairs.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Conner Hall CAES News
CAES welcomes 2024 cohort of Rural Scholars 11/20/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed its fourth cohort of students chosen for the CAES Rural Scholars Program this fall just weeks after celebrating the program's first graduation. Georgia Orman, one of four inaugural Rural Scholars in CAES, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. The new scholars for 2024, all from Georgia, are Ela Ash of Ocilla, Lauren E. Coley of Cochran, Amelia Housley of Canon, and London O’Steen of Ambrose.
Women play a vital role in rural American farming, but much of that work is "invisible," like raising children or household chores, according to a new UGA study. (Getty Images) CAES News
The women and stress behind rural farming in America 11/19/24 Leigh Hataway
Recent research from the University of Georgia suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running. “If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
TiftonCampusSunset2 CAES News
CAES Transfer Pathways Program expands enrollment access for rural students 11/12/24 Emily Cabrera
The Transfer Pathways Program is opening new doors for rural students who dream of attending the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). In partnership with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and Southern Regional Technical College, students who complete required coursework at these institutions can transfer to CAES to complete bachelor’s degrees in one of three majors — agribusiness, agricultural education, and agriscience and environmental systems. 
Kevan Lamm teaching undergraduate students CAES News
CAES researchers prepare students to address complex challenges of the future 10/29/24 Emily Cabrera
Over the next three years, researchers in the University of Georgia’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication aim to transform undergraduate education in agricultural and environmental sciences by integrating systems thinking — an approach that encourages students to see the bigger picture by understanding how different components within a system interact.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.