The American Soybean Association (ASA) and DuPont Pioneer are pleased to announce Trevore and Jana Brekken of Crookston, Minn., have been named the 2017 ASA DuPont Young Leaders. The Brekkens were selected to represent Minnesota in a program which includes soybean producer participants from 23 states and Canada.

This year’s class of Young Leaders will participate in a challenging and educational two-part program that encompasses communications, issues and future-state industry information. The first training phase will take place at DuPont Pioneer’s headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, 2016. Training will continue Feb. 28 – March 3, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas, in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show.

“The ASA DuPont Young Leader Program provides industry-leading training to help participants develop their leadership skills while fostering collaboration among farmers throughout the U.S. and Canada,” said ASA President Richard Wilkins, a farmer from Greenwood, Del. “The Young Leader program is truly special. Participants learn in a classroom setting and from each other, often making life-long friendships. With its emphasis on leadership, the program encourages diversity and recognizes the role women and young farmers play in agriculture. We are grateful DuPont Pioneer and DuPont Crop Protection sponsor the program and look forward to meeting this year’s class.”

For more than 30 years, the ASA DuPont Young Leader program has identified and cultivated farmer leaders that shape not only the U.S. soybean industry, but all of agriculture. Through training, Young Leaders strengthen their natural leadership skills while building a strong peer network.