KFB President Eddie Melton (left), poses with Benjamin Jones at the conference at MSU in June.
Benjamin Jones of Caldwell County was among 83 high school students from across Kentucky who recently attended and returned home from Kentucky Farm Bureau’s five-day Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders summer conference.
Officials report that two identical Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders conferences took place this summer, with 41 students—including Jones—attending Murray State University from June 15 to 19, and 42 students participating at the University of Kentucky from June 22 to 26.
The Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders program gives high school students a firsthand look at college life while introducing them to various career paths in agriculture. Throughout the week, officials said participants took part in educational and leadership activities that deepened their understanding of the agriculture industry, including its challenges, the role of science in farming, and how policy is shaped through the political process.
