FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Fort Valley State University students had the opportunity to speak to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Senior, Ahmad Harden, called the experience motivational.
"People that are doing that change each and every single day and that we're seeing them face-to-face, I think that's the biggest inspiration to us students," Harden said.
The people creating change on campus Wednesday were the USDA Deputy Secretary, Xochitl Torres Small, and U.S. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop who represents central and southwest Georgia.
The two U.S. officials visited campus to talk about the future of agriculture.
Bishop said farmers are getting older and younger minds are needed in the field to keep the country at a high level.
"As far as agriculture, research, development and production, we're going to have to have young people who get into the field with innovation and take us to the next level," Bishop said.
Torres Small said the current White House administration has invested in the next generation specifically out of Fort Valley State.
"When we look at Fort Valley State University specifically, the Biden-Harris administration has invested over $30 million in research and opportunities for internships to support that next generation of agriculture," Torres Small said.
Students were able to speak directly to Torres Small. They asked questions and picked her brain about an agriculture career.
University President Paul Jones said they want to give their students these rare opportunities to network.
"We really try to see the world as a laboratory and how do we find opportunities to connect our students with what really matters and today this really matters to our students," Jones said.
Miniya Miller is a senior studying Agriculture Economics. She said events like this prove it doesn't matter the size of the school.
"A lot of people think Fort Valley is a small place, but starting small can really take people a lot of places so you never know who the message might reach," Miller said.
Torres Small is on a college tour going through seven states and visiting land-grant universities.