Barnes represents Alexander County on leadership institute Indiana trip

Allyssa Barnes represented Alexander County as one of 11 students from across the state who attended an Illinois Pork Leadership Institute, IPL, trip to Indianapolis, Ind., June 20-23.

During the four-day trip, the students had an opportunity to connect with others also interested in pork production and learned many aspects of the agriculture industry.

Tour stops included the University of Illinois, Kroger Dairy, Elanco, Dow AgroSciences, Indiana Packers and Fair Oaks Farms.

The group also had the chance to have some fun at Breakout Indianapolis, Dave & Busters, and a cooking class at Ivy Tech.

The trip ended at the Indiana Pork Producers with some media training for the group.

“IPLI has been giving young people a chance to get more involved in the pork industry for over 20 years. It also allows them to explore all sides of the industry and the different types of jobs available to them in the future,” Illinois Pork Producers Association youth committee chairman David Dedert said in a news release.

IPLI provides youth interested in the pork industry a chance to become more actively involved in not only the pork industry, but all facets of agriculture.

The program focuses on leadership, citizenship, and communication skills through hands-on experiences.