Twelve participants from 11 universities in nine states … the 2014 International Collegiate Agriculture Leadership (I-CAL) team lifted off Tuesday, May 20, from Los Angeles en route to Tokyo for an intensive 10 day program to learn about the Japanese food production and marketing systems as well as the importance of international trade.
“I-CAL is a terrific hands-on introduction to international agriculture and agribusiness,” said Anne Zaczek, U.S. Grains Council manager of global development programs. “We especially want to thank our many business partners in Japan who are hosting the team, and making sure the students get a feel for the operational realities of food production and distribution in one of the most important markets in the world for U.S. agriculture.”
Zaczek coordinates the I-CAL program for the Council and escorts the teams when they are abroad. The Council’s partner in I-CAL is FFA, which helps train the student leaders who participate prior to departure, while the Council manages their international curriculum.
“Each I-CAL program is a bit different,” Zaczek said. “In recent years, we have taken teams to Southeast Asia, Central America, Brazil and Taiwan. But there is a common denominator, and that is the power of trade to foster development and improve lives.
“The students all have agricultural related majors and the I-CAL program is designed to expose them to international agricultural trade practices and experiences they will reference throughout their careers. They are future leaders, and I-CAL helps orient them about the future of American agriculture considering 95 percent of the world lives outside the United States.”
The team is just beginning its stay in Japan. I-CAL members will be posting regular updates on their meetings and activities at: http://nationalffa.wordpress.com/category/global-2/i-cal/. Participants in this year’s I-CAL program are:
- Corinne Madison, California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
- Courtney Leeper, University of Missouri
- Delaney Howell, Northwest Missouri State University – Maryville
- Dustin Stanton, University of Missouri – Columbia
- Alyssa Barrett, Mississippi State University
- Jade Halliburton, Southern Arkansas University
- Kalli Webber, Iowa State University
- Lauren Schwab, Miami University
- Maile Frelinger, University of California, Davis
- Matthew Wood, Salisbury University
- Theresa Fitzgerald, Iowa State University
- Whitney Barnes, University of Wisconsin – River Falls