June in Full Bloom
Building Partnerships, Sparking Momentum, and Setting the Pace for a Busy Season Ahead
National Farm & Ranch Business Management Education Association Conference
National Farm & Ranch Business Management Education Association Conference in Louisville, KY – Tina joined approximately a dozen Minnesota Farm Business Management instructors at the National Farm & Ranch Business Management Education Association Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in mid-June. The annual conference brings together farm business management professionals from across the country to share ideas, best practices, and innovative programming.
As part of the conference, Tina presented a workshop highlighting the farm transition initiatives led by our team. The session was well received and showcased Minnesota’s leadership in helping farm families navigate the complexities of succession and transition planning.
Transportation Works! – We were excited to partner with Transportation Works!, led by the South Central Service Cooperative, for a two-day career exploration experience. Students participated in hands-on activities and tours that highlighted transportation careers within agriculture, including diesel technology, heavy equipment, precision agriculture, and agricultural drone technology. A special thank you to South Central College, Ziegler CAT, Arnold’s of Mankato, Crystal Valley Cooperative, and Guentzel Family Farms Partnership for providing students with meaningful, real-world experiences and a firsthand look at exciting career opportunities in agriculture.
"From Field to Future: An Immersive Agricultural Experience"
We had the opportunity to participate in the EXCITE Externship led by the NE Metro Perkins Consortium, 17 educators took part in our “From Field to Future: An Immersive Agricultural Experience” held at the Miron Century Farm outside of Hugo, MN. This hands on experience connected agriculture, food, and natural resources pathways to real career opportunities through partnerships with the Miron Century Farm, Midwest Machinery Co., Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom, and AgCentric. Check out the action and captured smiles in the video below:
RCTC Middle School Summer Academy
We enjoyed returning to Rochester Community and Technical College for the Summer Middle School Career Camp, hosted by the Southeast Service Cooperative. Students spent the week exploring career pathways, and our team introduced them to careers in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources through hands-on activities, including the combine simulator, an exploration of modern agricultural technology, and an interactive AFNR careers Jeopardy game. A special thank you to Hayfield FFA advisor Mr. Crowson for partnering with us to create an engaging learning experience.
Small Gas Engines BriefCASE
We were pleased to host a 3 day Small Gas Engines BriefCASE workshop (curriculum provided by the National Council for Agricultural Education) at Owatonna High School, welcoming 21 agricultural educators from across the country for hands-on professional development. Participants strengthened their skills by disassembling, reassembling, and troubleshooting small gas engines while gaining classroom-ready instructional techniques. These 21 teachers will take what they learned back to the classroom to teach the curriculum to their students. We put together a video highlighting this event.
Minnesota Cattlewomen Summer Event
The Minnesota CattleWomen’s Association Summer Meeting and Awards Banquet was held June 19 at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University campus in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
This year’s theme, “Direct Marketing Beef From Primal to Profit,” brought together producers, butchers, and industry experts to share practical insight on the logistics and financial side of direct to consumer beef sales.
Tina LeBrun, Executive Director of the Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence, proudly represented both the Center of Excellence and the Farm Business Management program as a panelist, contributing valuable perspective on education, industry connections, and producer success.
Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Opportunities (YELLO) Conference
A major highlight was our 6-hour immersive MAJOR session led through a strong collaborative partnership with AgCentric and the Washington Conservation District.
Ag Education Day at the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
Just watch the smiles, they tell the story of the day:
Farm Transition Survey Data Results
In early June, we submitted a press release sharing the data learned from the farm transition survey that we talked about in our May Advisory Board meeting. You can view the press release and the full survey by visiting to top of Farm Transition page at: https://centerofagriculture.org/farm-transition/.
In addition, Tina was interviewed on the Linder Farm Network and there will be more radio interviews in the weeks ahead.
FBM Facebook Analytics – We have put a ton of work and effort into helping to showcase the great work that’s happening with Farm Business Management. It is paying off and we’re reaching people who haven’t been reached before! For the month of June, we have some very impressive Facebook analytics to share. WOW!
