Agribusiness

Ice Miller is proud to have joined so many others last week in Indianapolis to show support for the National FFA and its student leaders. Ice Miller's relationship with FFA began just four years ago, but our commitment to its mission and efforts is deep. We judged outstanding student competitions - including the Star in Ag Placement and the Diversified Livestock Entrepreneurship proficiency. We led workshops on the Farm Bill and how to pursue advanced studies and even a career in law. And, we hosted many of the other industry partners who share our commitment to these talented students.

It is the very positive impression made through National officer visits and other meetings with so many FFA members that has pushed us to do more for FFA. Consider just a few of the talented officers we have met:

• Paul Moya was an '08/'09 National President and is finishing his degree at Notre Dame and considering a career in law;

• Riley Branch is another '08/'09 National officer who is in his first year at Texas Tech Law School; and

• Alex Henry was a National officer last year who shared her career goal of someday becoming the Secretary of Agriculture.  

The efforts and aspirations of so many other FFA officers and members clearly deserve recognition as well. I mention these three because they have inspired Ice Miller to help FFA develop the next generation of talented leaders who will become lawyers, business executives, policy makers and government leaders. 

Today's food and agriculture industries continue to develop and refine complex strategies to address market, business and weather related risks. Increasingly, though, the industry is challenged with burdensome policy and regulations that pose a significant threat. As this trend is likely to continue, our future leaders need to develop the tools today to critically evaluate these issues and to learn how to deal with and, where possible, shape them.

At Ice Miller, we remain committed to helping open these young minds. We do this by relaying the importance of basic legal services, such as business or farm estate planning or intellectual property protection – many of their own successful start-up businesses could already use these services ... by debating the merits of today's farm subsidies with them and brainstorming new policy ideas for their future ... and by candidly sharing what it takes to get through law school and what to do with that degree once you have it!  

In a time when our overall jobs and employment outlook remains quite challenging, it is refreshing to think of the immense opportunities for young people in agriculture. The students of the FFA will be a part of an agriculture industry that will feed the 7 billion people on our planet, improve human health, create new sources of energy and help care for our planet's environment. Ice Miller is extremely proud to support this great organization and its talented young leaders.