Extension Ag Leadership Survey
A team from UMaine Extension is considering a revival of the Ag Leadership Training that was conducted throughout the 1990’s for farmers and other industry personnel.
In a recent survey conducted at the Maine Ag Trades Show, only 58% of respondents felt that the leaders of their respective local and statewide associations had adequate leadership skills.
We would like to identify leadership needs for your local or statewide association that would help make them more effective. This will help us create future training opportunities to help increase the effectiveness and leadership capacity of ag associations and its members.
As an example of ag leadership, consider the following: There is a bill in the legislature affecting your commodity. Producers in that commodity area would like to get factual information to legislators about your industry and the impact of this bill on your industry. How do you organize your commodity producers to put together an informational packet that provides that factual information, how do you work with individual legislators to answer their questions about the impact of the bill and how do you organize your producer group to provide written and verbal testimony on the bill when it comes up for a public hearing. This is just one broad example of how leadership training can be helpful in getting your message across to policy makers.
Please take a few moments to respond to the Ag Organization Member Survey.
On behalf of the Extension Agricultural Leadership Team
Tori Lee Jackson, Extension Educator
Associate Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties Office