Pork Leadership Carolina
Preparing the next generation of pork leaders
The North Carolina Pork Council prepares young pork industry professionals to be the next generation of leaders through a program called Pork Leadership Carolina. Open to professionals in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, participants are involved in a year-long program designed to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities our industry will encounter in the near future. The first three sessions are mandatory for all participants and any other opportuntities to stay engaged are voluntary.
The program is open to anyone involved in the pork industry: students, farmers and allied partners.
Upon completion of the program, participants will be able to identify the threats facing agriculture and the pork industry, confidently engage with neighbors and the media about their farms, as well as foster supportive relationships with key industry stakeholders to promote and protect the pork industry in North Carolina and beyond.
Mandatory sessions include:
- Two days (including overnight stay) in Raleigh (April 10-11, 2024) to learn about the pork industry, the organizations involved, and the key issues facing the industry.
- One day in Raleigh (June 15) for governmental overview – including visits with state leaders in agriculture and legislature.
- Two day trip to Washington, D.C. (July 10-11) to visit with Congressional delegation and learn from the National Pork Producers Council.
Voluntary opportunities include:
- Additional visits to state legislature or the Capitol to talk with Congressional leaders about priorities for the pork industry.
- Volunteer with NC Pork at events such as the N.C. State Fair to engage with participants and share our story.
- Program reunion at the annual conference.
- Opportunities to engage on NCPC committees and/or board.
All expenses are covered for the program. Applications for the 2024 PLC program are accepted through March 4.
“Associations like the North Carolina Pork Council are only as successful as the leadership available to the association allows. It is imperative we continue to develop members to fill leadership roles within the association, to be advocates for the industry, and help guide the future of our association.”
The inaugural class of the PLC group spent two days in Raleigh to get up to speed on all the issues facing the industry. After this initial deep dive, the group came back to Raleigh for a day immersed in government and policy discussions with visits to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and legislative leaders. A two-day trip to Washington, D.C. followed a few weeks later to discuss
The PLC group has remained involved with NCPC by volunteering at events such as the N.C. State Fair, attending a reunion at the annual conference and visiting with state legislators and Congressional leaders.
Why should someone participate in the 2024 Pork Leadership Carolina group?
“There are a lot of benefits to the PLC experience. Not only does it give you the opportunity to make professional connections, it also allows you to build those relationships to collaborate in the future. It is also great because it is getting the next generation farmer involved on different levels of the industry including professional development classes, visiting with government officials to tell our story, and getting involved in NC Pork events.”
“The Pork Leadership Carolina program helped me understand how our state and national pork associations function.
“PLC helped me be able to more effectively communicate with my local community about the facts and myths surrounding pork production and meet some great people in the process! I would highly recommend the program!”
Sponsorship Opportunities
We are looking for sponsors for each portion of the program:
Session 1 sponsors (2 days in Raleigh): ($5,000)
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- Meals
- Hotel
- Advocacy training speaker
- Reception
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Session 2 sponsors (1 day in Raleigh) ($1,000)
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- Meal
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Session 3 sponsors (2 day trip to DC) ($5,000)
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- Bus
- Hotel
- Meals
Reunion Reception at NCPC Annual Conference
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- Reception sponsor $2,500
Contact Bailee Arnold if you are interested in sponsoring the 2024 PLC cohort.
Committed to People, Pigs, & the Planet
