Food Science Major Is a USDA Future Leader in Agriculture

Senior Food and Nutritional Sciences major Alaina Brock has been chosen as one of 20 Future Leaders in Agriculture by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, one of only 20 undergraduate and graduate students selected from the nation’s land-grant universities and Hispanic-serving institutions.

The program is aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science, and pre-veterinary studies. The program is supported by the University of Maryland – Eastern Shore, Farm Credit Agency and USDA.

“The Future Leaders Program is at the heart of our efforts to cultivate an agricultural workforce as diverse as America itself,” said USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack. “These students represent the exciting future of agriculture, and USDA is committed to fostering their development which is essential to ensuring a robust and sustainable food system.”

When Larry Hartsfield, N.C. A&T’s agricultural liaison officer to USDA, told Brock about the program, she didn’t think she had much of a chance.

“I thought it was mainly for those interested in agribusiness or agricultural policy,” she said. “But then, I saw that food science was one of the majors allowed to apply, and it made me feel good because it told me, ‘You deserve to learn about the future of agriculture because your major relates to it.’ “

As part of her application, Brock was tasked with writing a one-page essay on “Agriculture as a Career.”

“I’m a food science major, and we have a saying that ‘Everyone has to eat,’ ” Brock said. “That’s especially true given that our global population is booming. I talked about that in the essay, as well as my interests in food science, such as fermentation in dairy products.”

USDA Liaison Lisa Purnell, who read Brock’s essay and called her in late January to notify her of her entry to the program, called the student “an exceptional young lady” and “a great representative of N.C. A&T.”

“The Future Leaders in Agriculture Program is one of many examples of USDA’s commitment to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals, like Alaina and the other student participants across the nation and build a workforce more representative of America,” said Purnell.

Brock traveled to Washington earlier this month with other winners, to tour the capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. The group also participated in several USDA briefings and had the opportunity to network with agency leaders.

“The forum looked at the state of agriculture in the United States – what crops are up-and-coming, what problems are we facing, and what needs to be addressed right now,” she said.

During the tour, Brock and the other students met USDA leaders, including Chief Economist Seth Meyer, Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small.

“Meeting Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Torres Small was probably my favorite part of the trip,” said Brock. “Both of them were so personable and gave us insight on how they found their passions within agriculture. My fellow program participants and I were also proud when they mentioned how excited they were about the future of agriculture after our group discussed our interests and desired careers with them.”

In addition to agricultural policy, Brock said the session taught her a life lesson as well.

“Always be open to trying things,” said Brock. “When I heard about the program and the Agricultural Outlook Forum, I figured that I had no chance of winning, but I tried anyway. I’m proud of having that courage, especially given how small our cohort is this year and how competitive the program is.”