ADM invests in local student
Kansas City, Mo. — Agriculture faces a variety of challenges and opportunities in the near future including finding a way to feed a growing global population and replacing retiring leaders.
In this environment, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) sees great promise in the agriculture industry and is committed to training a new generation of agriculture leaders. One way ADM accomplishes this is through partnering with Agriculture Future of America. AFA provides leader development programs for college students and young professionals pursuing careers in agriculture. Through this partnership, ADM financially sponsors student delegates to the AFA Leaders Conference and invests time in building relationships with delegates.
Students, such as local student Dennis Kinkead who attends Southeast Missouri State University, were able to gain added-value in the Conference environment through personal interactions with ADM representatives. Kinkead from Farmington, Mo., was invited to a special breakfast at Conference where ADM representatives took the time to learn student’s stories as well as share the opportunities that ADM has to offer.
“By 2050, the world is expected to need about twice the food and energy it requires today, and the agriculture industry needs to find sustainable, viable solutions to meet this growing demand. ADM is proud to invest in the growth and future of the next generation of agricultural leaders to help our industry meet this challenge,” said Pete Goetzmann, vice president, ADM grain.
For four days, Nov. 1-4, over 500 students met in Kansas City, Mo., for the AFA Leaders Conference. They engaged with agriculture and food industry professionals and developed soft skills they needed to put their scholastic and leadership training into action. Student delegates were chosen through a competitive application process and their participation was funded through a variety of means including sponsorship from their school, community or industry businesses, such as ADM, that partner with AFA.
