Peanut Leadership Academy
Peanut Leadership Academy Visits Texas
Session III of the Peanut Leadership Academy brought Class XIII to the Southwest, where participants traveled to Lubbock, Texas, for another educational experience focused on peanut production, agriculture, leadership development, and industry collaboration.
The session began with a tour of the Birdsong Shelling Plant in Brownfield, Texas. Participants learned more about the peanut grading process and had the opportunity to tour the shelling facility, gaining firsthand insight into how peanuts move from the farm through processing.
The group then visited SM Fab, a family-owned custom equipment fabrication company that specializes in manufacturing round cotton bale handlers for cotton gins and producers. The tour provided an inside look at innovative equipment designed to improve efficiency in cotton production.
Lunch was held at Y Knot Vineyard, owned by current Peanut Leadership Academy participant Henry Froese, where attendees enjoyed a meal catered by former PLA participant Mason Becker.
Following lunch, participants toured peanut and cotton fields operated by current PLA members Kirk Martin and Henry Froese, offering an opportunity to compare production practices and discuss farming challenges unique to the region.
The first day concluded with a steak dinner at Cagle’s Steakhouse, providing additional opportunities for networking and fellowship among participants and industry leaders.
Leadership Development and Industry Education
Day two began with an educational session featuring media training led by Lauren Highfill Williams of the National Peanut Board and Dr. Lindsay Kennedy of Texas Tech University. Participants learned how to effectively communicate with the media and gained valuable experience preparing for various types of interviews.
Tom Sell of Combest, Sell and Associates also provided an update on the current status of the Farm Bill and discussed important legislative developments taking place in Washington, D.C. These sessions helped prepare participants for Session IV, which will include visits with Congressional leaders during the program’s Washington, D.C., experience.
Exploring Agriculture Across West Texas
After the morning educational sessions, the class continued its tours throughout the Lubbock area.
Stops included:
- Schilling Cotton Field
- Back to Nature Composting, where cotton burs are converted into compost.
- Lubbock Feeders.
- Texas Tech Meats Lab.
These visits exposed participants to several different segments of agriculture while demonstrating the connections between crop production, livestock, sustainability, and agricultural research.
Looking Ahead to Washington, D.C.
Session III provided participants with numerous new experiences while expanding their understanding of agriculture beyond peanut production alone. The combination of industry tours, leadership development, policy discussions, and networking opportunities made the Texas session another memorable stop in the Peanut Leadership Academy program.
The next session will take Class XIII to Washington, D.C., where participants will meet with their respective Congressional leaders while continuing their leadership development through additional educational sessions and industry tours.
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