Learning about agriculture's history inspired Anthony Jackson Jr. to be part of agriculture's future.

Anthony, now a freshman studying agriculture communications at Kentucky State University, learned about agriculture in history class and in his own family tree. His great-great-grandfather immigrated from Germany to Kentucky and had a bourbon distillery and ice cream shop.

“It made me interested in doing that kind of stuff,” Anthony said.

And as an eighth-grade student in Lexington, he learned about the progression of agriculture in history class. It seemed to him that agriculture had progressed rather slowly over the past 100 years.

“I was thinking everything else in the world is moving so fast, and ag is going but it’s not going as fast as it could,” Anthony said. “It just caught my interest.”

is going but it's not going as fast as it could," Anthony said. "It just caught my interest." “[Communication] is probably my biggest feature,” he said. “I feel like I just have a way with words.”

As a high school student, Anthony attended the Carter G. Woodson Academy and the Locust Trace AgriScience Center, which gave him many agriculture-related opportunities. He started as pre-vet at Locust Trace but was looking for something different when a teacher recommended agriculture communications.

Anthony was in leadership roles in FFA and Jr. MANRRS as a high schooler. Through the Woodson Academy, Anthony got an internship with AppHarvest, a sustainable food company in Kentucky, during his senior year of high school. He shadowed and assisted Ramel Bradley, community director at AppHarvest and former basketball player at the University of Kentucky.

“I gave it a shot and fell in love with it,” Anthony said. “I like the idea of helping people through food because obviously food is the biggest, most important thing in the world. I think that with agriculture communications, that’s one way I can really help people.”

Many of Anthony’s family members have worked in politics, which he feels has helped his communications skills. “[Communication] is probably my biggest feature,” he said. “I feel like I just have a way with words.”

Bradley became a role model of Anthony’s, who plays baseball at Kentucky State.

“Working under him was really helpful because he’s an African American male who played a sport in college and had the same goals as me through ag communications,” Anthony said.

Anthony and Bradley are business partners, creators of an ag-leisure clothing brand called God of the Hills.

“We’re going to try to figure out a more innovative way, besides cotton, to grow clothing,” Anthony said.

Through Bradley and attending an HBCU, Anthony has met many people of color in the agriculture industry—which has been amazing, he said. Those connections have opened a lot of doors for him, including scholarships. Anthony is part of the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program.

“You wouldn’t imagine the amount of people in Kentucky that are Black and in agriculture,” Anthony said. “It has just been awesome.”

In high school and now at Kentucky State, Anthony prioritizes getting involved. He’s a member of MANRRS, plays on the baseball team, and is the baseball team’s representative on a student athlete leadership team.

“I’m a well-connected person,” he said.

“From mentoring Anthony in the Black Male Working Academy (BMW) to now his professor at Kentucky State University, I am proud of his work ethic, focus, and commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Marcus Bernard, associate professor.

Anthony said his college schedule has certainly been busy, with classes, baseball, and other organizations. It's been challenging, but he loves it.

"The baseball team has completely changed my life," Anthony said. "I love it there. It's been awesome." Many of Anthony's teammates are from further north. As a native Kentuckyian, Anthony has introduced them to regional treasures—like Ale-8 and Grippos.

Many of Anthony’s teammates are from further north. As a native Kentuckyan, Anthony has introduced them to regional treasures—like Ale-8 and Grippos.

After college, Anthony hopes to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture or AppHarvest—or any organization that has the same goal as he does: to end world hunger.

“I don’t plan on ending it in my lifetime, but just taking steps towards it, at least solving it in my community,” he said.