You don’t always have to be fully engrossed in farming for it to leave a lasting impact on your life.

For Wisconsin Soybean Program’s newest program manager Parker Velte, it was the small moments, like growing up in the farming community of Montfort in southwestern Wisconsin, seeing the tractors in the field right by his school and spending time at his friends’ farms.

“Being at my friends’ family farms, I noticed it just had a different kind of dynamic that I enjoyed,” he said. “It’s quiet out there and there was always work to be done.”

It was those moments he attributes to how he’s been eager to connect with the farming community today. While his past experiences haven’t been directly in the agriculture industry, Velte believes meaningful relationships are the foundation of any industry.

“In my previous role, I worked directly with state legislators, serving as a legislative assistant with the Wisconsin State Assembly for more than two years,” he said “It really taught me about the value of building relationships.”

He’s an addition to the team that Wisconsin Soybean Program Executive Director Adam Kask says he’s proud of.

“Parker has already proven to be a great addition to the Wisconsin Soybean Program,” Kask said. “He understands the values of both our Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and Wisconsin Soybean Association, and we look forward to seeing how he uses his past experiences to help keep our industry moving forward.”

As Velte continues writing this new chapter, he has some big goals in mind.

“I started working with the Wisconsin Soybean Program only a few weeks ago, but I already have made invaluable connections in the industry,” Velte said. “I plan to continue doing everything I can to build meaningful relationships with our farmer-leaders and the entire soybean community across Wisconsin.