Stand for Ag | Join the Conversation with Missouri Farmers Care

Pull up a chair and join the conversation with two advocates for Missouri agriculture. Joining us today is Spencer Tuma, Director of National Legislative Programs of Missouri Farm Bureau, and Ben Travlos, Associate Director of Public Policy of Missouri Corn Growers Association. These two professionals chatted about current issues affecting Missouri farmers and agriculturists; as well as ways we can all get involved with political advocacy.

Spencer Tuma coordinates Farm Bureau's efforts on Capitol Hill and the annual policy development process for the organization. Tuma attended the University of Missouri where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Plant Sciences. She also completed her Master's in Public Affairs with an emphasis in policy analysis from MU's Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs.

Ben Travlos was born and raised in Ashland, Missouri. He now serves as the Associate Director of Public Policy for the Missouri Corn Growers Association. In this position he works with legislators, on the state and federal levels, and regulatory agencies on issues impacting corn farmers across the state of Missouri. Before joining the team at Missouri Corn, he attended college at Missouri State University where he obtained his undergraduate degree in agriculture business and his graduate degree in agriculture economics. After finishing school, he went to work in the Director's Office at the Missouri Department of Agriculture doing emergency management and legislative work.

To access the resources discussed in this episode, check out the links below:

Missouri Corn Growers Association policy development:

https://mocorn.org/policy/grassroots-program/

Missouri Farm Bureau Action Center:

https://mofb.org/action-center/

Join one of our own, Heather Fletcher, as she gives us an update on Agriculture Education on the Move™ (AEOTM). As the program director, she led and overcame challenges facing AEOTM in a time of hybrid class structures and scarce face-to-face opportunities with the state's third-grade students. We have a discussion about adapting, the AEOTM activities in the Agriculture Building at the Missouri State Fair and more on this week's episode of #StandForAg.

Join Brian Zimmerscheid, vice president and team leader of the commercial crop team at FCS Financial, as we chat about the financial health of Missouri agriculture, obstacles beginning and established farmers face, and the resources FCS Financial has to help.

Brian Zimmerschied was raised on a diversified crop and livestock farm near Sweet Springs, Missouri. Brian received an ag economics degree from the University of Central Missouri, participated in the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership and is a class 7 member of Ag Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT). Brian joined the FCS Financial team in 1993 and has 28 years of lending experience.

Have a seat at the table for this week's episode of #StandforAg and join the conversation. Find more information on resources discussed in today's episode at https://www.myfcsfinancial.com ; https://www.myfcsfinancial.com/tools-resources/lifeworks-resource-program or visit a local FCS office near you!

Join the Missouri State Fair Director and the Director of Communications, Mark Wolfe and Kari Mergen, as we discuss the 119th celebration of Missouri agriculture which will occur August 12-22 in Sedalia, Missouri!

After transitioning to a state-wide youth livestock show amidst COVID-19, the Missouri State Fair has returned this year and will showcase Missouri agriculture, immerse fairgoers in fun, and be the culmination of summer we know and love. This year Missourians can have all the corn dogs and carnival rides they can dream of.

Want more information about the 2021 Missouri State Fair? Check out mostatefair.com and visit the "Just Announced" page. You can also find the Missouri State Fair on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MOStateFair. Welcome to our conversation!

Learn about your strengths, weaknesses and leadership qualities with Dr. John Tummons. As an assistant professor in the agriculture education department at the University of Missouri, he has insight into leadership development and the importance of getting to know yourself.

As a farmer and agriculturist himself, take advantage of some of his tips and tricks to dig deeper into why we make the decisions we do, and how to adapt to push ourselves forward into being better professionals in the agriculture industry.

For more information about the resources discussed in this episode, click the links below:

Clifton Strengths Assessment:

https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/

Myers-Briggs Assessment:

https://www.16personalities.com

Enneagram Assessment:

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com

Hear from one of our own. Paxton Dahmer was the first host of the Stand for Ag podcast and a previous Missouri Farmers Care intern. He is currently serving as the National FFA Central Region Vice President for the National FFA Organization.

Paxton is a third-generation FFA member, so he says it was natural for him to join the organization. Throughout his time in FFA, he fell in love with getting to meet new people and the connections he made.

During this conversation, we will dive into working with diverse people in agriculture, how to strengthen connections and share some tips about how to find common ground in an industry made up of all different types of people!

Missouri FFA and Missouri Farmers Care are fighting hunger, together. Tune in as we talk about how almost 1,000 FFA members will come to the Missouri State Fair and pack meals to fight food insecurity and feed the 1 in 5 Missouri children that are never certain where their next meal will come from.

The Drive to Feed Kids successfully launched in 2017 and built collaborative partnerships among non-profit organizations and agriculture businesses who have committed to standing in the gap of food insecurity.

This event opens a door for every Missourian to make a difference in the fight against hunger in our state. All proceeds are dedicated to Feeding Missouri's network food banks who work daily to alleviate hunger. Every dollar makes a difference in our Missouri communities. You can donate today at http://mofarmerscare.com/drive/

Tune in to a panel of influential women in agriculture! Kate Lambert of FCS Financial, Kaitlin Flick of MFA Inc., and Ashley McCarty of Missouri Farmers Care discuss misconceptions in the food and production sector of agriculture with the 2021 Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge class. These insightful conversations are another example of how much those in agriculture care about the land, their animals and building strong youth.

Tune in to another edition of Shop Talk here on Stand for Ag! Lead by guest host, Darrick Steen, environmental programs director for the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Corn Growers Association, this episode is an insightful conversation about land management and resources available to current and beginning farmers. He is joined by Clayton Light, conservation programs manager for the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Corn Growers Association, and Adam Jones, natural resources conservation specialist with MFA Incorporated, who have an astounding passion for leaving Missouri farmland better for the next generation.

Welcome to season 3 here on the Stand for Ag podcast. With summer knocking on our door and plenty of interesting conversations about agriculture, we want you to join the conversation! I'm your host, Alexandra Gast, and I am thrilled to bring you new episodes with intentional and thought-provoking dialogue about food, fuel and fiber.

I am joined by a special guest on this introduction episode of Stand for Ag. Elizabeth Brooks is an Ashland, Missouri native serving as the Agriculture Education on the Move™ intern this summer. She is currently majoring in agriculture education with a teacher certification at the University of Missouri and has high hopes for the skills and knowledge she will gain as part of the AEOTM family.