A Peek Inside the Halls of Congress

The power of partnership is no joke. Listen in on this webinar recording, hosted by Missouri Soybean Association, and get an in-depth picture of conservation practices and resources in Missouri.  This bonus episode featured an esteemed group of panelists, high-quality conservation programs, and a Q&A session with audience members.

Join Ag Ed on the Move program director, Heather Fletcher, and 2 partner educators for a special AEOTM update. This episode will highlight the impact this program has had on third-grade students in Missouri; and some exciting new things on the horizon. 

Join Alexandra, MFC outreach specialist, and Matt Moreland of Red Barn Ranch for the kickoff episode of season 5. Red Barn Ranch is nestled on the outskirts of Harrisonville, Missouri, and provides fun for all ages. They have cows grazing on pasture, opportunities to feed the goats and alpacas in the petting area, and everything in between!  This 4th generation farmer has been welcoming families onto his working farm for the last 9 seasons and has been successful all thanks to the family behind him, the creative ideas for new attractions, and his love for consumer education.  Pull up a chair or visit the Sunflower fest to listen to this week’s conversation on Stand for Ag.

Tune into the season 4 finale of Stand for Ag as Ashley and guest, Dan Kleinsorge, give us a brief review of the 2022 state legislative session. Dan Kleinsorge grew up on a farm in Montgomery County working with hogs, dogs, and row crops while growing up. Dan has worked on campaigns, in state government, and for nonprofits for 15 years. From late 2011 through 2014, Dan was the Executive Director of Missouri Farmers Care during the organization's first years. There Dan helped ag allies in North Dakota defeat an animal-rights sponsored ballot initiative in 2012 and worked on the passage of Missouri's Right to Farm amendment during 2013 and 2014. In 2015, Dan went to work for incoming State Senator Dave Schatz, who would later become President Pro Tem of the state senate. For Senator Schatz, Dan worked on a wide variety of legislation including a bill that exempted federal agricultural disaster payments from state income taxes and multiple bills to increase road and highway funding, including the bridge bonding package that is currently funding the replacement of many out of date bridges across the state.  In January 2021, Dan went to work for the Missouri Limestone Producers Association as its Executive Director.   

Join this week's episode with an insightful panel of women from Missouri CommonGround. They discuss connecting consumers and producers, and how agriculture is always changing. Our guest host this week is Hillary Black. Hilary Black is the Associate Director of Communications for the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council. A 2007 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Hilary utilizes her degree in Agricultural Education: Leadership and Communication to help broaden corn education for students and consumers. Since joining Missouri Corn in 2008, her responsibilities have included developing educational curriculum for third-grade teachers, partnering with youth education initiatives through 4-H and FFA, and assisting with the development of the Missouri FFA Helping Youth Prepare for Excellence Academy, sponsored by Missouri Corn. Hilary also assists with Missouri Corn communications and serves as the association’s lead on the Missouri CommonGround program. Guests include Kaitlin Flick and Addi Yoder.  Kaitlin Flick is an AgriEdge Specialist with Syngenta Crop Protection. A 2015 graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Kaitlin uses her degree in Plant Science where she works with farmers and agriculture retailers in Missouri using Syngenta crop protection products for corn, soybean, and wheat fields. Kaitlin has been a CommonGround volunteer for the past three years and enjoys sharing her agronomic experience and beef cattle operation with consumers to educate them on food production and answer questions on how corn is grown and cattle are fed. Aside from Kaitlin's involvement with Missouri Corn & CommonGround, Kaitlin is Chair of the MU Cooper County Extension Council and sits on the Certified Crop Advisor board.  Addie Yoder has a passion to advocate for agriculture with consumers and legislators. Addie shares [their] farm’s story through public speaking events, podcasts, radio, and social media. As a U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action ambassador and CommonGround volunteer, she has open conversations with non-farm women to bridge the communication gap on food issues and modern farming practices.

Join the conversation this week on ‘hard conversations.’ Ashley and Eric discuss the challenges of communicating our passion as agriculturists. Eric Bohl serves as the Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy for Missouri Farm Bureau. In this capacity, he directs the organization’s media and communications activities, creates and strengthens relationships with agribusinesses and serves on the MOFB legislative team. Eric previously served five years as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), including handling her work on the House Agriculture Committee, and two years as Chief of Staff to Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO). Before entering public service he practiced law in Cape Girardeau, focusing on real estate and commercial transactions.   Eric was born and raised in Harrisonville, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri for his undergraduate and law degrees and graduated from both programs with honors. While in law school he served as the Managing Editor of the Missouri Law Review. Eric, his wife Sarah, and their three children reside in Columbia.

Join Ashley and Gary Wheeler on Stand for Ag. Missouri’s soybean farmers selected an innovative and committed servant leader to helm the Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Foundation for Soy Innovation. Gary Wheeler is a deeply engaged advocate for soybean farmers. His focus on partnerships and the power of forward-thinking has led Missouri’s soybean organizations through significant operational and strategic challenges with a track record of success.  Wheeler holds a Master of Business Administration from William Woods University and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business from Murray State University. He previously served the Missouri agricultural industry in roles with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council. Wheeler also served in the Missouri Army National Guard for over a decade.  Beyond his professional role, Wheeler enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, hunting and reading.

Lorin Fahrmeier from Lexington, MO is a farmHER that works side by side with her husband and two children, on their farm, where they grow close to 20 acres of fresh fruits and vegetables. With a focus on selling their diverse crops direct to customers, they sell their fresh produce and wine at the City Market in Kansas City on Saturdays during warmer months. On an annual basis their family welcomes thousands of visitors to their farm and roadside market for u-pick berry and pumpkin picking, educational experiences and wine tastings.  Lorin works diligently to help educate their customers about how their food is grown and more importantly, how to prepare it for their families.  Lorin lives and breathes her passion for food and farming as she works for University of Missouri-Extension as the Missouri Farm to Institution Project Coordinator, a position that allows her to influence Missouri citizens in a new way by connecting Missouri farmers to schools and other institutions to help provide fresh, local foods for students and other customers.

Dr. Steve Strubberg was named as the State Veterinarian of Missouri in 2019. In this role, he leads the Department’s Animal Health Division which protects the health of all livestock in the state.    Strubberg grew up in Union, Missouri, with the intention of becoming a physician. Driven by his love for science, animals and the outdoors, he soon discovered his passion lay in a different field. In 1989, Strubberg received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri with a focus area in beef reproduction. Following graduation, he assumed ownership of Hermann Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Hermann, Missouri, for nearly 30 years.    The Missouri State Veterinarian directs the Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Division, which is responsible for controlling, testing and eradicating livestock diseases in Missouri. This is accomplished through testing, vaccinations and regulatory programs that involve cattle, swine, horses, poultry, exotic animals, sheep, goats and small animals. The duty of the State Veterinarian is to develop and implement animal health programs that improve and protect the health of Missouri’s livestock.    To learn more about the Missouri Department of Agriculture and its programs, visit Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

Join Shane Kinne as he talks about the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River. This insightful conversation is sure to spark some interest in the 'Big Muddy.' Shane Kinne spent nearly a decade working with state, federal and NGO partners in his role leading public policy and grower outreach initiatives for the Missouri Corn Growers Association. It was in this role that he gained a deep wealth of knowledge and experience with Missouri River issues as he navigated the organization through the historic flood of 2011 and the years beyond that. Shane also worked with Missouri Corn’s grassroots membership to coordinate state and federal advocacy campaigns and support media relations efforts. Shane has spent the last three years serving a diverse list of agricultural clients for Vivayic Inc, as they consult, develop and deliver on strategic learning solutions to advance client goals and priorities. Shane lives in Clinton, Missouri with his wife and two young children. In their free time you can find them exploring the outdoors, chasing their bird dogs or being involved in the family cattle operation.