ASA Soybean Leadership College Trains Growers and State Leaders on Telling Their Story

The 12th Annual ASA Soybean Leadership College was held in St. Louis, Jan. 4–6, 2012. The event provided opportunities for future and current grower and state staff leaders to learn about engaging other soybean producers and telling their story about agriculture. The event offered training to participants focusing on personal and organizational leadership, personal communications and the latest issues regarding the soybean industry.

The event kicked off with the State Leaders Summit, where ASA President Steve Wellman, First Vice President Danny Murphy and ASA CEO Steve Censky hosted discussion sessions with state association presidents, executive directors, QSSB directors and USB Chairman Vanessa Kummer and USB Executive Director Lisa O’Brien. Guest speaker Cynthia D’Amour, People Power Unlimited, addressed a joint audience of state leaders and membership chairs on engaging volunteers and getting volunteers involved in their organizations. D’Amour told participants they need to be an inviter by understanding potential volunteer’s hot buttons. People want to be a part of an organization that provides an opportunity for personal or professional development, allows them to make a contribution to a greater good or an increased sense of community.

A Membership Chair/State Membership Staff Meeting was also held on January 4, giving participants an opportunity to discuss the proposed recommendations from the ASA Membership Re-visioning Task Force. The Membership Chair/State Membership Staff Meeting also had a presentation from Phil Bruno, Treat’em Right Strategies, talked about techniques to effectively identify volunteers and utilizing them to succeed as volunteers.

In a general session on Jan. 5, the keynote speaker, Charlie Farrell, Farrell Group, presented “Courage to Lead” a presentation based off of his best-selling book “Courage to Lead” followed by breakout sessions on selling your story about agriculture, animal welfare and Charlie Farrell leading the leadership breakout on “Results Oriented Leadership.” United Soybean Board (USB) Chairman Vanessa Kummer made comments during lunch, followed by a repeat of the breakout sessions and an afternoon general session presentation from Fox News Commentator and Former Washington Post Columnist Jeff Birnbaum on the impending presidential and congressional elections and the impact on agriculture policy.

The general session on Jan. 6, featured a panel discussion by national agriculture coalitions. The coalitions represented were CommonGround, The Hand That Feeds Us, U.S. Farmers Ranchers Alliance and Global Harvest Initiative. Breakout sessions that day addressed advocating for agriculture, farming in the new era of government relations and a session on leadership and teamwork.

State Leaders Summit, Membership Chair Meeting and Soybean Leadership College presentations and/or handouts:

ASA State Leaders Summit/Membership Chair Meeting (Jan. 4, 2012)

• Lead, Laugh or Get Out of the Way - The Lay Leaders' Guide to Outrageous Results - Cynthia D'Amour

• Building Killer Committees - Phil Bruno

Soybean Leadership College (Jan. 5, 2012)

Industry Workshop

• U.S. Pork Producers Association - We Care Initiative - Bryan Humphries, National Pork Producers Council

• Future of U.S. Egg Production - Chad Gregory, United Egg Producers

• USB Supporting Animal Ag Freedom to Operate - Jim Schriver, United Soybean Board

Soybean Leadership College (Jan. 6, 2012)

General Session – Ag Coalitions Speaking Up for Agriculture

• U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance – Hugh Whaley, General Manager

• Global Harvest Initiative – Laura Barringer, Senior Associate

• The Hand That Feeds Us – Tom Sell, Spokesperson

Communications Workshop

• Advocating for Agriculture 2.0 – Amy Nuccio and Gina Erhrand, CommonGround

Industry Workshop

• Farming in the New Era of Government Regulations – Joe Sommers, Informa Economics

• Farming in the New Era of Government Regulations – Bev Paul, ASA Staff

Leadership

• Teaching Buffalo to Fly Like Geese – Leadership and Teamwork – Bob Ash, Life Lessons

ASA thanks the sponsors of the  2012 Soybean Leadership College: BASF, United Soybean Board, Illinois Soybean Association, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Iowa Soybean Association, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Nebraska Soybean Board, Kansas Soybean Commission, Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board, North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, North Dakota Soybean Council, Ohio Soybean Council, Delaware Soybean Board, Maryland Soybean Board, South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Virginia Soybean Board, Wisconsin Soybean Board and Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee.

For more information about the ASA Soybean Leadership College, contact ASA Member Education & Program Development Manager Byron Keelin at bkeelin@soy.org or (314) 754-1355.