Taking One For The Team

Currently I am participating in the Appalachian Teaching Project this year for Virginia Tech.  From the beginning this class was difficult for me, not because of the work, but because it challenged what I know to be true and my value system.  This year the project is about sustainable agriculture in the region.  Many people (particularly those not involved in agriculture) often find this to be a black and white issue which of course it is not.


The Appalachian Regional Commission provides
funding for the Appalachian Teaching Project



As an active member in the agriculture community locally and statewide, I do my best to educate the public in everything I do about the industry.  I am the only member of this year’s Appalachian Teaching Project who is directly involved in the agriculture industry and is studying it as well.  Although as a class we established early on in the course that sustainable agriculture is often a “grey area,” we have still run into very wrong and biased opinions.  Last week we had a guest lecturer who received her Ph. D. by studying how storytelling affects people’s opinion about sustainable agriculture.  She did this by having individuals listen to a story that she wrote.  This story, sounded exactly like PETA or HSUS propaganda.  As professionally as I could muster, I confronted her about the falsehoods she so emotionally described about farm ownership and farrowing crates, among other things.  She took offense to this lashed back.  I was so furious and hurt that someone could get a degree in Agriculture and Extension Education from our fine university, and use it to cause such harm to the industry that feeds us.  Even though I wanted to storm out of the room, I knew that for the benefit of agriculture I needed to stay and make sure that my classmates were properly informed.

I know that for the rest of my life I will face roadblocks in the path to an agriculturally educated American public.  So in order to overcome them try my hardest to practice the ten qualities of leadership as expressed in The Art of Leadership (pgs. 27-28).  One of the most important qualities not available in the link is Vision.  Because I feel so passionately about my vision (to improve the agriculture industry by educating the public, and future members of the industry), I am better able to exemplify the other qualities (i.e. stability, concern for others, persistence, vitality, charisma, etc.).  Although I have been involved in agriculture leadership organizations for many years, I realize now that I have a definite vision for my purpose in life I can make a positive difference. 

FFA helped me realize my passion
 for agriculture and education



Participating in Feed By Seed has helped me find my vision