Apr
Massachusetts Agriculture in Action Expo (MAAE) - April 20, 2024
During the last year, I have learned a lot. Being on the American Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Committee has afforded me opportunities for continued learning and development, and one recent workshop stands out that I want to share today.
At AFBF there is a training provided by staff called “5 Grassroots Leadership Practices” that educates to build a culture of effective leadership and successful organizations. Within that module, they review the initiatives:
Show Up, Step Up, Link Up, Team Up, & Speak Up
As part of my journey on the national committee, I am committing to focusing on one practice area: “Link Up”. While there are many important parts of being successful within our organization, I think that creating connections with other organizations, industry leaders, and folks within the agriculture realm needs to be at the top of our list. We gain strength in numbers, and when we collaborate, we unlock even more potential for success.
In the spirit of Linking Up, I connected with the Massachusetts State Grange at our state Annual Meeting and am happy to be on their planning committee for the first annual Massachusetts Agriculture in Action Expo (MAAE). The MAAE falls in line with our mission in Promotion & Education and is a celebration of the food and fun in our vibrant agricultural community in the heart of the Bay State. This free-to-attend event has something to offer the whole family and is a testament to our commitment to supporting and promoting the rich tapestry of agriculture that defines our great state. This is an excellent opportunity to reach out to our consumers.
The event will give individuals and families from across the Commonwealth the opportunity to learn and interact with the organizations and farms that define Massachusetts's agricultural and environmental community. There will be workshops led by knowledgeable speakers, a vendor fair giving the attendees the chance to cultivate connections with multiple farms and organizations across the state, as well as fun activities and demonstrations to delight the whole family. We will invite folks to visit the farmer’s market and take home a piece of the bounty produced by local farmers and crafters while learning all our growers offer.
The Expo will be held April 20, 2024 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester at the Hogan Campus Center. The kick-off for the event will be at 9:30 am with the Expo officially opening at 10:00 am and running until 6:00 pm. The farmer’s market will run from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm.
If you have any questions, if you are registering as a vendor, or if you want to be a sponsor, please visit www.massagexpo.org. I will be there and would love to see you there, too!
Heidi Cooper
Vice Chair, AFBF Promotion & Education Committee