Baton
Rouge, La – Nineteen participants from Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas were
honored during a graduation ceremony on Friday, Sept. 18 for completing their
two-year course of study in the Southern University Ag Center’s Small Farmer
Agricultural Leadership Institute.
The
graduation ceremony marked the completion of the Institute’s 5th class in its 10-year history.
United
States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Dr.
Joe Leonard served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.
Leonard
praised the SU Ag Center’s administrators and Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin, director
of the Institute, for sharing the program with not only the citizens of
Louisiana; but the Southern region of the country.
“This
is the best part of my job,” said Leonard, “meeting you all.”
Leonard
went on to thank the participants for the time they invested and encouraged them
to continue to learn.
“We
see you and honor the accomplishments that you have made. We are looking forward
to greater accomplishments,” said Leonard.
He
concluded his speech by sharing the final words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN.
After being told that one of the members of the “The Soul Stirrers” singing
group was downstairs in the hotel. Dr. King said, “Tomorrow, at the next event,
play (the song) ‘Precious Lord, Take My Hand’ and play it real pretty for me.” King
was shot and murdered in the next instance.
“I
bring that up because his truth marches on in you all. Some 45 years later you
have to feel and believe that truth marches on. And I could be wrong or I could
be right, but whatever endeavor you do, you will have to take the Lord’s hand.”
Dr.
L. Washington Lyons, Executive Administrator of the Association of Executive
Administrators presided over the program. SU Ag Center interim Chancellor Dr.
Adell Brown, Jr. provided a welcome and opening remarks and Vice Chancellor for
Extension Dr. Gina E. Eubanks provided the program’s closing remarks.
The
ceremony was also attended by Kevin Norton, Director of Louisiana’s USDA
National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Craig McCain, Director of
Louisiana’s USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).
About the Small
Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute
The
Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute is a two-year course of study
specifically designed to guide small, socially disadvantaged, limited resource
and/or minority farmers through the transformative process of becoming
successful agricultural entrepreneurs.
The
goal of the Institute is to promote the sustainability of small family farms
through enhanced business management skills and leadership development. The
leadership institute has taken the majority of the participants from being just
small producers through the mindset of being great producers with limited
acreage, herds or holdings.
The
SU Ag Center is collaborating with the Southern University Law Center, Alcorn
State University - Small Farm Development Center, Prairie View A & M
University - Cooperative Extension Program and North Carolina A & T State
University - Cooperative Extension Program to bring the Institute to the
farmers in various locations.
For
more information about the SU Ag Center’s Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership
Training Institute contact Dawn Mellion-Patin, Ph.D., director, at 225-771-3532
or visit, http://www.suagcenter.com/small-farmers.
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Contact: LaKeeshia Giddens-Lusk at 225-771-2160 or via e-mail lakeeshia_giddens@suagcenter.com
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