Lansing, Mich. (Oct 4., 2023) – Michiganians in agriculture wanting to learn more and hone their personal skills in Communication, Organization, Relationships and Engagement should register now for the 2024 leadership series.
The MI Ag CORE leadership program is aimed at helping Michigan farmers and agricultural professionals grow their leadership experience and skills through a year-long professional development series. The program consists of seven total sessions, three in-person and four online. The application is open until November 1, 2023 and can be found at miagcore.com. Applicants will be notified by December 1, 2023 if they have been accepted into the program.
“We realize how busy farmers and ag professionals are and what it’s like during those busy times of the year, so we developed a program that takes that into account by offering a hybrid of in-person and virtual sessions,” said Ben Steyer, CEO of the Michigan Soybean Committee. “By releasing our full schedule now, participants can plan out their calendar to attend all sessions.”
The MI Ag CORE leadership program was developed by the leaders of three Michigan commodity organizations: The Michigan Potato Industry Commission; the Michigan Wheat Program; and the Michigan Soybean Committee. The idea for MI Ag CORE came from the lessons learned by the three leaders working in agricultural “trenches” on a day-to-day basis and seeing their growers and other professionals struggle from not having certain experiences that are key to success.
“I saw that agriculture was missing a well-rounded program for those looking to move directly into management or those who were heading in that direction,” said Kelly Turner, executive director, Michigan Potato Industry Commission. “MI Ag CORE came together as a collection of skills that the three of us thought would have been beneficial to us, as we grew into our positions.”
MI Ag CORE participants begin in January 2024 with a two-part “DISC” talent/skill assessment course. They apply that knowledge throughout the year as they also work in the areas of communications, human resources, and governance. The seven-session program concludes in November 2024 with in-person presentations.
“Not only do we cover diverse topics, but we also provide resources to help participants right away in the workplace, and also to give them information for the future as they advance their careers and face new challenges,” added Jody Pollok-Newsom, executive director of the Michigan Wheat Program.
MI Ag CORE tuition is made more affordable thanks to generous industry sponsorships. This year’s sponsors include TriEst Ag Group, Walther Farms, Greenstone FCS, Morgan Composting, Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, and Beck’s Hybrids. If you would like to be included in our list of supporters, please check out the website: MIAGCORE.com/sponsors/.
The MI Ag CORE program was developed with financial and resources support from the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, the Michigan Soybean Committee, and the Michigan Wheat Program. Each of these organizations are nonprofit grower-funded commodity check-off organizations with a strong interest in an even better future for Michigan agriculture.