Category: Cooperative Extension
Growing Leadership Skills for Delaware’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Sectors
August 06, 2025 Written by: Jennifer Volk, Associate Director of Cooperative Extension and co-director of LEADelaware
Agriculture makes up the largest land use in the State of Delaware with more than 525,000 acres of land in farms (41% of Delaware’s total acreage) and is owned and operated by 2,300 farm families. Farmers feed, clothe, and fuel the world, and estimates predict that farmers will have to increase global production by 40% by 2050 to meet world population needs. Yet, farmers are challenged by several issues that limit their productivity and ability to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Issues range from food safety and food waste concerns to changing consumer trends, environmental concerns, including the impacts of climate change, volatile markets, rising input costs, and loss of agricultural lands to development. These are complex issues requiring complex policies and leaders are needed to guide the way.
The LEADelaware Program was established nearly twenty years ago to develop the leaders who can step forward to help ensure that Delaware’s agriculture and natural resources sectors remain secure and sustainable. LEADelaware is a partnership program between University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and the Delaware Department of Agriculture. Six cohorts of fellows have completed the two-year program with Class 7 wrapping up later this year.
Over the course of two years, fellows learn about Delaware’s various agriculture and natural resource sectors and the issues and challenges that each face. Fellows also learn about the legislative process with sessions focused on both state and national level policies. The two-year program concludes with an international trip to examine agricultural issues, challenges, and solutions from a global perspective while providing exposure to new and different cultures. Class 7 will travel to Vietnam and Thailand in December.
Integrated into each session, fellows learn leadership fundamentals, explore their own preferences and tendencies through several self-assessments, build conflict resolution skills, and learn best practices for advocating and interacting with the media. While visiting with representatives from agriculture and natural resource fields, they often share their path to leadership, providing fellows additional insights into how they can engage on issues to both push themselves as leaders and contribute to solutions. Alumni have described LEADelaware as a “networking machine.”
LEADelaware fellows have reported that because of their participation in the program, they have not only increased their knowledge about Delaware agriculture and agricultural issues but also gained skills and confidence in leadership. A fellow in our most recent cohort shared that after some reflection on their role and contribution to their organization, they asked for and received a raise while another decided that a career change was in order in for them to feel fulfilled and supported in the work that they do. And several fellows indicated that after a discussion about succession planning, they broached the awkward subject with their families to begin making plans for their family business’ future.
As Class 7 starts to wind down, we are now recruiting for Class 8 of the LEADelaware program, which will take place 2026-2028! Applications are open now through September 30 and can be accessed: https://sites.udel.edu/leadelaware/application-for-class-vii/. All interested applicants are strongly encouraged to review the program expectations, Class 8 calendar, and eligibility requirements to ensure that they meet the qualifications and can commit to the time required for their education and personal growth. Prospective fellows should feel free to reach out to either Jenn Volk (jennvolk@udel.edu) or Chris Brosch (Chris.Brosch@delaware.gov), co-directors of LEADelaware, with questions.
