A Commitment to Sustainable Agriculture: An Interview with Sydney Calhoun, Our In-house Conservation Specialist

Sydney Calhoun, Premier Companies’ new Conservation Specialist, brings a wealth of experience and a deep-rooted passion for sustainable agriculture to her role. Growing up on a family farm in Washington County, Sydney learned the importance of conservation practices firsthand, from using rain barrels to planting strategically to prevent erosion.

Her educational journey, including engineering studies at Purdue, equipped her with technical skills and a strong foundation in data analysis and research. Sydney’s dedication to her community and her commitment to continuous learning make her a valuable asset to Premier Ag as she works to enhance conservation efforts and promote sustainable practices among growers.

We recently sat down with Sydney to discuss this role in more detail and the importance it plays for our company, our members, and our community.

Q: Can you please tell us about your background and experience in conservation efforts, particularly related to the Indiana region?

We have always been employing conservation practices on our family farm in Washington County. From the rain barrels that collect water runoff to strategically placed plants in areas with high water erosion to tillage and nutrient decisions about the garden, these practices were fundamental to my understanding of working with the land and water sources to achieve a desired goal. At the time, I didn’t see them as conservation practices; rather, they were just something we did.

I also had the opportunity to participate in various conservation projects through my school’s Science Club. I was able to accomplish these projects through a partnership with the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District. It feels like a full-circle moment that, through this grant, I am now partnering with the SWCD again.

While these small practices at home and in the community helped me understand the basis for conservation, I see that knowledge can now be expanded for relevance within agriculture.

Q: What motivated you to pursue a career in conservation, and what specific skills do you believe make you well-suited for this role?

My personal background is where I’ve drawn the desire to pursue a career in conservation. When I pair that with the vested interest I have for the members of my own community, it only makes sense that this is the career pathway for me.

Through my engineering education at Purdue, I developed the technical skills needed to collect, analyze, and report data effectively. At the same time, my experience with research helps me to communicate that learned information, verbally and written. My love for learning and desire to teach others provides me with the skills to demonstrate and explain.

Q: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in conservation technology and practices?

Continuous education is the best way for me to stay updated with the latest trends and advancements. Field days at Purdue plots, Indiana soil health workshops, internal workshops, and direct-line conversations with our seed/fertilizer suppliers and soil sampling lab are just a few of the educational opportunities I have used in the past two months to get myself up-to-speed with all current practices.

Q: Effective communication is key in promoting conservation initiatives. Can you provide an example of a communication strategy you’ve employed to engage the community in conservation efforts?

Asking for feedback is a direct way to understand the needs of our growers. Additionally, demonstrations are also a way of effectively communicating the reasons behind conservation efforts. In the coming months, I hope to engage the community through participation in field days, distribute information through newsletters and local board meetings, and work on my direct communication with both current and potential Premier customers. This will help me to get the feedback I need about how to best go about promoting conservation practices and getting our growers the programs/funding to support those practices.

Q: Premier Companies values continuous improvement. How do you envision growing and developing in this role, and what contributions do you hope to make to our conservation efforts?

Meeting the needs of our growers is my main priority when it comes to continuous improvement. This will require me to be adaptive and flexible with my resources, communication, and engagement with the purpose of effectively connecting our growers to funding and, in turn, connecting the community to Premier.

If the role allows, I hope to eventually incorporate some of my technical water management knowledge and bring some new insight to Premier from an engineering perspective.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I am so excited to add value to this role. The past two months have been a time of learning and I’m looking forward to engaging more closely with the people, programs, and land. Through my position, I’d like Premier to be recognized as a company that takes care of their community.

In addition to interviewing Sydney, we also had the opportunity to sit down with Premier Leadership to learn more about the new role and what it means for the organization as a whole.