Chandlerville native Phillip Wessel has been chosen to go to Germany on an international agriculture exchange program.
The United Soybean Board has chosen Wessel and four others from across the country to go to Germany to participate in a program facilitated by the International Farm Youth Exchange Association to gain a deeper understanding of agriculture in Germany.
The program will consist of learning about production methods, trade dynamics, and soybean exports and imports. The students will also meet with the U.S. Embassy agriculture attaché and the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
When they return from the 3-month stay abroad, Wessel will be responsible for meeting with local organizations and commodity checkoffs to discuss the experience.
Wessel currently owns a degree in environmental science, political science and marine biology from Nova Southeastern University. Wessel currently serves as an AmeriCorps team leader where he leads volunteers on a 10-month program across national projects that mainly focus on sustainable agriculture.
The exchange program also includes foreign students coming to the U.S. To learn about ag practices here. The program was founded in 1948 and includes 15 nations from around the world.