Class 53’s final hours in our Nation’s Capital were a drizzly blur of a March morning. Early (read: very early) alarms, a delayed airport shuttle, and the standard luggage Tetris that comes with having been on the road for 12 days, had us all intently occupied; even if not quite fully awake! But at 6:00 am, it was wheels up from Reagan National Airport, and as we settled into our seats for the long trip home (many of us very well caffeinated), it was an opportunity for something that tends to come naturally from 31,000 feet: reflection.
As we considered some of the most impactful aspects of this journey, we reflected on the power of relationships, examples of servant leadership, and leveraging the collective voice.
Power of Relationships
Pastor William Lamar at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church taught us that, “All leadership is based in relational capital…and you can’t continue to make withdrawals if you aren’t also making deposits.” Those words weighed heavily in the minds of many of us, as we considered the experiences of our journey and prepared to return to our partners, children, and co-workers who have so graciously carried the load while we have been away. The importance of relationships, and their development and maintenance, were a theme that transcended state lines. Sacramento, to Minneapolis, to Washington D.C. almost every speaker we engaged reinforced the importance of strong relationships as a vital tool in the toolbox of effective leaders.
In agriculture we have been blessed with a legacy of strong relationships that have been cultivated by the hard work of industry leaders over previous decades. Our class of future leaders, will be tasked with maintaining those standing relationships, i.e. “making deposits”, but also with thinking strategically about the types of new, and perhaps untraditional and sometimes uncomfortable, relationships that our industry will need to cultivate in a rapidly changing American society. As leaders, if we can continue to “think spectrally” and “zoom out” of issues, two postures that have become cornerstones of our leadership foundation, we can then also cultivate a diverse pool of relationships that will allow us to maintain the type of agile and “adaptable” industry that USDA Under Secretary Jenny Lester-Moffit stressed as critical to our future.
Servant Leadership
The last nine days have been full of leaders. Leaders with different backgrounds, positions, and personal stories. One common thread however, was the leadership style of being a Servant Leader. What does it mean to be a servant leader? A servant leader is someone who listens to their followers closely to better understand their individual needs. They will also hold themselves and others accountable for their words and actions. Throughout our trip, we met multiple leaders who showed servant leadership ranging from local communities to Congress. In Sacramento, we met with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (AD-29) and he spoke about the importance of serving your local community, just as he has by representing rural communities in his district. He shows the impact one person can have.
“Bloom Where You’re Planted”
Anne Knapke, Deputy Chief of Staff, OSEC USDA
In Minneapolis, we visited George Floyd Square and experienced how a whole community can come together through tragedy and start a revolution of change. That change is happening at the Sanneh Foundation, where Tony Sanneh exemplifies the meaning of being a servant leader by helping the youth throughout his community and developing the next generation of servant leaders.
We ended the trip in Washington D.C. where we met several individuals exemplifying this leadership style. Individuals like Helena Bottmiller-Evich who serves the American people with writings about food safety or Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) who serve their communities by representing them on the national stage. At the end of our trip, we may have been exhausted when we left under the dark skies of Washington D.C. As the sunrise warmed our faces, there too was a warmth inside all of us. A warmth that was radiating from the fire that was started inside us, because of this trip. A fire to serve our communities, a fire to serve agriculture, and a fire to be a Leader.
“We won’t stop until every human in this nation will thrive.”
Pastor Lamar, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopalian (AME) Church.
Collective Voice and the Digital Divide
In leadership, how you show up and tell your story is critical. This journey has taught us the importance of listening to the collective voice and being intentional about inclusivity. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to hear diverse perspectives and to widen our understanding of these complex situations we face as a global community.
Although we may all come from different backgrounds, and perhaps disagree on how to tackle specific issues, just listening and holding space for leaders who are working on issues at the local level helps us to learn how we can better serve our own communities. Our visit to the National Defense University taught us that sometimes we may walk away with a “worst best-case scenario” or even a “best worst-case scenario”, and that it is necessary to bring everyone to the table in order to really solve problems effectively.
“You will have to compromise to get things done. What you shouldn’t compromise is your ideals and your honesty.”
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18)
As agriculturists, it is important that we share our message and passion for feeding the world. This trip has taught us that showing up and bringing our voices to the table adds value to the conversation. As Dr. Robert Boenish, Global Food Security Advisor at the US Department of State said, “It’s hard to get your way if you don’t have a seat at the table.”
Reliable rural connectivity as a critical need was echoed throughout the trip. In fact, access to Broadband internet for rural communities is a key priority for the Biden administration, an issue reiterated by Paul Harrison, Director of the Office of Agriculture Policy. Director Harrison echoed that food security is national security, and that access to information is necessary to elevate growers to further boost yields and build resilience. Improved rural connectivity can further support agriculturalists to join the conversation and better advocate for what is needed to continue to grow.
Until We Meet Again
Our journey to our nation’s capital emphasized the power of relationships, introduced us to impactful leaders practicing servant leadership, and showed us the value of bringing everyone to the table to understand the collective voice.
As we close out the Class 53 National Trip, we cannot help but feel the weight of that bittersweet first step back in our home state of California. We bring back with us the extraordinary words and lessons of leadership learned, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity we were met with throughout our journey. The caliber of speakers throughout this experience was unmatched, and we are humbled to have this opportunity of a lifetime. In the words of A.A. Milne, “how lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”.
Gratefully,
Trent Voss, Kyle Colins, Jeana Cadby and the members of Class 53
