More than 40 years ago, the University of Nebrasa organized a leadership development program known as Nebraska LEAD.  The purpose according to LEAD executive director, Terry Hejny was to introduce people to Nebraska agriculutre and be able to address issues within the agricultural community.

Nebraska LEAD is a two-year commitment with the first year focused on domestic programs along with a trip usually to our nation’s capital, and other major agricultural cities such as Moline, Kansas City, and Chicago.  During the second year, the leadership class travels to an international destination to focus on agricultural trade.  Class 40 recently traveled to Central America and visited Costa Rica, Columbia, and Panama.

While visiting Central America, Hejny says the group saw coffee farms and a coffee research facility, as well as a cattle ranch, and the soybean export council and national wheat growers.  Hejny says several graduates of the Nebraska LEAD program have gone on to become leaders with farm groups and commodity organizations, as well as a U-S Senator.

Hejny says they are now recruiting and accepting applications for Class 42.