During the recent Wisconsin Master Agriculturist Award banquet Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division, shared a personal story, and it’s been on my mind a lot lately. Corey and his wife have had some incredible adventures together. Dancing is one of their favorite hobbies, and they didn’t just dabble — they became Fred Astaire Dance Studios national amateur champions in the cha cha, rumba, and East and West Coast swing. How cool is that?

But that’s not all. He’s traveled multiple times to China, sharing his dairy knowledge and connecting with people. Oh, and to top it off, about 10 years ago, he was even on the game show “Family Feud.”What I love most about Corey’s story is his outlook on life: “When adventure and opportunity come, take a chance.”That really hits home for me. It’s a reminder that the best things in life often come when we step outside our comfort zones.

So, I’m diving into Wisconsin agriculture ready to learn and explore topics such as how to make real cheese curds (I hear it’s an art form), and why cranberries should be on every table (I may need a little convincing). But I’ll warn you: My dad taught me how to polka. So, I think that should give me a little Wisconsin street cred.Like many states, it’s the farmers who make Wisconsin so special. Whether using technology to make dairy operations more efficient, experimenting with genetics to grow better crops or listening to fresh ideas from the next generation, they truly are the thought-leaders in the ag industry.

I’m excited to visit many of you; hear your stories of challenges, successes and dreams; and share them with others.

Agriculture is more than a job for me; it’s a way of life, and I’m honored to be part of it.

So, here’s to taking chances, embracing adventure and serving your incredible farming community. Let’s see where this journey takes us.