It’s not very often Brad Sennhenn is able to escape the responsibilities of his dairy farm near Columbus, Wisc., but when he does, he makes the most of it.   

Sennhenn and his wife, Kayla, had the opportunity to do just that during the second and final phase of the American Soybean Association (ASA) Corteva Agriscience Young Leaders Program at the 2025 Commodity Classic in Denver.  

“I had never been to something like this, so it was quite the experience,” Sennhenn said. “You could spend days in there walking around.” 

The ASA Young Leaders Program was founded in 1984 and provides leadership training in agriculture, identifying and training new, innovative and engaged growers to serve as a voice for the American farmer. It also helps participants to build a strong peer network, generating increased success in their businesses and communities. Many graduates of this training program from Wisconsin, including Tanner Johnson, who now sits on ASA’s Executive Committee, have grown into leadership roles at the state and national soybean levels.  

The Young Leader Program is also supported by the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and the soy checkoff. 

Being a more reserved individual, Sennhenn utilized the two training sessions, the first of which was held in Iowa in December, to help find his voice and build his communication skills.  

“It was a great use of my time, and I’m thankful for the opportunity,” said Sennhenn. “What they could do in just four short days of training to give some confidence in my communication abilities was incredible.” 

The program also provided an opportunity for Brad and Kayla to meet and network with fellow young leaders across the country, many of which they stay in regular communication with.  

“It’s really neat to meet other folks just like you who are passionate about agriculture and also learn what they’re doing with their operations,” Sennhenn said. “Some of them are planting corn right now, which is hard for me to comprehend up here in Wisconsin.” 

Now that he’s completed his training, Sennhennn will focus his efforts on his involvement with the Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA) and putting his leadership skills to work in his home state.  

“I’ve been doing a lot of listening and learning from my peers on the board,” Sennhen said, “but I hope to use what I’ve learned through the ASA Young Leaders program to step-up and contribute to the group,”  

Sennhenn attended his first WSA board meeting during the annual Corn•Soy Expo in February and plans to join his fellow directors at some upcoming lobbying day at the Capitol in Madison.  

Sennhenn said he hopes to be involved in the Young Leader’s exclusive third phase, which takes place in July in Washington, D.C., during ASA’s summer board meetings and Hill Visits.   

“I think Brad got a lot out of the program,” said his friend, WSA Director Danny Brisky, a Young Leader alum who encouraged Sennhenn to apply. “It’s helped him develop skills that will benefit both his operation and our advocacy efforts.”