Chris Pollack, a member of the Fond du Lac County Farm Bureau, has been chosen to participate in the American Farm Bureau’s eighth class of the Partners in Agricultural Leadership (PAL) honors program along with nine other young leaders. PAL is designed to help agricultural leaders accelerate their leadership abilities and solidify their roles as advocates for agriculture.
Pollack currently operates his family’s farm alongside his parents. They milk about 150 cows, farm 650 acres and have heifer and calf facilities. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Farm and Industry Short Course before returning to Pollack-Vu Dairy LLC. He is involved with the Fond du Lac County Young Farmer and Agriculturist program, Ripon FFA Alumni and coaches the Fond du Lac County dairy judging team.
Other members of PAL Class 8 are: Jeremy Barron, Indiana; Jennifer Bergin, Montana; Dr. Emily Buck, Ohio; Terisha Driggs, Arizona; Cameron Edwards, Kentucky; Brian Marshall, Missouri; Derek Sawyer, Kansas; Scott Sink, Virginia; and Julie White, Mississippi.
“The new PAL class represents the very ‘best of the best’ among today’s farmers, ranchers and agri-business professionals,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. “We look forward to working with them as they embark on an exciting journey that will equip them as vital contributors to our agricultural outreach efforts.”
To be eligible for the PAL program, applicants must have previously developed leadership skills built through participating in at least one Young Farmers & Ranchers program. This includes AFBF competitive events: Discussion Meet (“Sweet 16” finalist), Achievement Award (top 10 finalist) and Excellence in Agriculture Award (top 10 finalist). Retired members of the AFBF YF&R Committee and retired chairs of state Farm Bureau YF&R Committees also are eligible to apply.
Pollack was a national top four finalist in the Discussion Meet in 2014.
PAL training involves four learning modules designed to develop specific leadership skills while exploring components of leadership and its theories and philosophies. The modules build on one another over the two years of the program and include intense, in-person, hands-on training.
AFBF created the PAL curriculum as a high-level, executive training program that prepares participants to represent agriculture in the media, in public speaking, in congressional testimony and other advocacy arenas. Program graduates are given opportunities to step forward and promote awareness about issues important to farmers and consumers.
The PAL program is sponsored by AFBF, the Farm Credit System and Monsanto Co.
Find out more about the PAL program at www.fb.org.
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