By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist
Texas Farm Bureau’s AgLead XV class toured the West Coast on a four-day trip and returned with new insights and perspectives.
The trip gave AgLead participants the chance to make connections with West Coast farmers, business owners and Farm Bureau members from Oregon and Washington. Beyond the common issues and challenges they all face, they discussed challenges unique to agriculture on the West Coast.
“The biggest takeaway has been how closely related we are in our endeavors and how heavily regulated they are,” Austen White, AgLead participant and rancher from Wilbarger County, said. “It’s been a big eye opener for me to see how diversified you have to be up here to continue to be profitable.”
The group explored topics including water, regulatory, environmental, labor, state government, local agriculture and organic production. They also visited both Oregon and Washington Farm Bureau headquarters.
They saw agricultural operations that are different from what they are used to.
Participants visited Stahlbush Farms, a 5,000-acre farm in Oregon that offers frozen fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.
“We sat down with Stahlbush Farms with Karla Chamber, and we basically had an economics lesson. It gave us some insight into what we were going to do for the next two years economically,” White said. “That was an eye-opener. We went in bullish, and we all left bearish.”
The group also toured Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm & Vineyard and Oregon Flowers, getting a deeper look into the floral industry.
Before touring Washington, they visited other Oregon farms, including Inchinnan Farms where they meet with representatives from the Oregon Hazelnut Industry.
While in Washington, the group caught a glimpse into a unique perspective of the state’s agriculture. They toured Taylor Shellfish Farms, Shaver Transportation, United Grain Corporation’s export elevator and the city of Seattle.
“AgLead’s unique in the aspect that we get to go into places, be at the Pentagon—like when we were in D.C. on a previous trip, and this trip, we sat down with two state Farm Bureaus,” White said. “It’s a leadership group that allows us to go places that a lot of folks in agriculture only get to read about.”
Tryce Berend, a rancher from Somervell County, noted that he joined AgLead to challenge himself to become a stronger leader. And AgLead has provided him with opportunities to do so.
“I wanted to challenge myself and better myself in public speaking and in leadership. I thought AgLead would be a good program to help further my experience and knowledge in those areas,” he said.
The two-year program was created to empower Texas farmers and ranchers to advocate for agriculture beyond their farms and ranches. It exposes Texas farmers and ranchers to agriculture across the United States and offers opportunities to discuss current issues with legislators, see different techniques and practices from other states and gives them new perspectives on agriculture on a global scale.
For more information about AgLead, visit texasfarmbureau.org/aglead.
Texas Farm Bureau will begin accepting applications for the next class in 2023.