American Agri-Women

December 20, 2011, ALMA, Kan.– The LEAVEN award is the highest honor bestowed on a member of American Agri-Women. Nominated by her peers, these women exemplify the meaning of the words that make up ‘LEAVEN’: Loyalty, Enthusiastic, Anticipatory, Valiant, Effectiveness and Nurturing. The first Awards Committee (1977) came up with the word “Leaven” as a means of evaluating the candidates. “Leaven” (yeast) is a small element that can interact and influence everything around it. It permeates and raises the elements it’s mixed with. Leaven multiplies its effectiveness for good. AAW presents the LEAVEN AWARD to those persons who, to an outstanding degree, have acted as “leaven”, a truly feminine concept since “lady” means giver of bread.

2011 recipient, Julie Tesch, of Saint Paul, Minnesota was nominated by Minnesota Agri-Women. Julie currently serves as the AAW Resource Center President and co-chair on the Agriculture Education Committee and has served as a national committee co-chair on the College Project.

Julie serves as Executive Director of the Minnesota Agriculture Education Leadership Council (MAELC); Agricultural Education Club advisor at the University of Minnesota; Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Board of Directors; avid 4-H and FFA volunteer; Minnesota State Fair Moo Booth supervisor; and international agriculture study trip leader.

“We, as women’s agricultural organizations & individuals, unite to communicate with one another and with other consumers to promote agriculture for the benefit of the American people and the world.” Julie is known for her passion to develop the next generation of agricultural leaders and working to recruit and retain them in agricultural fields and organizations. Julie has a long history of working with youth and college students who find her enthusiasm for them and their future contagious!

Julie has served on the AAW Resource Center Board for several years and has led the AAWRC Photo Contest. Julie was able to fill in when a fellow member was no longer able to serve her term as President and continues in that capacity.

Julie first joined AAW as a college student at the University of Minnesota. From that experience she gained an appreciation for the mentors that she had along the way. She works closely with college students, providing guidance to young professionals as they enter careers in agriculture. Annually, Julie takes students to Switzerland to study alpine agriculture. She finds it important for our future agriculturalists to study other cultures to expand the vision and knowledge of agriculture through the world.

Julie was raised on a dairy and crop farm in south central Minnesota. She was very involved in the dairy industry and was active in the 4-H dairy project. Julie received her Bachelor of Arts in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota, and went on to complete a Masters in Agriculture Education. After college she worked as a 4-H Extension Educator, covering two counties. Julie was then hired as the Executive Director for the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council.

Through her leadership, Minnesota is one of the leading states in agricultural education and she is well respected in the agriculture and policy making communities.

Congratulations to Julie Tesch, a 2011 recipient of the prestigious American Agri-Women LEAVEN Award.

Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and provide networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW web site for more information and to join, www.americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media at: Facebook.com/AgriWomen/ and Twitter.com/Women4Ag/ (@Women4Ag.)

# # #

Contact: Abby Amick, Vice President of Communications, communications@americanagriwomen.org, 620-271-2953