Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program Accepting Applications

Jan 05, 2026

By Blair Fannin

Applications for the Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership, TALL, program will be accepted through March 15.

This 2026-2028 cohort with be TALL XX, the 20th class to convene since the organization began in 1987.

“The two-year program includes 520 hours for each cohort through seminars, speakers, and domestic and international study trips,” said Jim Mazurkiewicz, Ph.D., program director and professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Bryan-College Station. “The class time is equivalent to obtaining a master’s degree in agriculture.”

The first session will begin July 21 in College Station. Applications are available on the program website.

Past participants have represented a variety of professions including farmers, ranchers, politicians, government employees, bankers and agribusiness professionals, as well as those who work in agricultural corporations, horticultural industries, insurance and media. Participants come from all geographic regions of Texas.

Standing TALL with agriculture

TALL offers intensive agricultural studies across a wide range of topics and issues. The program helps cohorts further develop their leadership strengths and understanding of domestic and international agriculture.

Source : tamu.edu

Video: Methionine Requirements for Lactating Sows - Cierra Kozole

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Cierra Kozole, PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph, explains how methionine supports lactating sows beyond milk protein synthesis. She discusses updated requirement estimates, source comparisons, methylation demand, and why modern sow genetics may require more precise amino acid strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Methionine supports protein synthesis while also serving critical functions through methylation pathways that influence multiple biological processes."

Meet the guest: Cierra Kozole / cierra-kozole-772b64253 is a PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Canada. Her doctoral research focuses on refining estimates of methionine requirements for primiparous lactating sows, including evaluating methionine sources, nutrient partitioning, methylation reactions, and the links among amino acid supply, milk production, and sow protein retention. Learn more from Cierra Kozole on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.