Seedling oysters from an aquaculture setting, seen at Rappahannock Oyster Co. Before I started my current position, and really until this seminar, I was unfamiliar with the Northern Neck. Its name described a vague area and geographical outline, and I was unaware of the qualities that deemed it the Northern Neck region. On this seminar,… Continue reading Spat on a Shell and Life on the Bay
A colleague of mine, a dairy farmer who can talk animal health, equipment uptime, and enterprise risk all in the same sentence, was recently invited to a high level executive engagement. The room was stacked with senior leaders from state and federal government, alongside representatives from the Agriculture industry. During the pre-event coordination, the organizer… Continue reading Professionalism and Agriculture
To prepare for our fourth seminar (time flies when you’re having fun!) we were asked to watch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk, “Start with Why”. He described how successful businesses, leaders, social movements, etc., more so focus on the “why” or purpose when communicating their products, organizations, events. “Why” is central, whereas “how” and “what” are… Continue reading What, How and Why: Where do you start to make the most impact?
The Oxford Dictionary defines sustainability in two ways: the ability to continue over time, and the ability to cause little or no environmental damage—thus enabling long-term continuation. Class VII's regional US trip was a resounding example of these two definitions. After spending six days on the road—starting in Winchester, traveling through the Finger Lakes Region… Continue reading Sustainability
During a recent state-level engagement we hosted in Suffolk with Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, the event began with a few remarks from Mayor Mike Duman. Standing before a room of farmers, policymakers, and community leaders, he said, It’s a true pleasure to welcome you all here today in the heart of Suffolk, where… Continue reading What Suffolk’s Fields Are Teaching Me About Leadership, Policy, and Stewardship
There’s something about agriculture that forces you to be adaptable. Weather, markets, legislation — it’s a field (pun intended) where change is the only constant. So, it felt appropriate that our third VALOR VII seminar in Richmond began with yet another set of curveballs: a snowstorm, a power outage, and a city-wide boil water advisory. … Continue reading Boiling Water and Bourbon: A VALOR Seminar in Richmond
Another VALOR seminar has come and gone. As I reflect on our time in Richmond, exploring topics in legislative advocacy and policy development, I am blown away by the meaningful learning opportunities and connections that took place over the course of just three days, from the hallowed halls of the Governors Cabinet Room to the… Continue reading Seminar III: Legislative Advocacy & Policy Development (Richmond)
My first seminar didn’t get off to the best start. My day started in the airport at 4:45am with a flight delay that would ultimately not allow me to connect with my classmates until after 8pm. While the day was largely frustrating, I will never forget the warm reception from my classmates when I finally… Continue reading Soybean and Purple Ice Cream
Our recent class visit to Tidewater and the Eastern Shore of Virginia highlighted some decisions in our Agriculture Industry. These decisions aren't for immediate results. Instead, they focus on the futures of the companies involved. Our visit included many amazing experiences, that a Northern Shenandoah Valley agriculturalist was amazed to see the diversity throughout our… Continue reading Thinking about Tomorrow
Alongside my VALOR class VII cohort, I enjoyed an enriching and exciting four days in the tidewater region and eastern shore of Virginia in late November. Over the course of the seminar, we visited a variety of farms and agribusinesses, learning the unique challenges, production practices, market conditions and marketing associated with cotton, peanuts, pork… Continue reading Seminar II: Ag Trade & Engaging w/ Others (Tidewater/Eastern Shore)
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