Future Leaders Program

Cultivating Future Leaders in Agriculture

The success of tomorrow’s agriculture depends on cultivating today’s students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sowing the seeds of tomorrow through the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program, a joint effort between USDA and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Founded in 2007, the program introduces students from Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture to the work of USDA and its partner organizations.

Aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science and pre-veterinary studies, the program seeks students who exhibit leadership at their university and/or in their community. Part of the application process for undergraduate students includes writing an essay on "Agriculture as a Career.“ Graduate students are required to write an essay on "The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”

Twenty students will be selected this year. Program winners travel to Washington, DC, in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. They also participate in several USDA briefings with numerous opportunities to  career development with leaders in USDA.

The Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is supported by academic institutions, corporations, and government institutions dedicated to promoting the education of the next generation of agriculturalists.

Applications for the 2025 Future Leaders Program are now available!

To learn more and apply, visit the 2025 Future Leaders Program page

Don't miss the opportunity to apply!

 

The 2024 Future Leaders Program Winners

Undergraduate

Name	Hometown	University	University Type*
Alaina Brock	Raleigh, N.C.	North Carolina A&T State University	1890
Jaclyn Bryant	Frederick, Md.	Purdue University	1862
Emma Chaplin	Camp Hill, Pa.	Pennsylvania State University	1862
Hugh Clarke	Spokane, Wash.	Oregon State University	1862
Alan Cruz	Yuma, Ariz.	University of Arizona Yuma	HSI
Donovan Grady	Mardela Springs, Md.	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	1890
Kylee Henneberry	Hartford, Wisc.	West Texas A&M University	HSI
Johanna Hibma	Winton, Calif.	California State University, Stanislaus	HSI
Kaitlynn Hughes	Royse City, Texas	Texas A&M University	HSI
Jayland Jones	Lufkin, Texas	Prairie View A&M University	1890
Terrell Mason	Lake Charles, La.	Southern University	1890
Kevin Painchaud	Bedford, Va.	Virgina Tech	1862
EmmaRae Parsons	Moscow, Idaho	University of Idaho	1862
Randall Pickering	Orangeburg, S.C.	South Carolina State University	1890
Benjamin Steller	Tucson, Ariz.	Northern Arizona University	HSI

 

Graduate

Name	Hometown	University	University Type*
John Bagwell	Rome, Ga.	University of Georgia	1862
Katie Dames	Flossmoor, Ill.	Tuskegee University	1890
Danielle Klawitter	Santa Cruz, Calif.	University of California Santa Cruz	HSI
Lidia Komondy	Grand Rapids, Mich.	Cornell University	1862
Zachary Williams	Lanham, Md.	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	1890

(*1862 land-grant universities, 1890 land-grant universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions)

For questions, email futureleaders@usda.gov