By Greg Lamp, AAEA 2003 Past President
I’ve always envied people who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. But that wasn’t me. In fact, about all I knew is that I wanted to do something related to agriculture besides milking cows and riding a tractor. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I wanted to see if the grass was really greener on the other side.
After drifting through a couple years of general classes at South Dakota State, it was time to declare a major. But what?
I thumbed through the college course catalog and for some crazy reason, journalism surfaced. I signed up. And despite being intimidated by fellow students who had worked on their parents’ newspapers and knew things like picas and leads, I was on my way to what would become my lifelong career.
Fortunately, I caught a break with that major and it has affected and benefited me my entire working career.
The next best thing that happened in my professional working world was discovering AAEA. From my first associate editor job at Miller Publishing to my editor-in-chief position in corporate journalism at CHS Inc., AAEA has been there.
Granted, I’d never heard of the organization until my first magazine boss George Ashfield encouraged me to join, but am I ever happy he did.
AAEA has provided me with opportunities and connections that I didn’t even know existed. But, those chances didn’t happen until I got actively involved in the organization after joining a committee or two. I was hooked.
I’ve joined and chaired several committees and made lifelong friends along the way that I’m grateful for yet today. But beyond the cliché that it’s all about networking and friendships, it’s also been about professional development which has made me a better writer, photographer and manager.
For example, I was lucky enough to participate in the exclusive weeklong photo school at the University of Missouri. Sort of a humbling experience, but one I’ll never forget. By the way, the stories are true and you really can get ripped by the staff. Thankfully, I escaped that embarrassment and came away with an even deeper interest in photography – a passion I still have.
Every Ag Media Summit regularly has a focus on photography and writing that always helps keep me fired up. AAEA and LPC members spend a lot of time and effort developing educational sessions for AMS. I know, because several times I’ve been on those committees. My advice, be a sponge and take advantage of as many of those breakouts as you can. You never know where what you’ve learned could lead you.
Eventually, I got on the AAEA board and then moved on to the AMS Steering Committee. By 2003 I took the reins as AAEA president. About the same time I became increasingly involved in the International Federation of Ag Journalists (IFAJ). I was lucky enough to co-chair our AMS meeting in Fort Worth where in 2009 we hosted 150 IFAJ members. They loved cowboy country. It was a bash that took three years of planning from talented volunteer members and I’ll always be proud of how dedicated and excited the team was that pulled it all together.
I also was gratified to represent AAEA on the IFAJ Executive Committee, where the newly elected president David Markey was reshaping the organization. I got to be part of that process and what an experience.
Opening that IFAJ door allowed me to rub shoulders with journalists from around the world, and many of them have had a significant impact on my life. I now have not only my domestic AAEA friends, but also a unique group of international friends. IFAJ has afforded me so many opportunities to see things way beyond the borders of the farm I grew up on in eastern South Dakota.
Has it made this farm kid a bit worldly? I’d like to think so, but it likely wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the doors that AAEA helped me open. Thank you.
Greg Lamp is currently a freelance photographer and writer based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.