Accelerated Genetics Young Producer Weekend
Monday, March 31st, 200825th Annual Young Producer Leadership Conference Hosted by Accelerated Genetics
Guest Bloggers: Kari Stanek, Communications & Public Relations Coordinator – Accelerated Genetics
Amber Elliott, Public Relations & Advertising Intern – Accelerated Genetics
This past weekend (March 29-30, 2008) Accelerated Genetics CELEBRATED by hosting it’s 25th Annual Young Producer Leadership Conference entitled ‘Cultivating Leaders’! Over 60 producers representing dairy and beef operations across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois ‘grew’ their leadership, communication and inter-generational relationship skills.
March 29, 2008:
The conference kicked off Saturday morning with Kari Stanek setting the parameters of the weekend and challenging the producers right away with a homework assignment of developing individual and business goals throughout the weekend. As goals provide direction and purpose and will ultimately help these producers to be more successful.
Jolene Brown otherwise known as ‘Farmer Brown’ of West Branch, Iowa helped producers find ‘humor’ in everyday life. Through her entertaining real-life stories, she shared how humor is essential to making life interesting and bearable especially during the challenges life throws at us.
Producers then had the opportunity to introduce themselves by sharing an item they brought with that shows the role they play on the farm or tells something about them personally. A tool of choice for many producers was the handy pocket knife or a wrench, but there was also breeding guns, syringes, and duct tape as some of the other favorites of the group.
Following lunch Jolene Brown took the group on a unique journey in her session titled ‘How to Lead When No One Wants to Follow’. She helped the group uncover what makes a good leader and why. Then shared the generational profiles, as many family farms have multiple generations involved, thus having a clear understanding of the ways each likes to work, how they communicate and even how they think will help foster better farm family relationships and in the end help the farm business succeed. She concluded her session sharing from her perspective ‘The Top Ten Stupid Things Families Do to Break Up Their Business’ This thought provoking section kept producers at the edge of their seats and brought out many more questions they will need to consider. Ultimately Jolene’s session helped producers laugh, celebrate and understand the value of leadership.
During the dinner Saturday evening, Roger Ripley, President and CEO of Accelerated Genetics shared some of the cooperative’s achievements, direction and some of the vision for the future, which encouraged the importance of listening to cooperative member input. Next Brian Brown, Chair of the Board of Directors for Accelerated Genetics talked of cooperative opportunities and how being involved off of the farm in agricultural organizations, like Accelerated Genetics, is important to the success of the farm business as you have the opportunity to network with others and learn how there are different ways to be successful.
Then Kari Stanek brought the group together to help CELEBRATE the 25th Young Producer Leadership Conference with a special program recognizing Roger Ripley for his dedication to cultivating leaders for agriculture and Accelerated Genetics. Roger helped to originally develop the Young Producer Program at Accelerated Genetics. Through gifts of gardening supplies as symbols representing how Roger ‘cultivated leaders’, Kari along with Brian Brown, Chair of the Board of Directors; Yogi Brown, past Young Producer Committee member; Janet Keller, Vice President of Advertising, Public Relations and Communications; Carol Anderson, Board of Director; John Pronschinske, Board of Director; Bruce Odeen, retired Vice President of Public Relations and Advertising; and Jolene Brown gave Roger a heartfelt dedication ceremony.
Jolene Brown presented Roger the a bag of fertilizer signifying some the special things such as P for Patience and K for Kindness that Roger has sprinkled into producers to encourage them to do more and help them grow as leaders.
The evening concluded with the Keepers and Questions session which gave producers the opportunity to share a keeper from the day (a quote, a thought or an idea they will take home) and to ask questions of Jolene Brown about her thought provoking day, Roger Ripley, Brian Brown and Janet Keller about Accelerated Genetics. Then producers had the opportunity to network with each other the rest of the night and celebrate time away together!
Samantha Miller of Lodi, Wis. shares her question and keeper.
Roger Ripley answers questions about the future of Accelerated Genetics as it is a bright one with future leaders like this group.
Much fun was had throughout the nights networking time and one couple, Randy & Ashley Thull of Keewauskum, Wis., even showed off their Polka dancing abilities to get the fun started!
March 30, 2008:
The morning came early for this group, and they raised their blood pressure up quickly with the first session ‘Make Every Conversation Count’ presented by Stacy Dohle an Industry Relations Manager for Midwest
Dairy Association of Pleasant Hope, Missouri. She started off by asking the group their thoughts on what are some of the big issues facing the dairy and beef industries today.
Next she introduced a surprise guest for a panel discussion that provoked the group into a frenzy. When it was all over the producers were able to re-evaluate how they should handle those difficult questions from consumers and news media.
Dan Schriener, Westby, Wis.; Virginia Hatfield, Viola, Wis.; Craig Fietzer, Manawa, Wis.; and special guest Wendy Pinkerton a.k.a. ‘Annie House’ discuss the tough issues.
This session continued with Stacy and Wendy sharing some recent data about what information and assurances consumers are demanding and needing from agricultural producers. And producers were then given tools and techniques to help them to step out, stand up and Speak Out about their farm business, the nutritious product they produce and why communication outreach is a necessary aspect of the business plan for dairy and beef operations these days. And finally producers got to practice their communication skills through mock situations that they as a producer could find themselves in.
Becky Simonson and Jeff Muellenberg of Norwalk, Wis. practice their communication skills as if they were talking to a group of 7th graders visiting their farm.
Next Tom Jadin, a mental health counselor and speaker from Shioton, Wisconsin, shared a humorous session called ‘Only the Strong Survive”. He raised the question to the producer group “Why do some people look enthused, dedicated and vigorous (and have successful farm businesses) as they take on new changes, challenges, and choices while others look frazzled and worn out?”
The conference ended with a graduation ceremony for producers and the comment “Leaders aren’t born – They invent themselves through effort – so its really up to you to become a leader!”
Many producers asked this weekend ‘Why’ Accelerated Genetics feels so strongly about cultivating leaders. Kari Stanek responded, “Accelerated Genetics wants to help producers be more successful in their farm business and since most farms are family owned fostering farm family relationships is key to business prosperity. We want producers to be strong leaders and promoters of agriculture as they are their own best advocates for the product they produce (milk, beef, etc). And they need to inform the consumer how they care for their animals and the environment. Furthermore, Accelerated Genetics is a cooperative, the attendees of this conference are cooperative members and we need strong, progressive leaders to help guide this cooperative in the future!”
For those interested in Accelerated Genetics Young Producer events, the upcoming activities include:
Summer Meltdown – June 7, 2008 at Larson Acres, Inc. in Evansville, Wis. Producers and their families will tour their calf barn, special needs barn, parlor, two four-row freestall barns, feed storage along with the highlight will be learning about their new innovative approach to nutrient management with their sand/manure separator and water filtration system. Then producers will enjoy a picnic lunch on the farm followed by a special Farm Safety Demonstration.
Fall Conference – November 1-2, 2008 in Wausau, Wis. This conference will feature numerous speakers and educational sessions pertaining to Recycling On-arm Plastic, Obtaining Farm Grants, Animal Health and Vaccination Programs, Commodity Marketing, and Media Training and Consumer Impressions. Saturday evening there will be a themed dinner along with a comedian and Sunday the conference will conclude with elections for the Young Producer Committee. This committee, made up of young producers from across the Midwest, is responsible for brainstorming and coordinating each of the Young Producer activities.
Winter Get-Away – January 31-February 1, 2009 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Bring the whole family for a weekend of fun, learning and networking at this Young Producer activity!
If you live in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois – the Accelerated Genetics cooperative membership areas – and are interested in attending future Young Producer events check out the Accelerated Genetics website www.accelgen.com or contact Kari Stanek 800.451.9275 ext. 222 or kstanek@accelgen.com.
Intermediate Champion Open Show
Grand Champion Open Show
Grand Champion Junior Show
