WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the selection of 20 undergraduate and graduate students as the 2024 winners of the USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture program. The selected students hail from land-grant universities and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI).
“The Future Leaders Program is at the heart of our efforts to cultivate an agricultural workforce as diverse as America itself,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These students represent the exciting future of agriculture, and USDA is committed to fostering their development which is essential to ensuring a robust and sustainable food system.”
Now in its 17th year, the USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture program is 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 or in their community. For their applications, undergraduate students wrote essays on “Agriculture as a Career,” while graduate students explored “The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”
Program winners will travel to Washington, D.C., in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. They will also participate in several USDA briefings, gaining numerous opportunities for career development with leaders at USDA.
Dedicated to building and sustaining the next generation of agriculturalists, the Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is supported by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Farm Credit and USDA agencies.
The 2024 Future Leaders Program winners are:
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)
Learn more about the Future Leaders Program and register for the 2024 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production and fairer markets for all producers. USDA is dedicated to ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers. In order to reach these goals, USDA encourages the use of climate smart food and forestry practices. USDA is making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and is committed to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
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