Shaping Cotton's Emerging Leaders

Earlier this year, eight U.S. cotton industry members were chosen to participate in the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) Emerging Leaders Program.

Overall, the Program provides participants with a better understanding of how the NCC carries out its mission of ensuring the U.S. cotton industry’s seven segments can compete effectively and profitably at home and abroad.

One of the participants, Kirk Teixeira from Fresno, California…

“I applied to the Emerging Leaders Program because I would like to develop a more comprehensive understanding of all the aspects of the cotton industry with the goal of one day becoming a knowledgeable leader and an advocate for cotton farmers.”

The first session was focused on professional development and communications. Now the group will move to policy development while attending the NCC Annual Meeting in February and eventually take a trip to DC to focus on policy implementation…

“I think my favorite part from the first session was connecting with fellow cotton farmers across the country. I gained valuable insights into how they integrate cotton into their diverse farming operations. I really enjoyed talking to all of them and learning from them as well.”

Now in its tenth year, the NCC’s Emerging Leaders Program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer. I’m noticing no members from the Southeast in this year’s contingency, so I’ll keep an eye out to announce when they open applications again.