AgrIInstitute establishes new endowment

Friday, September 4, 2015
Celebating the creation of the AgrIInstitute's 14th Indiana Community Foundation endowment in Putnam County are (front, from left) Elaine Peck, Putnam County Foundation executive director; Jane Huge, animal health specialist, ALP Class 9; Beth Archer, AgrIInstitute executive director; Ken Eitel, Hometown Vision LLC, Putnam County Community Foundation vice president, ALP Class 7; (back, from left) Todd Lewis, Putnam County Foundation president, First National Bank; Todd Masten, Co-Alliance, ALP Class 10; Keith Berry, Putnam County agri-businessman, County Council, past president of the National Pork Producers; and Ron Birt, district director, USDA, Putnam County Purdue Club president, ALP Class 5. (Courtesy photo)

AgrIInstitute, a statewide organization that serves the Indiana agricultural industry (and the local farmer) announced the creation of its 14th Indiana Community Foundation endowment.

AgrIInstitute is a people-capacity building organization that builds people networks for agriculture and rural Indiana. Its premier program is the Agricultural Leadership Program (ALP), a two-year leadership development program for adults engaged in agricultural and related industry careers.

"The Putnam County Community Foundation is excited to join the network of Indiana community foundations with an endowment that will support the growth of future Putnam County agricultural leaders and sustain the leadership programs of AgrIInstitute," shared Elaine Peck, the executive director of the Community Foundation. "Putnam County has 10 graduates of the Agricultural Leadership Program, all of whom are or have been in community leadership positions."

"In the past 30 years more than 400 individuals have participated in the program, expanding their knowledge of the depth and breadth of the agricultural economy at local, state, national and international levels and increasing their capacity to be better decision-makers in their local communities," Beth Archer, executive director of AgrIInstitute, said. "AgrIInstitute is now recruiting for ALP Class XVII and is hoping to enroll an agribusiness person from Putnam County."

Each ALP class consists of up to 30 individuals statewide who are selected by application and interview. Each class represents the diversity of agriculture and its service industries including crop and animal production, agribusiness products, food processing, transportation, legal and accounting services, and myriad of other agricultural industry interests.

The program features 12 seminars for each ALP class every two years and provides 10 in-state three-day seminars featuring training in public policy issues and leadership skill development areas. In addition, class members attend a week of study in Washington, D.C., and two weeks of international study. The goal for the program is to prepare class members to be effective leaders in the agricultural industry, their respective businesses and local, state and national leadership service. Putnam County's ALP graduates represent a diverse segment of agriculture and community service. They are: Kim Ames, Fillmore, Ames 4K Farms, member of Co-Alliance board of directors, ALP Class 9; Jackie Baumann, Greencastle, retired Purdue Cooperative Extension educator, community volunteer, ALP Class 6; Ron Birt, Greencastle, district director, USDA, Putnam County Purdue Club president, ALP Class 5; Matt Chandler, Fillmore, Eli Lilly, Chandler Farms, a fruit and vegetable farm, ALP Class 9; Ken Eitel, Greencastle, former business owner, Hometown Vision LLC, and active Putnam County leader, ALP Class 7; Jane Huge, Cloverdale, animal health specialist, ALP Class 9; Mark Legan, Coatesville, Legan Farms, active with National Pork Producers, American Soybean/Indiana Soybean/Indiana Pork, ALP Class 7; Todd Masten, Greencastle, Co-Alliance, ALP Class 10; Phyllis Legan, Coatesville, Legan Farms, SWCD board member, ALP Class 13; and Pam Patrick, Cloverdale, Indiana Farmers Union board member, ALP Class 6. Paul Hodgen, of Roachdale and Hodgen Farms is a member of the current ALP Class 16.

The Putnam County Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1985 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership, enriching the quality of life and strengthening community in Putnam County forever. To obtain information about establishing a permanent charitable endowment, persons may contact Executive Director Peck at 653-4978 or epeck@pcfoundation.org.

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