Bringing young farmers together
CFE's CORE program provides connections, tools to help farmers reach their goals
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-Photo submitted courtesy of CFE
Tours are vital to the success of CFE’s CORE group, which takes participants to ag industry facilities, the ISU research farm near Ames, local large dairies, and more. This gives participants another perspective of what happens behind the scenes in agriculture. Tours and conferences can take a day, and they have a couple of overnight conferences they attend as well.
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-Photo submitted courtesy of CFE
Rob Jacobs, left, CEO of CFE, looks on as participants in one of the CORE group sessions gather to finish up some business. CORE was designed by CFE officials to help grow leaders within the cooperative and in the communities in which they do business.
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-Submitted photo
The CORE group meets at various places around northwest Iowa during the 18-month course. The group may also take part in tours of ag industry facilities, like the one being given here.
-Photo submitted courtesy of CFE
Tours are vital to the success of CFE’s CORE group, which takes participants to ag industry facilities, the ISU research farm near Ames, local large dairies, and more. This gives participants another perspective of what happens behind the scenes in agriculture. Tours and conferences can take a day, and they have a couple of overnight conferences they attend as well.
OCHEYEDAN — Making connections, helping young farmers learn from industry leaders and understanding the cooperative system are some key focal points behind Cooperative Farmer’s Elevator’s (CFE’s) CORE program.
CORE began in 2020, providing events, connections with industry experts and tools to help young farmers reach their operational goals and (in time) become leaders in their communities and their industry.
The program is made to be beneficial to farmers at all stages in their career, but places the main focus on young farmers.
“Each class in this free 18-month program has 25 to 30 members who are actively involved in a farming operation and engaged in their communities,” said Katie Flick, CFE marketing manager.
Flick said their drive to provide young farmers with additional opportunities is one of the ways CFE is raising the standard of what it means to be a cooperative member.
-Photo submitted courtesy of CFE
Rob Jacobs, left, CEO of CFE, looks on as participants in one of the CORE group sessions gather to finish up some business. CORE was designed by CFE officials to help grow leaders within the cooperative and in the communities in which they do business.
“We want to be a resource for these young leaders,” she said.
The group meets at various places around northwest Iowa during the 18-month course, with six evening meetings and two overnight conferences.
“Topics can range from farm financials and tax planning, livestock performance analytics and enhancing production to government relations and leadership, grain marketing basics and break-evens, along with (learning how the CFE cooperative) works,” said Flick.
She added that they like to include tours of ag industry facilities, such as the Iowa State University Research Farm near Ames, local dairies, etc.
“We invite (ag industry) leaders, engineers, professors, attorneys, conservationists, etc., along with politicians like (Sen.) Chuck Grassley, (Iowa Secretary of Agriculture) Mike Naig and (Rep.) Randy Feenstra, and some motivational speakers,” said Flick.
-Submitted photo
The CORE group meets at various places around northwest Iowa during the 18-month course. The group may also take part in tours of ag industry facilities, like the one being given here.
The CORE group meets every other month.
Flick said the course works hard to help drive the success of young farmers, who will lead agriculture into the next generation through networking, education, leadership development and more.
The next CORE class will begin this coming fall. Young leaders who might be interested can apply on CFE’s website, https://www.coopfe.com/core-investing-in-our-future-farmers/
