2017 Leadership At Its Best Class: Front row (L to R): Laurie Isley, MI; Chris Naylor, N.C.; Scott Metzger, OH; Leon Dorn, NE; and Morey Hill, IA. Back row (L to R): Casey Youngerman, TN; Howard Reyburn, PA; Brent Gatton, KY; Peter Rost, Jr., MO; Brandon Wipf, S.D.; Paul Dahlseng, MN; Craig Williams, IN; John Mark Looney, MS; and Ryan Findlay, N.A. Industry Relations Lead with Syngenta.

Farmer-leaders from 13 states graduated from the 2016-17 American Soybean Association (ASA) Leadership At Its Best program this week near Washington, D.C. The Leadership At Its Best program is sponsored by Syngenta and develops valuable leadership, communication and advocacy skills in farmers who have already shown potential to be strong leaders through the positions they hold with their state soybean organizations. This select group of farmer-leaders participated in the first part of their Leadership At Its Best training this past summer in Greensboro, N.C. This week, their training focused primarily on development of stronger communications skills, increasing their understanding of how policies are formed in Washington, D.C., and learning how to advocate for issues important to soybean farmers. The class participants concluded their training with a day of Hill visits with their state soybean associations.

Leadership At Its Best Program participants are nominated by their state soybean association. This year’s class participants included: Craig Williams, Oaktown, Ind.; Morey Hill, Madrid, Iowa; Brent Gatton, Bremen, Ky.; Laurie Isley, Palmyra, Miss.; Howard Reyburn, Oxford, Pa.; Paul Dahlseng, Starbuck, Minn.; John Mark Looney, Leland, Miss.; Peter Rost, Jr., New Madrid, Mo.; Leon Dern, Firth, Neb.; Christopher Naylor, Clinton, N.C.; Scott Metzger, Williamsport, Ohio; Brandon Wipf, Huron, S.D.; and Casey Youngerman, Lexington, Tenn.

ASA appreciates the continued support provided by Syngenta that makes this valuable leadership program possible. ASA will be reaching out to state soybean associations soon to begin collecting nominations for the 2017-18 class. For more information, contact Michelle Hummel in the ASA office at mhummel@soy.org.