Applications are now being accepted for Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy. To be eligible for participation, candidates must derive their primary livelihood from farming and currently produce peanuts, make a commitment to the program and agree to attend all sessions except in times of illness or a family emergency, be between the ages of 30 and 45 (preferred, but not required) and provide a completed application.
The Peanut Leadership Academy is a cooperative effort between Syngenta Crop Protection, the American Peanut Shellers Association and grower organizations. The program began in 1998 with the first class of 14 peanut growers from Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Since then, the academy has continued to grow to include growers from Texas, Mississippi , North Carolina, Virginia and sheller representatives.
During the program, participants are taught how to become more effective spokespeople for the peanut industry, develop industry relationships and further grow their leadership skills. Five sessions take place throughout the 18 month class and require approximately 20 days of travel. During these sessions, activities are structured to give participants a thorough understanding of the U.S. peanut industry and include field trips, meetings with industry leaders and professional development training. Each class also has one leadership session in Washington, D.C. where class members have an opportunity to visit with their congressmen about issues affecting the peanut industry.
To download a copy of the upcoming class application, click here. Applications must be postmarked by Sept. 1, 2016, for consideration. The first session will begin in December 2016.