Miyah Swiger, a student at the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, recently traveled to Spain for the FFA International Leadership Seminar for State Officers. This two-week trip brought together state FFA officers from across the country to make connections and strengthen knowledge of global agriculture.
Swiger is a sophomore Agriculture and Extension Education student with a minor in Equine Studies. She has been involved in FFA for as long as she’s been able, and once she graduated high school, she wasn’t ready for her time with the organization to end. She is now serving her second year as a West Virginia State Officer, currently holding the office of State Secretary, and previously served as Vice President.
She holds her time in FFA and the agriculture industry close to her heart, so much so that after graduation, she hopes to become an agriculture teacher and lead a local FFA chapter of her own.
When the opportunity arose to travel abroad with the organization she has devoted most of her time to, she jumped at the chance.
“I think the biggest goal for all of us on this trip was to learn about international agriculture and be able to bring that knowledge back home with us to share with our communities,” Swiger said.
The International Leadership Seminar for State Officers develops an awareness of global agriculture and enhances the cultural competency of participants. Each year, only 75 current or past FFA state officers from the whole U.S. are chosen to participate in this experience.
This year, the trip took place from January 3 to 16, with students traveling to Barcelona, Sevilla, Madrid, and many places in between.
The group visited several farms to learn about different facets of agriculture and how they vary in locations across the world. Swiger got the opportunity to visit small, family-owned farms as well as larger commercial production facilities. But for Swiger, the people she meets along the way are just as important as the education.
“I loved the tours, learning about their agriculture, and exploring the city, but I think my favorite part of the entire trip was the connections that I made with the people around me,” Swiger said. “I love building connections, talking to people and learning about their states and how they run their organizations. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world, and for me, connections are really important no matter where I am.”
Another aspect of this trip that Swiger really values is the ability to bring the knowledge she gained back home.
“I learned about olives and oranges and cork, things that aren't super popular or relevant in West Virginia agriculture, but now I have the understanding of that perspective that I can share and teach to FFA members back home now, and to my future students someday, and that is really important to me,” Swiger said.
The group visited farms across Spain, with local guides leading them through the
details of various agricultural industries in the country. A crucial part of
this trip was the chance to learn about locally produced agricultural products,
like cork, olives, red fruits, and fighting bulls, to name a few, as well as
visit the John Deere Innovation Center for High Value Crops.
For example, they visited and toured a cork factory, learning about cork oak, cork extraction, and the material's particularities. They also got the chance to visit El Coloso Business Center for a briefing by Karisha Kuypers, the Agricultural Attaché for Spain and Portugal, who works at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, to discuss and learn about the work of the Foreign Agricultural Service.
“For me, it was important to take it all in, so that when I become a teacher one day, I can share that knowledge and experience with my students,” Swiger said. “Not everybody gets the opportunity to leave the country and learn about things that they're passionate about, so I hope that by sharing my experience I can give my future students not only the knowledge, but the hope that this is something they can do too.”
The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
envisions
a West Virginia with healthy food, resilient natural resources, and
thriving communities. To learn more about the Davis College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, visit
davis.wvu.edu. Keep up with the latest updates and news from
the Davis College @WVUDavis on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
-WVU-
Sk/02/26/26
CONTACT: Sydney Keener
Communications Specialist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement
304-293-8986; Sydney.keener@mail.wvu.edu