Professional development for young adults at 2023 NYS Ag Society Forum

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Since 2014, donors to the NYS Agricultural Society Foundation have sponsored a cadre of young adults ages 18 to 25 to participate in the historic NYS Agricultural Society Annual Meeting & Forum and three days of intensive professional development training. Over 100 young adults have participated as Ambassador Scholars since the program’s start. Participants are passionate about agriculture and food. Whether in college or newly employed, they are eager to engage with supply chain decision-makers, dive into priority issues, and build hard business skills and a professional network. Competitively selected, the Ambassador experience has helped shape the academic and career paths of participants in numerous ways.

The 191st Annual Meeting & Forum of the NYS Agricultural Society will take place January 12, 2023 at the Syracuse OnCenter. The Forum is perhaps the oldest and largest agricultural meeting of its kind in the US attracting upwards of 500 industry stakeholders annually. Slated for Thursday, January 12, 2023, the 191st Annual Forum theme is “Disruption Eruption.” Advocates, decision-makers and aspiring leaders will focus on powerful, disruptive forces like COVID-19, innovative technology, climate change and more that are shaping the agri-food system and natural resource industry in small and seismic ways. Special guests will examine how disruption is creating new opportunities for stakeholders at all levels who are willing to retool and pivot quickly to advance their business goals. In addition to participating in 2023 Forum activities, Ambassadors will take part in pre and post-Forum programs with NYS Ag Society partners including the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, CALS at Cornell University, LEAD NY, and the Witter Agricultural Museum.

From Harpersfield, NY, Damian Hill is third generation on his family’s maple operation—Shaver-Hill Maple. As a Cornell University Junior, active in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and majoring in Applied Economics & Management, Damian participated in the 2019 NYS Agricultural Society as an Ambassador. “My favorite part of the program was having the opportunity to bond with other young adults in the agricultural community,” said Damian. He and his roommate, a WNY apple producer, enjoyed talking about their common experience growing up on a family-run business, as well as ambitions returning to the farm after college and outside work experience. Damian is now working shoulder to shoulder with a wide range of agriculturalists on the NYS Ag Society Board of Directors.

For the 2023 Ambassador Class, the NYS Agricultural Society Foundation welcomes previous participants to reapply for a second year experience as well as those new to the program. All meeting expenses and over night accommodations are paid for by the NYS Ag Society Foundation. To apply, complete an on-line application at https://www.nysagsociety.org/ambassador-program/ by November 19, 2022.

Established in 2011 by the NYS Agricultural Society, the NYS Agricultural Society Foundation’s mission is to foster, promote, and improve the NYS food and agricultural industry through education, leadership development and recognition programs. It is a 501(c)3 organization and its charitable funds are managed by the Central NY Community Foundation.

–NYS Ag Society Foundation