Fields joins Agriculture Future of America board
The organization’s supporters are a who’s who of agriculture, including representatives from John Deere, Bunge and Cargill, to name a few.
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
June 12, 2024
Fast facts:
- Fields joins AFA Board for 2024
- Fields is one of two academic representatives
(406 words)
(Newsrooms: With art )
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has joined the board of the Agriculture Future of America.
The Kansas City, Missouri, organization aims to develop students into leaders by fostering professionalism, entrepreneurialism and intellectualism. AFA accomplishes this through programs that help students develop professionally, as well as offering scholarships.
The organization’s supporters are a who’s who of agriculture, including representatives from John Deere, Bunge and Cargill, to name a few.
Fields is one of two academic representatives on the board. As head of the Division of Agriculture, he oversees both the research and outreach arms of the Land-Grant mission in Arkansas. In his previous post as dean of the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences — which represents the education part of the Land-Grant triad — he was very involved in helping students prepare for careers in agriculture.
“It’s a great honor to be part of this organization, especially since its mission is very much in parallel with what we do in the Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College in terms of leadership and professional development,” Fields said. “The networking possibilities with AFA are limitless.”
Fields’ term is three years.
The Division of Agriculture develops young leaders through two Cooperative Extension Service outreach programs — Arkansas 4-H and the Future Ag Leaders of Arkansas, presented by Community, Professional and Economic Development.
2024 AFA Board of Directors
Along with Fields, the AFA’s 2024 board of directors includes:
- Camille Abrams, senior vice president, finance energy and processing an food ingredients, CHS Inc.
- Rebeckah Adcock, vice president, U.S. government relations; International Fresh Produce Association
- Teddy Bekele, chief technology officer, Land O'Lakes, Inc.
- Jon Chase, vice president of marketing and shared services for ag and turf, John Deere
- Jarrod Gilling, president, business operations and supply chain; Cargill
- Ivory Harris, chief human resources officer, AGCO Corporation
- Nilesh Karava, vice president, Fairlife technical, innovation and stewardship; The Coca-Cola Company
- Scott Kay, vice president, U.S. Crop; BASF Agricultural Solutions
- Kate Lambert, senior vice president, marketing; Farm Credit
- Joel Mathiowetz, Mathiowetz Family Farms
- Matt Plitt, president and CEO, Valent
- Adrianna Ratterman, vice president, U.S. eastern Cornbelt commercial unit; Corteva Agriscience
- Gwyn Schramm, senior vice president, strategic accounts and licensing; Bayer Crop Science
- Rachel Sorenson, director, human resources; Bunge
- Mark Stewart, president and CEO, Agriculture Future of America
- R. Elaine Turner, dean of the college of agricultural and life sciences, University of Florida
- Manda Tweten, president, strategic customers; ADM
With program participation increasing 28 percent in the last five years, AFA has provided 26,000 leadership development experiences to college leaders and young professionals from more than 200 colleges and universities throughout 43 states since its inception in 1996. AFA has awarded more than $11.5 million in academic scholarships.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu