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Dr. Temple Grandin has had a milestone month celebrating both her legacy and the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Grandin made a recent unannounced visit to 4-H’s Clover Capital, meeting with National 4-H Council Associates to discuss the future of food and farming, where Grandin spoke about the need for experiential learning in agriculture.
“Her groundbreaking designs transformed livestock handling and reshaped modern agriculture,” AmyJo Hasselquist, account manager with Food, Ag + Nutrition, wrote in an email to AGDAILY.
Grandin emphasized how experiential education can open doors for youth who may not see themselves in agriculture yet. She is a 4-H alumna and credits her horse equitation project for sparking her early passion: “what gave her the spark.”
Grandin was joined by John Festervand of Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, producer of her new documentary An Open Door, now available on streaming platforms. The film highlights her life, innovations, and influence on today’s educators and young ag leaders.
Hasselquist noted that the gathering offered a rare moment bringing together one of agriculture’s most influential thinkers and one of the nation’s largest youth-development organizations, “spotlighting the growing collaboration needed to train the next generation of problem-solvers our food system depends on.”
Grandin’s Smithsonian portrait debuts
Grandin’s visit coincided with a historic honor: The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery unveiled her official portrait as part of the upcoming exhibition “Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees,” opening Dec. 12.
The exhibition celebrates four individuals whose contributions have shaped American life. According to Rhea L. Combs, the Smithsonian’s director of curatorial affairs, “This year’s Portrait of a Nation Award honorees represent a few of the many disciplines of innovation that have shaped the nation’s trajectory … audiences will discover new sides of four luminaries — each of whom has greatly impacted American life.”
Grandin’s portrait, “Brocken Spectre and Glory: Portrait of Temple Grandin,” painted in 2022 by David Lenz, depicts her standing among cattle at Wisconsin’s Waseda Farms, home to the first Grandin-designed handling facility in the state. The unusual atmospheric effect behind her, a “brocken spectre and glory,” symbolizes her belief “that every person is important and can contribute to society in unique ways.”
Grandin’s career has shaped modern livestock welfare, has expanded public understanding of food systems, and opened pathways for neurodivergent thinkers entering agriculture and science.
The Smithsonian’s exhibition runs Dec. 12, 2025, through Nov. 8, 2026, with free admission.
»Related: Grandin is among USA TODAY’s 2025 Women of the Year
