The third cohort of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders met for their third in-person leadership training session in Topeka, Kan.
During their time in the Topeka area, the leaders learned from:
- Booth Creek Wagyu, Dave Dreiling, founder and owner, spoke to the group about his ranch’s story, why and how he raises Wagyu cattle, how to create a healthy culture within a business, and entrepreneurship.
- Snyder Ranches shared their story of raising sheep, the different types of sheep farming and their efforts with meat sheep.
- TC Turner, Red Beard Butcher, led a discussion and butchery demonstration of a Snyder Ranches lamb. Several cohort members participated in the demo.
- Derek Thompson, NextGen Cattle Co., hosted the group and discussed their leadership and how they built their business.
- Chief Genetics Officer, Joe Epperly, and Cohort 3 member, Johnna Granville, outlined ABS Global’s work in genetics and her role and responsibilities with the company.
- Pitmaster Andy Groneman, Smoke on Wheels, showcased his culinary skills with the butchered lamb from the butchery demonstration while explaining how to utilize the carcass for a tip-to-tail dinner.
- The session closed with Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle. She discussed leadership principles, her journey as an entrepreneurial leader and how she builds high-level, international teams in her business.
“The most recent meeting in Topeka was eye opening for me, and again drove home what many of us are fighting for: The preservation of agriculture with the injection of new technology for sustainability,” said Sarah Coleman, executive director from the Kentucky Horse Council. “Listening to the team at NextGen Cattle Co. was an incredible reminder that the food animal industry is constantly honing their skills to create animals that can feed the world, as fiscally and ethically responsible as possible.”
In January 2024, NIAA announced the selected participants in the third cohort of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders. This leadership training course is sponsored by the United Soybean Board and Farm Credit and was created by NIAA to empower animal-agriculture professionals to strengthen previous leadership development experiences and collaborate with peers across the industry.
The third cohort of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders represents a range of agricultural sectors to advance animal agriculture’s role in today’s food system.
More information about the leadership program and its sponsors is available here.
Source: National Institute for Animal Agriculture
