Michael Starnes, a master’s of food science candidate and graduate research assistant within Texas Tech’s Department of Animal & Food Science, has been selected for the 2025 USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture Program. Now in its 18th year, the program is aimed at undergraduates and graduate students majoring in agriculture-related subjects, including business, economics, communications, nutrition, food science, and pre-veterinary studies.
“Networking with leaders in agriculture now, paired with the ability to meet the bright young minds who will be making an impact in the future, is an incredible opportunity,” Starnes said. “I am honored to represent the Davis College and Texas Tech.”
According to a USDA news item, the program seeks students who exhibit leadership at their university or in their community. For Starnes’ application he explored “The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”
Starnes’ paper argued that the greatest challenge facing not only agriculture, but our country, is the lack of trust in our public institutions and the monumental task of restoring faith in these organizations. “I believe there has been an overcorrection by the public, in which all previously held beliefs about what is safe to consume are being disregarded,” Starnes said.
"We cannot begin to restore trust in our institutions without an admittance of error when it occurs from our top officials, paired with an increased level of education regarding food safety as to why consumption of raw and undercooked foods is dangerous,” he said.
Program winners will travel to Washington, D.C., in February to tour the nation’s capital and attend USDA’s premier annual event, the 2025 Agricultural Outlook Forum. They will also participate in several USDA briefings, gaining numerous opportunities for career development with leaders at USDA.
CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Professor and Chair, Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-3517 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu
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