Your leadership journey begins here.

The South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program (SDARL) takes a group of individuals on an 18-month leadership journey, with a new class starting every two years. Participants emerge from the program prepared to lead their communities and the state, and make significant contributions to agriculture nationally and globally.

Through a series of educational seminars, participants grow in their knowledge of the broad scope of agriculture and agribusiness in South Dakota, the nation, and the world. Most of the seminars are three days in length and are held at locations across South Dakota. One seminar is spent in Washington, D.C., to gain insights into policy-making at the national level. The class also visits a foreign country, examining the global nature of agriculture and the challenges of feeding the world.

There are no academic prerequisites to apply to the program. Men and women, age 25 to 55, who are working in rural communities, farming, ranching, or an allied field (ag finance, inputs, biofuels, transportation, and others) with a sphere of influence in South Dakota are welcome to submit an application to be a class member. The class will have broad representation across agricultural disciplines, so the rancher, farmer, banker, mayor, seed supplier, dairy farmer, ag marketer, etc. all learn about leadership together – and from each other. It is a leadership development experience like no other.