Pat and Cristy Alexander of Laredo and Jud and Drinda Cheuvront of Seminole recently learned about the role they can play in shaping the policy that affects this country’s farmers and ranchers. They were among 28 young agricultural producers selected to attend the 2011 Farm Credit Young Leaders Program. As members of Capital Farm Credit, which is part of the Farm Credit System, the couples interacted with government, financial and agricultural decision-makers and got an inside look at how the System operates.

During the sixth annual event, sponsored by the Tenth District Farm Credit Council, participants traveled to New York City and Washington, D.C., while the 2012 Farm Bill was taking form. Each lending co-op in the district chose participants who have shown outstanding leadership and involvement in the agriculture industry.

Pat manages a welding supply store, and his family owns and operates a ranch in Webb County. Cristy is the manager of her family partnership, which deals in real estate, mineral interests and a 25,000-acre cattle company. Both graduates of Texas A&M University, they have three daughters, Gabriela, Anna Lee and Karina.

Jud and Drinda grow peanuts, cotton and wheat on a 12,000-acre family farm in western Gaines County that they operate with Jud’s parents and brother. Jud is board president for the Ocho Gin Co. and serves on the Llano Estacado Underground Water Conservation District board.

A visit to the U.S. House Chamber during a vote capped off the four-day trip, which included meetings with agriculture industry representatives, Farm Credit Council officials and congressional staff in Washington, D.C. The group also had a briefing at the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation and toured a Wall Street brokerage firm in New York City.