The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Agricultural Leadership Development Program (ALDP) is a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences leadership program to develop personal and civic leadership skills in North Carolina farmers and agricultural professionals.  The program involves in-depth personal leadership assessments with coaching and training in civic leadership, and learning opportunities in North Carolina, the United States, and global agriculture. The two-year program is implemented through seven 3-day sessions in North Carolina, distance learning intersessions, study tours to Washington DC, a U.S. study tour to an agricultural area outside NC, and an international study tour.  The program is funded primarily by a $5 million endowment from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.  Donors and participant fees also fund the program.

A competitive application and interview process selects applicants. The application period for the next cohort is from December 1st, 2023 through February 29th, 2024. All applications are submitted online and the application can be found here. Approximately 25 applicants will be invited to participate in the upcoming program which will begin in October 2024 and last through March 2026.