Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) is launching the new Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council.
The goal of this Council, comprised of youth leaders from around the state, is to provide students interested in the agriculture industry an experience that cultivates leadership and career development while developing the potential workforce for Mississippi. Any public, private or homeschool students can apply to become a member of the Agriculture Youth Council, and final applicants will be chosen by representatives at MDAC.
“I am so excited to launch the first-ever Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council,” said Commissioner Gipson. “As the future of agriculture in our state, we are proud to give these students the opportunity to develop leadership, advocacy and employability skills through professional development, industry exposure and experiential learning in a variety of agriculture careers. So, I want to invite any youth leaders and students interested in the agriculture industry to apply for this incredible opportunity to serve during your senior year of high school. We will choose 12-15 students as members to serve on the Council for one year.”
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be a 12th grade student during the 2021-2022 school year. Current 11th graders in the 2020-2021 school year may apply to serve during the upcoming school year.
- Any public, private or homeschool students may apply.
- Students must exhibit an interest, passion and/or experiences in agriculture.
Applications can be found online at agnetuat.mdac.ms.gov/youthcouncil/. All applications are due by Thursday, April 1, 2021. Semifinalists will be notified by April 15, 2021. Final interviews will be held virtually, and 12-15 youth leaders will be announced by Friday, May 14, 2021.
For more information about the Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council, visit www.mdac.ms.gov or contact Gayle Fortenberry at gayle@mdac.ms.gov or Emily Stovall at emilys@mdac.ms.gov.
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Release from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
