1. Media connections
   1. Known in the industry or community as a media spokesperson
      1. Asked to comment on storm damage and other issues related to agriculture
      2. Called local television stations and newspapers to lend expertise or refer them to other MARL alum
      3. Appeared on "Farm Connections" on KMSQ with Dan Hoffman
         1. Created greater visibility in the community
            1. Developed new networks
   2. Able to use the MARL network to educate others on different areas of agriculture
      1. Used the MARL network to developed expertise on hemp for an interview
   3. Better able to navigate media relationships
      1. Less defensive
      2. Better able to frame the message
         1. Able to communicate the importance of agriculture
2. Projects in the Community
   1. Formed group of leaders to brainstorm how to revitalize the Dodge Center Community Club
      1. Engaged in fundraising for the Dodge Center Pool
         1. The Dodge Center Pool was created
   2. Started a Young Professionals Group for younger community members in Redwood Falls with other MARL alum
      1. Helped young professionals develop leadership skills and recognize their strengths
   3. Started a local Future Farmers of America alumni chapter
   4. Received a $9 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant for Redrock Rural Water Systems
   5. Developed rural water projects in northern MN
      1. MARL alumni/ae put in suggestions for water-related grants
   6. Sponsored tours and visits to own farms
      1. Hosted 9 tour groups
      2. Hosted approximately 2,000 people
      3. Hosted approximately 6,000 people, about 5,500 from MARL connections
   7. Able to teach individuals in the community with specific expertise how to lead and become more involved
      1. Coached a local leader
         1. Helped the town of Dennison raise $30,000 to put in a park
3. Greater awareness and understanding of the agriculture industry in Minnesota
   1. Learned more about the different industries including shipping, paper mills, wild rice, sugar beets, biofuel, dairy, hemp, and fishing
      1. Gained an understanding that everyone is fighting for their own industry
      2. Able to network outside of and between commodity groups
         1. Productive forum between representatives of the Minnesota Turkey Grower's Association, the Minnesota Corn Grower's Association and Senator Al Franken about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) at FarmFest 2012.
            1. Planned to continue discussions
   2. Better understands the "languages" of different counties and locales
      1. Helped ease divide between Northern and Southern Minnesota
   3. Gained greater familiarity with overall picture of agriculture in Minnesota
      1. Gained knowledge of how issues are intertwined
         1. Able to dissect issues on a more broad-based level
      2. Advocated in D.C. during 2008 Farm Bill discussions
         1. Figured out ways to find compromise within the bigger picture
      3. Gained an appreciation that it is not just about the bottom line, but about the bigger picture of Minnesota agriculture
   4. Increased understanding of national Farm Bill lobbying
   5. Able to be knowledgable ambassadors for the state of Minnesota and its agriculture industry
   6. Gained new knowledge of international issues related to Minnesota agriculture after trips abroad
      1. Keeps up on international issues and economics for job in banking
         1. Able to make better referrals to customers
      2. Gained understanding of perceptions of the U.S. by other countries and implications of U.S. policy on the destination country
4. Leadership competencies
   1. Used information on how to run effective meetings
      1. Tries to get other MARL alumni/ae on boards because knows they have common expertise in running meetings
      2. Better able to keep meetings on task and manage people
      3. Better able to set an agenda on boards and committees
   2. Gained greater interpersonal awareness from the Myers-Briggs assessment
      1. Used knowledge during board meetings
      2. Used knowledge with employees
         1. Helped employees understand others not like them
         2. Better able to capitalize on employee strengths
      3. Better able to communicate with individuals with very different views
   3. Gained greater self-awareness from the EQI - emotional intelligence assessment and coaching
      1. Learned about own strengths and weaknesses
         1. Said "yes" to new opportunities
            1. Lended expertise to water quality discussions between representatives of the agriculture and conservation sectors through Clean Up the River Environment (CURE)
            2. Hosted a group from 6 different countries to talk about sustainable agriculture
            3. Hosts the MARL Social during FarmFest each year
            4. Approximately 100+ participants attend each year
   4. Developed critical thinking skills
      1. Used program materials on critical thinking at place of work to coach others
   5. Possible future leadership issues to be addressed by MARL
      1. Harder to stand up with activist organizations related to animal treatment, environmental concerns, and other contentious issues
         1. Some alumni/ae may be reluctant to put their names in the directory because they may be targeted by activist groups
         2. How to handle these situations, including risk management, celebrity
         3. Content related to these concerns currently being added to the MARL curriculum
5. Leadership applied in personal life
   1. Said yes to invitation to host a live Nativity on farm with 7 churches in community
      1. Networked with members of the community
         1. Asked to serve on township board
   2. Encouraged daughter to do People to People in Australia after international travel in China
      1. Daughter became more involved in leadership programs
         1. 4H
         2. Future Farmers of America
         3. State Pork Ambassador
   3. Developed greater trust in employees
      1. Able to be gone for state boards participation, MARL meetings
         1. Developed better work-life balance
   4. Witnessed poverty, crime, and the challenges of the inner city on the MARL visits to Minneapolis and north Saint Paul
      1. Made donation to Sisters' Visitation Safe House
6. Social capital
   1. Expanded personal social networks
      1. Used Facebook to network with MARL alumni/ae
         1. Generated knowledge of other MARL alums not in the same cohort
         2. Able to get updates on MARL alumni/ae activities
            1. Able to give congratulations and support when alumni/ae have achievements and losses
   2. Engaged with MARL alumni/ae network as a "fraternity of professional people"
      1. Used MARL directory to network for boards, committees and work
         1. Minnesota Soybean Growers
            1. Used the MARL directory to network for committee
            2. Developed the Provider Pals program, a cultural exchange program between farms and schools, incorporating MARL connections
         2. Minnesota Pork Producers Association (MPPA)
            1. Used MARL directory to fill board positions and for committee work
            2. Created new connections and expanded the reach of the MPPA
            3. Past presidents have been MARL participants
            4. Employees who have been MARL participants are more invested back into the organization and community
         3. Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center
            1. Networked with alumni for the "Discovery Farms" program - a pilot farm tour program related to conservation and agriculture
            2. Able to recruit help problem-solving specific issues
         4. Minnesota Turkey Growers Association
            1. Built connections with other commodity groups through social networking
      2. Able to leverage MARL involvement for program or job connections
         1. Got into the United Soybean Board's "See For Yourself "program through MARL contacts
         2. Got a new job because of the name recognition of MARL
         3. Able to get a new job through the network of MARL contacts
      3. Created business relationships between the corn and turkey industry and the pork industry
         1. MARL connections made it easier to work through more contentious issues
         2. Cross-sector connections can be especially important in agriculture which can be more isolated by industry
   3. Developed international connections
      1. Asked by South African embassy representative to give tour of ethanol plant
      2. Addressed the Ministers of the European Union
         1. Using network of alums to prepare message
         2. Provided a voice of U.S. agriculture in Europe
         3. Developed skills through MARL to put together message
         4. May not have taken risk to address the Ministers without MARL
      3. Knowledge and connections developed through MARL international trips
         1. Take less for granted in the U.S.
            1. Legislative process and the two party system
         2. Better able to correct misinformation about other countries
         3. Networked with pharmacist at a hotel during the MARL international trip who used Mayo Clinic website
            1. Realized how Minnesota is a major player internationally
      4. Used the MARL network to coordinate swine facility hosting of a group of supply chain managers from all areas of the food industry in Europe
         1. Carried information about Minnesota agriculture back to Europe
         2. Referred the group to another MARL graduate for a facilities tour
   4. Developed connections outside of MARL
      1. Asked to meet with the North Dakota agricultural leadership program
      2. Several alumni/ae hosted Lead Arkansas, an agricultural leadership program
         1. Hope to host the group again
      3. Found unlikely allies
         1. Able to change perspective of naysayer about agriculture during water quality discussions through CURE
            1. Created a new ally who now speaks up for agriculture in St. Paul
7. New and/or increased leadership on boards
   1. Appointed to the Minnesota Farm Service Agency
   2. Asked to run for Board of Directors for the Minnesota Milk Producers
      1. Won the election
         1. Involved in legislation
   3. Asked by a MARL classmate to run for the Minnesota Corn Grower's Board
      1. Worked on projects with and without MARL alums across cohorts
      2. Moved through leadership positions
   4. 6 MARL alumni running for county commissioner positions
   5. 2 MARL alumni running for state house of representative positions
   6. Gained confidence in ability to lead
      1. Joined new boards
         1. County Farm Bureau
            1. Became more involved at the state level
            2. Asked to stay on the board
         2. Life Science Alley
         3. Bio-Business Alliance of MN
         4. Running for Cenex Harvest States board
   7. Asked to serve on the MARL Board
      1. Committed to not "doing MARL wrong"
   8. Involved in the Minnesota Farm Bureau
   9. Became more effective at current board memberships
      1. Asked to do more
   10. Involved with more state boards
       1. Negative repercussions
          1. Harder to stay connected to the local community
          2. More time spent away from home
8. Support for MARL's future
   1. Met with groups to get funding for MARL
      1. Alumni involvement, influence and personal contributions credited with up to 50% of MARL funding
   2. Advocated for the MARL program
   3. Minnesota Pork Producers Association (MPPA) provided meeting space for MARL groups
   4. MPPA recruited new participants within its organization
      1. Provided scholarships for MARL participants