Des Moines, IA – The Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) Foundation awards 15 scholarships each year to ag students who attend an Iowa Community College in the spring of 2018. Scholarships were awarded during the Agribusiness Career Day on February 14, 2018. Each $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by an industry member company. Launched in 2014, the ABC Day is celebrating its five-year anniversary. 2018 event set a record for attendance with more than 240 students.
Doug Frodl of Northern Country Coop in Staceyville, Iowa, spoke to students on the importance of internships and being prepared when entering the job market. A panel of speakers discussing global agriculture, moderated by Agribusiness Report anchor David Geiger included Charles Boateng - Monsanto Huxley Learning Center, Tara Howell - Kent Nutrition Group, and Rosalind Fox - John Deere Des Moines Works. Other speakers included: Joel Brinkmeyer, AAI CEO, and David Chaffin, Iowa CCA Program board member.
The AAI Foundation brought in Chad Pregracke from East Moline, Illinois, to speak to the students. In 1998, at the age of 23, Chad founded Living Lands & Waters and in 2013 Chad was named CNN's Hero of the Year for his conservation work on the Mississippi River.
Ultimately, Chad's message is about much more than cleaning rivers. He believes his story is proof that anyone can make a difference. "If I had one thing to say, it wouldn't even be about rivers necessarily. It would be about finding (a) cause that's dear to you and taking action...." said Chad. "Change is slow, like a barge or train, (but) once it builds momentum, it's hard to stop."