December 2022
Agribusiness
TODAY COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR
Ryan Duffy I am honored to serve as chairman of the FGCU Agribusiness Center Advisory Committee, which I believe has been a vital resource for the University and the Southwest Florida region. Special thanks to Jaime Weisinger for his service as chairman of the Center's Advisory Committee over the last couple years. The Center has much to be excited about as we look to the future: there is positive momentum with enrollment among students in the FGCU Agribusiness program climbing, and we are getting the word out to future students through events like our fourth annual AG Forum in November, which by all accounts was a tremendous success. The Forum brought together nearly 250 high school students from across Southwest Florida who have an interest in pursuing an education – and eventually a career – in agribusiness. Students heard from speakers with non-traditional career paths into agribusiness and were able to connect directly with employers representing every facet of food production, delivery, supply chain, and logistics in the region. As the Center continues to attract more students, a new chapter of leadership at FGCU is set to begin with the presidential search continuing into early 2023. Our committee’s leaders have remained engaged in the process by attending candidate interview meetings and urging continued support for agribusiness and a recognition of the contributions made to FGCU from pioneering agricultural companies like Alico. Special thanks to board members Lindsay Harrington, Aaron Troyer, Matt Caldwell and Jaime Weisinger for attending the presidential search meetings so far. We remain hopeful the selection committee will choose another strong champion for further developing the program and continue what President Mike Martin started by establishing Agribusiness as a minor at FGCU.
Also this fall, the Center’s leadership took part in the ribbon cutting event of the FGCU Water School. Working together, we can continue to build relationships among FGCU’s different programs, which like the agribusiness program are committed to furthering goals including sustainability and a shared commitment to improving water quality. We hope to be at the forefront of studying and improving the health of our water bodies, which impact tourism, growth, development, agriculture and quality of life in SW Florida. On top of the Center’s many events, it is an exciting and important time to be working in agribusiness, and I have no doubt FGCU will continue to offer thoughtful leadership to stakeholders in our state and region. Under Dr. Fritz Roka’s leadership, the Center soon will embark on a study looking at what agriculture will look like in our region over the next 25 years. The study will carefully consider all of the local, state, national and international dynamics impacting agricultural businesses in Southwest Florida. As we look ahead to 2023, there will be more exciting events involving the FGCU Center for Agribusiness in the near-future. We look forward to continuing to advocate for our students, share industry news and best practices and help inform the center’s leadership as the momentum continues.
Center for Agribusiness rides on the U.S. Sugar Express
Thank you Ryan!
Agribusiness Today | The Newsletter of FGCU's Center for Agribusiness
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