Future Texas agriculture leaders begin two-year study

Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program recently held in College Station

• Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu 
• Contact: Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, 979-845-1554, jim.mazurkiewicz@ag.tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – Josh Louder stood in amazement, watching the speed and efficiency of local watermelons being sorted and packed by a team of personnel at a facility near College Station recently.

Louder, like many of the 24 agriculture professionals who are part of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program, also known as TALL, had never seen a watermelon packing facility.

“This is really amazing,” said Louder, regional sales manager for Koch Agronomic Service, a division of Koch Industries in Fort Worth. “I thought a lot of this was automated. This is really labor intensive. We are getting the opportunity to witness things in the agricultural industry that we normally don’t get to see as individuals.”

The TALL classmates recently completed the first session of the two-year program in College Station that will take them throughout the U.S. and on an international trip.

“TALL is an intensive study of agriculture worldwide equipping people in the agriculture industry to become leaders in their respective fields,” said Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, program director in College Station.

“We are getting the opportunity to network with those who work in other disciplines of the agricultural industry here in Texas,” Louder said. “I’m looking forward to developing new business relationships.”

Jim Prewitt, Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership foundation president and CEO and president of Landmark Nurseries, opened the session with a welcome to the new class.

“You are so fortunate to be in agriculture and live in this great state,” he said. “We must do a better job in our industry of telling people about agriculture. We must have advocates for agriculture. This is not a two-year commitment. It’s a lifetime commitment.”

TALL, the competitive leadership development program that includes seminars with experts, on-site tours, meetings with business and government leaders, international study and personal skills improvement, he said.

Session I included numerous speakers and tours of agricultural operations in the Brazos Valley, including Royalty Pecan Farms near Caldwell, Wiggins LLP-Watermelon House Inc. near College Station, as well as Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham.

“Acceptance into this class is a competitive process,” Mazurkiewicz said. “Twenty-four of you were selected for this class after we interviewed 40 individuals. It’s leadership enhancement. Many of you are already on the path forward in your professional careers, and we are excited to have you as part of the TALL family.”

TALL is funded by more than 300 individuals and entities. There are 364 alumni throughout Texas, seven states and in Washington.

“We want you to get active at the local level, whether it be with your city council, school district, or Extension county committees, give back to your local communities and apply what you learn from the TALL program.”

Jody Wiggins told the group his company produces several millions watermelons annually and markets them to several large grocery retailers.
“We bring the melons in from the field, grade the product, then separate them into boxes,” Wiggins said. The company has contracts with several major grocers including Wal-Mart, Safeway and Albertsons.

“We need good, flat land, and we need water for drip irrigation. Those are the two keys for us,” Wiggins said. “Overall, the company farms 2,800 acres over a seven month growing season.”

Earlier in the week, participants heard from Todd Swick, program specialist with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who gave an extensive overview of prison agriculture operations. Participants also heard from Texas A&M Forest Service director Tom Boggus and Texas A&M AgriLife Research director Dr. Craig Nessler.

The TALL XV 2016-2018 participants by county are:  

• Ramon Alvarez, Cameron.
• Brett Bamert, Bailey.
• Jennifer Blackburn, Lubbock.
• April Bonds, Tarrant.
• Lee Burton, Shackleford.
• William (Pat) Carson III, Hall.
• Clifton Castle, Lubbock.
• Sarah Cortese, Lubbock.
• Patrick Dudley, Bastrop.
• Lauren Echols Decker, Jones.
• Grant Groene, Lubbock.
• Shane Halfmann, Brazos.
• Cody Harris, Anderson.
• Lacee Hoelting, Lubbock.
• Scott Irlbeck, Lubbock.
• John Coleman Locke, Wharton.
• Josh Louder, Tarrant.
• Daniel Luehrs, Nueces.
• Alicia Meinzer, Parker.
• Thomas Miller, Hopkins.
• Heath Reeves, Nueces.
• Jeffrey  Sarchet, Wise.
• Kyle Watts, Smith.
• Remi Wright, Colorado.
For more information about the TALL program, visit http://tall.tamu.edu.