Shaping future leaders of Texas agriculture  

The Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program, TALL, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, recently welcomed 26 new cohorts during a reception held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.

Capital Farm Credit was the signature sponsor of the event.

About TALL

TALL is a two-year program and provides an intensive study of agriculture worldwide, helping equip industry professionals to become leaders in their fields.

“The program invests 470 hours of intensive training per person through seminars, speakers, and domestic and international study trips over two years,” said Jim Mazurkiewicz, Ph.D., program director and professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Bryan-College Station. “The class time is equivalent to obtaining a master’s degree in agriculture.”

Participants represent a cross section of professional interests, including traditional crop producers, ranchers, bankers and attorneys, as well as those who work in lumber, food processing, agricultural corporations and horticultural industries. Participants come from all geographic regions of Texas.

“Ninety five percent of TALL graduates remain in agriculture after going through this program and 100% report that this program has helped them in job opportunities and taking leadership roles,” Mazurkiewicz said.

“I know you will become changed and also help change people after going through this program,” said Dan Hale, Ph.D., associate director for agriculture and natural resources, AgriLife Extension, during the reception. “We also want to thank all of those who support this great leadership program.”

TALL XVIII cohort:

• Daniel Alders, Tyler, president, Drake Management Services LLC and co-owner of Alders Enterprises, which has timber and mineral interests. He also produces poultry, beef and timber.
• Lance Barnett, Tuscola, vice president of trading, Pyco Industries Inc., a cottonseed cooperative serving 60 member gins in the southern U.S. with two cottonseed mills.
• Brandon Benton, Bishop, general manager, South Texas Farm-King Ranch Inc., who manages farming production of cotton and sorghum and a farm cotton gin.
• Jayci Bishop, Post, director of corporate communications, Plains Cooperative Association and partner in A&J Bishop Farms LLC, which produces dryland and irrigated cotton.
• Jennifer Bremer, Elgin, executive director, Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association, which provides services to agricultural producers through policy development at the state level.
• Jon Cluck, Ozona, foreman, Cameron and Oliver Ranch Co. LLC, a production, marketing and management of sheep, goat and beef cattle operation. Cluck also maintains habitat for wildlife.
• James Dangelmayr, Muenster, commodity futures broker, Producers Trading Co. and ranch manager for Dangelmayr Brothers Cattle, who provides risk management for producers and produces beef, corn, wheat, sorghum, oats and hay.
• Mauricio Garcia, McAllen, merchant, Garcia Grain Trading, which manages grain elevators and markets cottonseed, edible beans, corn, sorghum, sesame, canola, sunflower, rice, soybeans, beef and lamb.
• Robyn Lemon, College Station, public relations specialist, Capital Farm Credit, who represents corporate external/internal communications and maintains relationship management and agribusiness development.
• Reina Lewis, Lubbock, regional sales manager, Central Life Sciences Lewis, who is responsible for overseeing and managing distribution accounts while prospecting new business with producers.
• Mark Limon, Harlingen, relationship manager, Texas Farm Credit, who is responsible for providing loans and services to customers producing cotton, sorghum, spinach/greens onions, sugarcane and citrus.
• Thomas McNutt, Corsicana, partner/executive vice president, Collins Street Bakery, which is the largest producer of fruit cakes in the world, sourcing food products globally. McNutt is also co-owner of Navarro Pecan Company.
• Rhett Rabenaldt, Point, owner/chief operating officer, R&B Property Preservation LLC, who manages a fulltime commercial spraying operation, produces beef, poultry and hay, and part-time tree nursery/timber harvesting.
• Tyler Randolph, Amarillo, chief lending officer/senior vice president, First State Bank of Amarillo, who provides loans to customers producing corn, cotton, wheat, sorghum, alfalfa, canola, vegetables, beef and dairy.
• Jacyln Roberts, Tokio, executive director of communications and marketing, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, who with her family produces cotton, corn, peanuts and watermelons.
• Kodie Sageser, Kress, co-owner, Drew and Kodie Sageser Farms and Sageser Cattle, which produces corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat and silage and has a starter yard for beef calves.
• Courtney Schmidt, Victoria, protein sector manager, Wells Fargo, co-owner, Double S Interests LLC, which provides risk analysis and industry research, as well as produces beef, corn and cotton.
• Tillery Sims, Lubbock, owner, Sims Land Service, owner/operator, MACMark Consulting LLC, which provides consulting and business development for companies entering agriculture primarily in hemp.
• Ryan Skrobarcyzyk, Round Rock, director of legislative and regulatory affairs, Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, who assists horticulture producers and landscape contractors with state and federal regulatory policies.
• Andrew Sprague, Lubbock, member communications area manager, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, and owner of Sprague Cattle Company, which produces beef cattle.
• Addie Stone, Austin, policy specialist-legislative affairs and external relations, Texas Department of Agriculture, who monitors legislative affairs and external relations for Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and the department.
• Zane Thornton, La Vernia, owner/operator of Thornton Ranch and engineer with Baker Hughes, who produces beef and manages wildlife in addition to servicing the oil and gas industry.
• Jake Troutt, Monteverde Court, territory manager, Neogen, which focuses on beef genomic sales helping ranchers improve genetics through risk management and economic decision making.
• Trent Tyson, Canyon, senior vice president and branch manager, Plains Land Bank FLCA, which provides loans to customers producing corn, cotton, wheat, sorghum, alfalfa, canola, vegetables, beef and dairy.
• Darrell White, Armstrong, assistant area manager, Norias-King Ranch Inc., which produces beef and manages forage resources.
• Jessup Yeaman, Uvalde, vice president and branch manager, Texas Farm Credit, who is responsible for providing loans and services to customers producing beef, cotton, grains and vegetables. He also produces beef and lamb.