The Exchange enewsletter

In addition to the annual fall Exchange magazine, our enewsletter keeps you updated throughout the year.

Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe by emailing your contact information to Mary Sullivan at mjbowen@ksu.edu.

Spring 2025 enewsletter

As Kansas farm and ranch families face the realities of aging ownership and uncertain succession, a series of conferences hosted this February by Kansas State University offered producers practical tools to begin planning for the future of their operations.

The Farm and Ranch Transition Conferences, held in Colby, Wichita and Lawrence from February 25–27, 2025, aimed to raise awareness about the importance of transition and succession planning. The conferences were organized by K-State’s Office of Farm and Ranch Transition, Ashlee Westerhold and funded by the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP).

“We’re really trying to raise awareness around farm transition planning—why it matters, and how to start the conversation,” said Westerhold, Director of the Farm and Ranch Transition Office with K-State. “Even if you don’t have a successor lined up, you still need an exit strategy.”

The conferences were open to all Kansans but particularly targeted toward retiring farmers, landowners, and ranchers looking to begin the transition process. Each event featured local attorneys and accountants specializing in estate planning and agricultural law, allowing participants to connect with professionals in their area.

Keynote speaker Lance Woodbury, a nationally known family business consultant, addressed the challenges of transitioning a farm to the next generation and emphasized the role of communication in reducing family conflict.

“Lance helps families understand that transition isn’t just financial—it’s personal,” Westerhold said. “This year, we also focused more heavily on what to do if you don’t have a successor, which is a real and growing concern.”

Now in its third year, the traveling conference series has become a respected extension program. Westerhold noted that many attendees have called it “the best extension event they’ve ever been to” due to its practical focus and relatable subject matter.

Roughly 100 participants attended each location this year, resulting in around 300 statewide. While attendance varies annually, Westerhold said the demand remains strong as more producers recognize the need for intentional planning.

In addition to hosting, Westerhold also managed speaker recruitment, marketing, and served as emcee at each site.

“This isn’t just about retirement,” Westerhold said. “It’s about making sure your life’s work continues in a way that honors your legacy—whether that means passing it on to family or preparing to exit with clarity.”

The Agricultural Economics Department has selected four students to receive the Department’s 2025 Outstanding Senior Awards: Adelaide Easter, Lauryn Karr, Paige Vulgamore, and Grace Walenta. The award recognizes seniors in the Agricultural Economics Department for their significant contributions during their time at K-State.

Left to Right: Lauryn Karr, Adelaide Easter, Paige Vulgamore, and Grace Walenta

“Each year we recognize several of our most outstanding students. It is always an honor to recognize their accomplishments within the department as well as the University. Each of these four have excelled during their time at K-State. We appreciate the contributions of Adelaide, Lauryn, Paige, and Grace, and wish them the best as they become alumni from the Department of Agricultural Economics!” Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Undergraduate Programs, said.

Adelaide Easter, Salina, Kansas, has completed degrees in Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership, with minors in Leadership and International Agriculture and a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. She was named Kansas State University's 39th Truman Scholar for her commitment to public service and addressing challenges in the global food system. Her leadership roles include Director of Stakeholder Relations for Food Security Scholars, Student Coordinator for the Global Food Systems Leadership program, and Director of Leadership Programming for Blue Key Senior Honorary. Easter also served as Basic Needs Director in the Student Governing Association, Co-Chair of the Cats’ Cupboard Advisory Board, and founder of the Student Basic Needs Coalition. She studied abroad in Italy and Kenya and completed internships with Kansas Grain Sorghum, National Sorghum Producers, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran's office through the Flinchbaugh Food and Agriculture Policy Fellowship. This summer, she will intern with Spur Local in Washington, D.C., through the Truman Foundation Summer Institute, and plans to pursue a career in food and agricultural policy before attending graduate school.

"Studying Agricultural Economics at K-State has deepened my understanding of the global food system and economy and set me up for success in working in the community to make progress on issues like food security and poverty through policy and education,” Easter said.

Lauryn Karr, Gardner, Kansas, studied Agribusiness with a minor in Business. Now residing in Chicago, Karr developed her passion for agriculture through the influence of her grandfather. During her time at Kansas State University, she served as President of the Ag Econ/Ag Business Club, where she enhanced her leadership abilities and built strong connections within the agricultural community. She is known for her enthusiastic approach to learning and her commitment to growth both personally and professionally. After graduation, she will begin her career as a Customer Experience Specialist with Frontier Farm Credit, where she looks forward to making a positive impact in the agriculture industry.

“My time at K-State and in the Agricultural Economics Department has been nothing short of transformative. Here, I found my passion, built a foundation for my future, grew into a leader, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. Being recognized as an Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior is a true honor and a beautiful reminder of the journey that has shaped who I am," Karr said.

Paige Vulgamore, Scott City, Kansas, majored in Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership. At Kansas State University, she has taken on leadership roles through the College of Agriculture and been actively involved in organizations such as the Student Governing Association serving as Student Body President and Student Alumni Board. Vulgamore participated in agricultural study abroad programs that have strengthened her global perspective and leadership skills. She is passionate about agriculture policy and plans to continue her education at Texas A&M University, where she will pursue a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics with a focus on policy.

“I feel so honored to be named an Outstanding Senior alongside several of my incredible peers. This award is truly a reflection of the people who have poured into me here, within the Department of Agricultural Economics and the broader K-State community. The opportunities I've had to learn in the classroom, through campus involvement, and studying abroad, each encouraged by my mentors, have shaped who I am today. I'm so grateful to K-State for challenging me to grow, learn, and lead,” Vulgamore said.

Grace Walenta, Peoria, Illinois, majored in Agricultural Economics and International Agriculture. At K-State, she served as a College of Agriculture Ambassador, a Worship Leader and Ministry Team member with Reformed University Fellowship and participated in two study abroad programs. Walenta was a Fellow with the Risk Management Center. She was recognized as a CropLife Association (MACA) Young Leader Scholar and received the Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Performance Award, in addition to earning Semester Honors throughout her college career. Walenta completed a Grain Merchandising Internship with The Andersons, served as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, and participated in an English-teaching missions trip to Poland. After graduation, she plans to remain in Manhattan to stay involved with her church and campus ministries while pursuing future opportunities in agriculture.

“I am honored to be recognized as an Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior. My time as a student in Agricultural Economics at K-State has been rewarding and I am grateful for all of the faculty and staff that influenced me. I look forward to new challenges and opportunities ahead and am excited to make an impact with what I've learned,” Walenta said.

Multiple Agricultural Economics faculty received awards this spring.

Dr. Logan Britton

The Eta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta at Kansas State University held its annual spring reception in April, celebrating significant accomplishments within the agricultural and applied sciences and honoring faculty dedicated to the core values of the land-grant mission – research, teaching, and outreach benefiting the state. Dr. Logan Britton was recognized with the prestigious Early Career Award for his innovative work in agricultural economics and his commitment to student mentorship.

"I’m honored to be recognized with the Early Career Award by K-State’s Gamma Sigma Delta chapter. I’m especially thankful for the students, colleagues, and mentors who have supported me along the way. Their encouragement and collaboration have helped me grow as an economist, researcher, and teacher. I’m proud to be part of a department that values both academic excellence and community," Britton said.

Established in 1914, the Eta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta is a faculty-governed honorary society committed to upholding high standards of scholarship, character, and proficiency in agricultural and related sciences. This organization is dedicated to advancing excellence in scholarship, research, and service across the agricultural and applied sciences disciplines.

Dr. Lonnie Hobbs

Dr. Lonnie Hobbs recently became a SciComm Identities Project fellow, expanding his expertise in science communication.

“The SciComm Identities Award is a nationally competitive award for young faculty members. It means a great deal to me, as the goal is to improve young professionals' ability to communicate in ways that embrace their unique personality styles,” Hobbs said. “Being selected as one of the few recipients this year is truly an honor.”

Hobbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. He specializes in agribusiness, marketing, pet food economics, teaching and learning, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

The program is designed to help professors communicate research more effectively, particularly to students. Its primary goal is to enhance the scientific communication skills of tenured and tenure-track faculty by teaching them how to express their work in ways that resonate with their intended audiences.

“It has taught me to identify the most relevant aspects of research for my audience and convey them effectively,” Hobbs said. “I’ve now begun sharing these communication strategies with my research students as well.”

During the program, participants explore intercultural communication theory to test and develop new approaches to science communication—an element that stood out to Hobbs.

“Being a lifelong learner, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to enhance my communication skills and network with other young professionals in academia. Working in a profession where communication is essential,” Hobbs said, “I recognized this as a valuable chance to develop skills that would benefit not only my students but also my department, college, university and the stakeholders I work with.”

Dr. Hobbs’ participation in the SciComm Identities Project marks an important step in his ongoing journey as both a scholar and educator, equipping him with tools to make science more accessible, inclusive and impactful for the next generation.

Dr. Dan O'Brien

Dr. Dan O’Brien has recently been awarded the Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska.

This award brought back many memories and reminded O’Brien of his capabilities in the Agricultural Economics industry.

“This recognition is humbling, as I consider how many very capable and successful people have graduated from UNL Agricultural Economics.” O’Brien said “To be counted among respected graduates of UNL Ag Econ along with other people who have accomplished great things in their careers is something amazing for me to consider.”

O’Brien grew up on a farm near Geneva, Nebraska. He appreciated the environmental and economic forces that came from growing up on a farm. This was his inspiration.

“The best way to describe it is that my way of thinking seemed to fit well into the framework or academic discipline of Agricultural Economics - which provided a framework for understanding the factors impacting farm profitability and survivability,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien pushes students wanting to pursue careers in the field to find satisfaction in applying knowledge to the Agricultural Economics theory. He mentioned the real world issues that affect our world today.

The only thing O’Brien regrets from his career is when he had good ideas in applied research or educational outreach and did not pursue it. His advice to future Agricultural Economics students, “be continuously motivated by your intellectual curiosity in this area of study.“

A Kansas State University course is helping students and their families tackle one of agriculture’s most difficult challenges: returning to the farm after college and planning for long-term business succession.

Introduced in 2024, AGEC 450: Returning to the Farm, equips students with tools to analyze farm finances, develop business plans and navigate generational transitions in family-owned operations.

Developed by Robin Reid, Ashlee Westerhold and Richard Llewelyn in the Department of Agricultural Economics, the course is designed for students who are planning to rejoin their family’s farming or ranching business. Coursework includes enterprise budgeting, estate and transition planning, and analysis of business structures and tax implications.

“Returning home to the farm is more than just going back to work—it’s about ensuring the long-term viability of a business and maintaining strong family relationships,” said Westerhold, Director of the Office of Farm and Ranch Transition.

A cornerstone of the course is the “family in-service weekend,” held early in the semester. Students invite family members or business partners to campus for a weekend of workshops and facilitated discussions. This year, 22 students and more than 80 guests attended.

The event includes presentations by legal and financial experts such as Mark Dikeman, executive director of the Kansas Farm Management Association, and Roger McEowen, a Washburn University professor specializing in agricultural and tax law.

Topics include estate planning, business entity structures, and intergenerational fairness—particularly how to bring one child back into the operation while remaining equitable to others who may not be involved.

“The weekend is designed to spark open and honest conversations,” Westerhold said. “We want families to talk about their expectations, concerns and hopes for the future.”

According to post-event surveys, 100% of respondents rated the in-service as “valuable” or “very valuable.” Many noted increased clarity around the return process and greater confidence in managing family and business transitions.

One former student, Garrett Korte, said the course helped him and his family prepare for his return to their seventh-generation operation. Korte now manages a small square bale business and rents row crop acreage while working alongside his father and uncle on the family’s 10,000-acre farm.

“We knew I couldn’t just come back and be a ‘yes man,’” Korte said. “Dad wanted me to succeed, and I didn’t want to fail. That meant we needed a plan.”

Korte credited the course and the K-State Office of Farm and Ranch Transitioning for helping his family work through tough conversations.

“They make it easier because they start the conversations a lot of people are scared to have,” Korte said. “You realize you’re not the only one figuring this out.”

Westerhold said stories like Korte’s show the importance of offering practical, real-world education for students in agriculture.

“If a family can freely and openly communicate about their goals for the future of the farm, they have a much better chance of succeeding,” Westerhold said. “This class is about helping make that happen.”

The course and in-service weekend will continue as a regular part of the K-State agricultural economics curriculum.

Spring 2023 enewsletter

The Agricultural Economics Department has selected four students to receive the Department’s 2023 Outstanding Senior Award: Hannah Ballard, Ashley Hartman, Jenae Tilford, and Parker Vulgamore. The award recognizes seniors in the Agricultural Economics Department for their significant contributions during their time at K-State.

“The Department of Agricultural Economics is proud to select four students as our outstanding seniors for 2023. These students have all represented our Department, College, or University through various capacities and have been a joy to work with during their time at KSU. We are proud of their academic accomplishments as well as their leadership skills and are excited to continue to watch them succeed as alumni of our program!” Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Undergraduate Programs, said.

The following students were recipients of Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior Award:

Hannah Ballard, Madison, Kansas, graduated from the department in Agribusiness in December. During her time at K-State, Ballard served as the President of Alpha of Clovia 4-H Cooperative Leadership house, was an active member in the Agricultural Economics Club, Alpha Zeta, Kansas Corn Collegiate Academy, and a team member of the International Food and Agribusiness Marketing Association, who won the 2022 international championship in Costa Rica. Additionally, Ballard was honored as the College of Agriculture Student of the Month. She gained valuable work experience as a student worker for the Agricultural Economics department, where she had the opportunity to travel to the World Ag Expo in California to recruit students for the College of Agriculture. Ballard now lives and works in Baldwin City, Kansas for Frontier Farm Credit as an Insurance Services Officer.

“I am honored to receive the outstanding senior award. My time in the Agricultural Economics Department at Kansas State is something I will look back on for many years to come. I will forever be grateful for all the special connections I made with faculty, staff, and students. K-State has some of the best and I am so proud to be an Ag Econ K-State Alum!” Ballard said.

Ashley Hartman, Waterloo, Illinois, grew up in Waterloo, IL on her family’s grain farm. She graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics with a specialty in Marketing and minor in Animal Science. Throughout her time at K-State, Hartman was involved in many organizations. She was part of the Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority, College of Ag Ambassadors, NAMA team, Dairy Science Club, and Gamma Sigma Delta. Hartman has held many leadership roles such as President and Secretary of Dairy Science Club, Secretary and Treasurer of Sigma Alpha, Director of Involvement in Ag Ambassadors, and Dairy Chairman for Little American Royal. Academically, she maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her four years at K-State. Hartman gained various work experience from working on her family’s farm to working at the USDA as an office assistant to interning for John Deere with the Baling and Mowing Marketing team. Back home, she is part of the Monroe County Farm Bureau Young Leaders and Waterloo FFA Alumni. After graduation, Hartman will join the John Deere Marketing Development Program.

“I am honored to be named an Outstanding Senior for the Department of Agricultural Economics. I have greatly enjoyed my time at K-State and this is largely due to their classes and faculty that have helped me grow over the last four years,” Hartman said.

Jenae Tilford, Roca, Nebraska, decided to come to K-State because of the great agricultural programs and the welcoming family atmosphere. She majored in Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership. Throughout her undergraduate degree Tilford was involved in Pre-Law Ambassadors, Economics Club, Kappa Alpha Theta, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Hands-on K-State. In the summer Tilford will be interning with the Kansas Department of Agriculture in their Water Resources Division. In the fall, we will start her master’s in agriculture economics at K-State.

"I'm very honored and grateful to have been selected for this award and to receive it in such great company. It means a lot to me to have had the support of the Agricultural Economics Department for the past four years,” Tilford said.

Parker Vulgamore, Scott City, Kansas, studied agricultural economics with a pre-law specialty. On campus, he served as the Student Body President of Kansas State, was a member and the former chapter president of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity and served as a Pre-Law Ambassador. He is also a member of the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity board of directors. Vulgamore is the third generation of his family to study agriculture at Kansas State, and he is the fifth generation to grow up living and working on his family's farm in Scott City, Kansas. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master's in agricultural economics at Kansas State.

"I'm truly honored and humbled to be recognized with this award from the people who have made my undergraduate experience truly outstanding. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Department of Agricultural Economics for the crucial support and exceptional education that has enabled my success and inspired my dreams. The academic advising, connections in industry, and legacy of outstanding students in the department are second to none,” Vulgamore said.

The Department of Agricultural Economics selected Lon Frahm as the 2022 Distinguished Alum. The award is given annually to an alum who has demonstrated significant professional achievement related to agricultural economics or agribusiness.

Lon Frahm “It is quite an honor to be invited back to speak to students and faculty as part of the Distinguished Alumni program. I am grateful for the opportunity,” Frahm said.

As the driving force behind Frahm Farmland, Inc., he is the 6th generation to farm in Thomas County, KS. Frahm has been at the helm of Frahm Farmland, Inc. since 1986 when his father’s sudden death launched the then-28-year-old into the farm’s lead role. Since then, Frahm has grown the operation from 5,000 acres to more than 30,000 and continues to look for opportunities to enhance the business.

Frahm completed his bachelor’s degrees in business administration and agricultural economics and later his Master of Agribusiness (MAB), all from Kansas State University.

“I’d been out of school for 20 years when I went back to the master’s program. The MAB program helped me figure out what was a big risk and what wasn’t. Those tools helped us make wise decisions about what risks we should take.

“During the program, I learned Word and Excel. The crew all learned it along with me. Today, the farm runs on Excel,” Frahm said. “Education is one of the best investments of your time and dollars. Lifelong learning is part of my mission and vision.”

He has also taken part in numerous professional educational programs, including Kansas Ag and Rural Leadership, Leadership Kansas and The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers with Texas A&M University, and Harvard Agribusiness Seminar. A particular high point in Frahm’s career came in 2009 when he was named Farm Journal’s Top Producer of the Year. He has since been invited to a variety of educational and business venues to speak on farm management and other areas of expertise.

Frahm Farmland While the vast majority of Frahm’s time and energy is spent managing the business and marketing aspects of the farm, he does find time to pursue his other passions, including landscaping, music, cars, boats, motorcycles, architecture, books and reading, international travel and aviation. He also places great importance on local community development and he has served on a variety of boards and committees, including High Plains Public Radio, the Thomas County Historical Society, Groundwater Management District #4 and the Citizens Medical Center, among others.

Aaron Johnson joined the Department of Agricultural Economics in the fall of 2022 as an associate professor. His areas of focus are entrepreneurial skills, sales and sales management, strategic management, and marketing and marketing management. Johnson conducts research in the areas of new venture creation, business management, strategic management and strategic marketing. Currently, he teaches Small Business Operations, Food and Agribusiness Management, and Food and Agribusiness Management Strategy. A major priority of his is to develop future professionals who can deliver value to whatever endeavor they pursue. In doing so, he values industry engagement both in consulting roles and through connecting industry and students. Prior to joining Kansas State University, Johnson was at the University of Idaho conducting research and teaching agribusiness management students for fifteen years. Prior to that, he was the Food Business Strategy Specialist at Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center in downtown Portland, where he worked with hundreds of food business startups. Dr. Johnson received his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.

Joe Parcell joined the Department of Agricultural Economics in this spring as a professor and Director of the Center for Risk Management Education and Research. His focus is on risk management and policy solutions leading to strategic opportunities for businesses and individuals to be innovative, resilient, and profitable. Recognizing that no solution is found in isolation, Parcell’s approach is to use systems design in modeling decision processes. This allows for robust solutions to agency-level questions. He teaches AGEC 751 Risk Management Fellows Seminar. Parcell received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa, and he earned his master’s and doctoral degree from Kansas State University. Prior to returning to K-State, he served as Division Director of the Applied Social Sciences division from 2017-2022 at the University of Missouri. He is a dedicated leader, teacher, mentor, and researcher with over 25 years of academic and consulting experience.

Three K-State Agricultural Economics graduate students were named Agricultural Scholars by the Farm Foundation, an accelerator of practical solutions for agriculture. Nominated by their college dean or department head, up to 15 applied or agricultural economics students are selected for this exclusive program, with at least five to be chosen from 1890 land-grant institutions. Micah Cameron-Harp, Ph.D. graduate; Ashling Murphy, master’s degree graduate; and Amber Oerly, master’s degree graduate, were selected for the 2022 program.

The Ag Scholars program seeks to actively engage graduate students working in agricultural economics or related agricultural policy work with a year-long series of learning experiences, focused on gaining a deeper understanding of production agriculture, agribusiness, and government, in hopes of inspiring and training the next generation of agricultural economists interested agricultural policy, commodity market analysis, agricultural finance, and other applied fields of economics. This annual program is sponsored in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS).

“The Agricultural Scholars Fellowship Program with the Farm Foundation has provided me with a unique and inspiring experience. Not only has the program allowed me to do professional networking with industry leaders and peers in other graduate school across the country, it has also allowed me to further develop my technical skills in agricultural economics through engagement with USDA ERS economists and staff,” Oerly said. “The program is intentionally focused on preparing future agricultural economists, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be involved in with their group!”

Events and projects conducted throughout the year include a mentorship with an ERS senior analyst, a research project and ag-focused forums and meetings, such as a World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) “lock-up” session and Farm Foundation Round Table meetings. Scholars also meet with and learn from senior executives with agribusinesses and local trade associations.

“One week before the Farm Foundation’s June Round Table meeting, I was in Florida for the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists’ (AERE) annual meeting. Looking back, I think those two weeks at AERE and the Round Table are a perfect example of the incredible opportunities afforded by the Farm Foundation’s Agricultural Scholars program. The Farm Foundation continually supports the academic efforts and research pursuits of the Scholars, while also giving us opportunities to network with stakeholders throughout the agricultural sector,” Cameron-Harp said.
When Cameron-Harp was notified the paper he submitted was selected for the summer AERE summer conference, the Farm Foundation sponsored his trip to Miami so he could present the paper. From that experience he gained more than a trip; he was able to present his paper and receive feedback.

“The paper I presented there is co-authored with my thesis advisor, Dr. Nathan Hendricks, and it’s titled: ‘Dynamic effects of irrigation technology: When increasing irrigation efficiency reduces groundwater use.’ In our paper, we investigate whether improvements in irrigation efficiency reduced irrigators’ groundwater withdrawals in Kansas, and we find markedly different changes in groundwater use over time depending on the type of technology adopted,” he said.

“As our paper was part of a session on water resources, the feedback and discussion we had afterwards was fantastic. To then have water be one of the main topics at the Round Table meeting just one week later was too good to be true,” Cameron-Harp said. “At the Round Table meeting, I had the chance to discuss the very same results with producers and providers of irrigation technology. As I saw the challenges they face in maintaining, installing, and operating irrigation systems, it helped me contextualize my research and understand my results in new ways.”

Since 2016, the Kansas farmer cooperative landscape has changed significantly. Cooperatives have merged, acquired new businesses, formed LLCs and invested in infrastructure to continue to add value to their farmer-owners. In 2016, there were 81 local, farmer cooperatives with a Kansas-based headquarter location. Today, there are 61. While there are fewer Kansas farmer cooperatives today, the presence of the cooperative system remains strong in Kansas.

An illustration of this evolving landscape is tracked through a cooperative mapping project conducted by the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC). The first map, created in 2016 and the most recent map are shown above. In each map, the large purple dot represents the cooperative’s headquarters or where the senior management are located. The small purple dot represents a grain location connected to the cooperative. Lines are drawn between the headquarter and the grain location to create a ‘starburst’ effect, which shows the significant coverage of cooperative grain locations across Kansas. In fact, nearly 50 percent of all grain storage capacity in Kansas is connected to a farmer cooperative.

Why are there fewer co-ops today? While there are multiple reasons for consolidation, such as a manager retiring or access to new markets, the most important reason for consolidation resides in the cooperative principle of local control. A farmer cooperative board of directors is comprised of elected members who work with the CEO or General Manager to ensure the cooperative provides value to their farmer-owners. If the board sees value in merging, they might bring it to a membership vote. If merging is not the best path, the board will continue to work to create value for their membership. Local control is what gives cooperatives the ability to do what is best for their farmer-owners.

The farmer cooperative system in Kansas will likely continue to evolve. Cooperative boards of directors need to be aware of this evolution. The ACCC’s mapping project is a piece of information for directors to use to ensure their own cooperative meets the needs of their farmer-owners.

Life in Ukraine changed dramatically when Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes, and thousands have been killed. The country's infrastructure has been severely damaged, and the economy has been devastated. For Dr. Antonina Broyaka, it meant leaving her home with her children and moving to the United States so they would be safe.

After the invasion began, she and her husband, Volodymyr Lapshov, made the decision that she should leave the country with their children, 15-year-old Oleksandra (Sasha) and 9-year-old Maksym (Max). Broyaka and their children first moved to Poland. Lapshov could not leave with his family in case he was needed to fight with the military.

“Our friends in Poland were so kind, but I knew I needed to put as much distance as possible between my children and the Russians,” Broyaka said. “I am convinced the Russians will try to advance beyond the Ukrainian borders.” She hopes the war will end soon but she and her children plan to stay in Manhattan for the foreseeable future.

Broyaka had previously been at K-State as a Ukrainian Fulbright scholar so was familiar with the area and had friends in Manhattan.

“I had been to Kansas State University with the Fulbright Junior Faculty Development Program, so a lot of things are familiar to me here. I spent the 2004-2005 academic year in the Agricultural Economics Department. I had built professional connections, and I made many friends at K-State University, who support me and are helping me adjust,” she said.

“It is not easy to adjust when you move from one continent to another especially under such circumstances. But despite many differences there are a lot of similarities. Both Ukraine and Kansas are great agricultural producers of wheat, corn, sunflower and other crops. When you are in the countryside and looking over wheat fields in Kansas, it feels like I am in Ukraine.”

Before leaving her country, she served as dean of the faculty of Economics and Entrepreneurship at the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. She is an expert on the Ukraine agricultural economy, which she has closely followed since Russia’s invasion. Since coming to Manhattan in March 2022, she has been giving seminars to students, faculty, and the public on the global impact of the invasion at K-State and U.S. Grains Council meetings.

“I try to explain how the Russian invasion has impacted global food production and created food insecurity,” she said. “Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, and the disruption of its exports has led to higher prices for these commodities. This has made it more difficult for people around the world to afford food, and it has raised concerns about global food security.”

Broyaka said it is important for people involved in all levels of agriculture to understand the crisis so they know what they can do to develop a clear plan and stabilize global food supplies. Africa, she said, is particularly at risk with food insecurity. The Russian strategy has been to close Ukraine ports and outlets needed to export commodities. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to expand and one of his weapons in the war is controlling the food supply. That strategy should concern the entire global community.

“People around the world, need understand that impact of Russian invasion to Ukraine is global. It leads to a repatriation of the share of grain market players, the formation of new supply chains, and changes in the pricing mechanism. It leads to the creation of new political and economic world order and using food as a weapon,” Broyaka said.

Broyaka believes her country, which over the past 20 years has helped feed the world, will rebound following Russia’s invasion but adds it is going to take time.

“I am proud to be a part of K-State and I appreciate all of the support that I have received from colleagues here,” she said. “I believe combining our efforts in solving the economic problems that Ukrainian agriculture is facing will help minimize the negative impact of Russian military aggression on a world food supply.”

You can view some Broyaka's presentations/updates on the AgManager.info website.

Spring 2022 enewsletter

We are coming to the end of a great spring semester and looking to finish the semester strong. We continue to celebrate the successes and activities of our students, faculty and staff.

We were excited to learn Parker Vulgamore, junior in agricultural economics, was elected to be the next K-State Student Body President. Parker is in great company. He is the 22nd student from agricultural economics to be elected to serve as Student Body President and Vice President in the last 80 years!

Featured in this newsletter are articles on:

2022 Outstanding Seniors
Alum and former Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Gregg Doug visits Center for Risk Management Education and Research Student Fellows
The Office of Farm and Ranch Transition is launched and a new director hired
Dr. Andy Barkley authored an inspirational book for educators;
Dr. Jennifer Ifft releases series on risk management strategies for cow-calf producers
The Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC) celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Capper-Volstead Act
Calendar of upcoming events

In September, we will honor a new distinguished alumni member to recognize at our annual scholarship and awards banquet. We hope you will join us for the scholarship banquet Friday, September 30 and at the tailgate event before the October 1st football game against Texas Tech. Be watching for more information on both events.

Our achievements are directly related to the continued support of our alumni and corporate sponsorships. We appreciate the dedication and engagement of our alumni and outside supporters. Thank you to our generous donors who give back to the Department. If you have an interest in giving before the end of the year, please contact me about departmental needs or go to our Give Back page to contribute.

Please take time to learn more about the activities of our department. We also encourage you to share your career and family developments so we can keep your fellow alumni informed. Please email me at afeather@ksu.edu or Mary Bowen, our communications coordinator, at mjbowen@ksu.edu with information you would like to share with your fellow alumni.

Go Cats!

Dr. Allen Featherstone
Department Head, Professor, Master of Agribusiness Program Director

The Agricultural Economics Department has selected four students to receive the Department’s 2022 Outstanding Senior Award. The award recognizes seniors in the Agricultural Economics Department for their significant contributions during their time at K-State.

“It is an honor to recognize four exceptional seniors from our department this year. Each of these students have excelled in the classroom and served their communities and our department well,” Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Undergraduate Programs, said. “We appreciate all of their contributions and wish them the best as they become alumni from the Department of Agricultural Economics.”

The following students were recipients of Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior Award:

Walker Clawson, Meade, Kansas, is completing his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Economics as well as Animal Sciences and Industry, with a minor in Business. During Walker’s time at K-State, he has been a member of FarmHouse Fraternity, College of Agriculture Ambassadors, Ag Council, the National Agri-Marketing Association team, and the 2021 Meat Judging Team. Walker is also a student fellow with the Center for Risk Management Education and Research. He has interned with 21st Century Equipment in Alliance, Nebraska and with Desert Ranch on their Rex Ranch location near Lisco, Nebraska. After getting married following graduation, Walker will begin work with Schiff Farms, Inc. near Minatare, Nebraska. Walker will work and rotate through the farm, ranch, and feedlots, learning all aspects of the operation.

“I’m honored and humbled to have been chosen as one of the Outstanding Seniors in the Department of Agricultural Economics. I’m thankful for the staff and students that made my Ag Econ experience at KSU full of growth and life-long connections. The future of K-State Ag Econ is great and I’m excited to use the knowledge and relationships I’ve gained in my future career,” Clawson said.

Reagan Hoskin, Pittsfield, Illinois, is completing her bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness. Hoskin is a transfer student from John Wood Community College. During her time at K-State, she has been involved in the Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness Club, Pre-Law, the Swing and Salsa Club, and competed with the National Agri-Marketing Association marketing team and sales team. For the past two semesters, Reagan has worked as the teaching assistant for production economics taught by Dr. Brian Coffey. In 2019, Reagan completed a seed sales internship for AgriGold and following graduation, she will complete a marketing internship at Evoia, a startup company working with bio stimulants. In August, Reagan will attend law school at University of Kansas.

“It is an honor to receive the Outstanding Senior Award. Over the past two years, K-State has given me the opportunity to develop both hard and soft skills. I have enjoyed the classes and getting to know my professors. It has been a wonderful experience and I am grateful for my K-State family,” Hoskin said.

Reed Middleton, Hermiston, Oregon, is completing her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Economics. Reed decided to pursue a degree at K-State because of her interest in agriculture and desire to see new places. Reed quickly found KSU and the Agricultural Economics department to be a place not only for learning, but also for building lifelong friendships and professional networks. During her time at K-State, Reed has been a College of Agriculture Ambassador, a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, a teaching assistant for Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, and, most recently, Student Coordinator for Food Security Scholars. She will also graduate with a secondary major in Global Food Systems Leadership and minors in Spanish and Leadership Studies. Reed is currently completing her final semester abroad in Montevideo, Uruguay and will begin a Master of Science in Food Economics and Marketing at the University of Reading in September.

“The Ag Economics department has given me so much. It has served as a place to be curious and encourages me to take ownership in my own learning. Our faculty are some of our biggest cheerleaders and our peers quickly become some of our best friends and future professional connections. I am honored to receive this recognition, especially alongside such stellar peers,” Middleton said.

Summer Santillana, Leoti, Kansas, graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Economics in December 2021, with Summa Cum Laude honors, and served as the College of Agriculture graduation commencement speaker. While at K-State, Summer served as the president, vice president, and chaplain of the Alpha of Clovia 4-H Cooperative Leadership House; member of the XIX Mortar Board Chapter; member of K-State Ag Economics Club; member of K-State Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences Chapter; and was a student assistant in the College of Ag Office of Student and Staff Success. Throughout her college career, she was selected as a K-State Truman Scholar nominee and a recipient of the David and Susan Barton Leadership Scholarship for 2020 and 2021, she has also received her Conflict Resolution certificate. Summer has completed an internship with Union Pacific Railroad and previously worked for Archer Daniels Midland and Scott Cooperative Association. Through her work in the Office of Student and Staff Success, Summer has co-facilitated numerous programs and presentations and has assisted in leading partnerships across campus. After graduation, Summer transitioned into the role of Coordinator at the K-State College of Agriculture Office of Student and Staff Success.

“I am honored to have been selected as one of the outstanding seniors in Agricultural Economics at K-State. Coming from a small town, I didn’t know what to expect from college, but K-State Ag Econ truly provided me with professors and resources that helped it to be fun to learn and easy to find help when needed. I am proud to have come from this department and hope that it continues to grow and works to create a sense of belonging for all students,” Santillana said.

Dr. Andrew Barkley, an agricultural economics professor at Kansas State University, authored and recently released Imperfect Heroes: Teaching in Challenging Times to Motivate Student Achievement. This new book is intended to help teachers flourish during challenging times.

“The book is written for all educators, but especially those who seek renewal in their ability to help students learn and grow. Included are the inspiring and motivational stories of 12 ‘Teaching Heroes.’ Successful leaders, writers, and artists face challenges strikingly similar to obstacles faced by teachers. Iconic individuals often use life hardships as a springboard to achieve higher levels of effectiveness. Teachers can do this, too,” Barkley said.

The main idea of Imperfect Heroes is that learning about the lives of other people can provide benefits. The application of ideas from new and divergent sources to teaching practices can result in transformative growth in the ability to help others learn. Included in the book are chapters featuring Muhammad Ali, Anne Frank, Mother Teresa, and Mister Rogers to name a few.

“Teachers can use the hero stories intertwined with classroom examples to gain confidence, motivate students, and renew their commitment to making a positive contribution to the world,” he said. “In each chapter, I share common teaching experiences to stimulate reflections, dialog, and action. Emphasized throughout the book is my conviction that any teacher who desires to improve can become a great teacher, regardless of personality type, classroom style, submit matter, or pedagogical tools.”

Each chapter describes how one of the heroes motivates improvement in teaching and learning. Ideas that educators can adopt to enhance their teaching style and improve student learning are summarized.

“The reason behind why I wanted to write this book is because, teachers have an enormous positive impact on the world through enhanced student learning. This book was written to inspire teachers to continue their efforts to motivate and support student learning, and through their actions make the world a better place,” Barkley said.

His book has received positive reviews on Amazon. Kris Nelson, a retired elementary teacher and administrator, said, “Andy Barkley has created a powerful book that will inspire educators by taking a deep, insightful look into the lives of 12 unique heroes. Teachers are encouraged to mindfully rethink what makes an effective teacher by delving into significant characteristics of each of these role models. Written in a straightforward, easy to comprehend style, this book is a must read for any teacher who wants to consciously elevate his or her own teaching from a basic level to exemplary!”

Barkley specializes in agricultural and public policy at K-State and teaches undergraduate and graduate-level course. His research areas focus on the wheat industry, teaching and learning. Barkley has won numerous awards for teaching, advising, research and scholarship at the College, University, Regional and National levels. In addition to K-State, he has taught at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, the University of Arizona, Quaid-I-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan, and the University of Chicago.

Imperfect Heroes is available on Amazon and Rowman and Littlefield websites.

Gregg Doud, Agricultural Economics alum and former Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, recently spoke to Risk Management Center fellows. As one of the primary architects of the U.S.-China "Phase One" trade agreement, Doud provided students a glimpse into the complexity of the negotiation process.

“Ambassador Gregg Doud was the Chief Agricultural Negotiator for trade in agricultural products from 2018-2021. During his tenure, major new U.S. export markets, most noteworthy with China, expanded in ways that had never previously been accomplished. Negotiating trade deals with major trading partners is immensely complex from numerous perspectives. Ambassador Doud was the ideally suited to successfully navigate all aspects of new lucrative trade deals for U.S. agriculture,” Ted Schroeder, agricultural economics professor and CRMER director, said.

“Greg’s presentation opened my eyes to the complexities of trade negotiations in U.S. agriculture. I appreciated that he recognized the importance of science and economic insights in his career. I am grateful that he shared his past experiences and roles that led him to be a successful trade negotiator,” Amber Oerly, CRMER student fellow said.

In addition to sharing his experiences in trade negotiation, he also offered students several pieces of office:

“Read, read, read. Read all that you can. You are exposed to more ideas and viewpoints by reading. This will help you see issues from different perspectives.
Learn how to communicate. Students can find information about anything on a smart phone, but don’t know how to communicate/explain it. Learn how to clearly communicate the information you look up.
Work on your relationships and value your peers. Build and maintain relationships with your peers and mentors throughout your lifetime.”

Doud earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science and a Master of Science in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. In 2012, Doud was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Kansas State University Agriculture Alumni Association and also received the Outstanding Alumnus award from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State in 2017. As a K-State alum, he maintains a close relationship to the Department and University.

“Gregg has always been an incredible supporter of K-State and especially students. He generously gives his time often to visit with K-State students about his experiences and he has done this for at least a couple of decades. Gregg is one of the most sought after speakers in agricultural trade, so his schedule is packed full. Despite that, he continues to donate his travel and time to engage with K-State students. We are proud of Gregg's accomplishments and ever grateful he continues to share his experiences and wisdom with K-State students,” Schroeder said.

Doud is currently the Vice President of Global Situational awareness & Chief Economist at Aimpoint Research. He works closely with members of the Executive Intelligence Network (EIN) and plays a major role in the development of its thought leadership priorities.

Prior to Ambassador Doud’s nomination, he was the President of the Commodity Markets Council, where he had served since 2013. He also served as a Professional Staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee for Senator Pat Roberts and Senator Thad Cochran, and held various roles in the agriculture industry for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Wheat Associates and the agricultural commodity consulting firm World Perspectives. Ambassador Doud was raised on a dry-land wheat, grain sorghum, soybean, swine and cow-calf operation near Mankato, Kansas – which he is still involved with today. Ambassador Doud and his family live on their horse farm in Lothian, Maryland.

AgKansitions The agricultural economics department was awarded a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish the Office for Farm and Ranch Transition. As part of the more than $745,000 grant project and funding from K-State Research and Extension, the department hired Ashlee Westerhold as director for the office.

"We are excited to be launching much-needed services for farm transition out of the K-State ag economics department and delighted to bring Ashlee Westerhold onboard as an enthusiastic and skilled professional to lead this initiative," said Robin Reid, K-State Extension farm economist.

The Office for Farm and Ranch Transition will be known as AgKansitions, and will provide critical services for beginning farmers/ranchers in Kansas.

"As the average age of farm operators in Kansas continues to increase, we know many farm families will be looking to transition their operations in the near future, either to the next generation or to unrelated younger producers," Reid said. "We are excited for our department to be able to provide education and services specifically for transitioning farms and ranches and to assist beginning farmers and ranchers in being successful operators."

The Office of Farm and Ranch Transition provides three main services:

Land-link program to introduce exiting landowners with beginning farmers/ranchers through an application and curated matching process.
One-on-one consultations to facilitate transition of an existing farm/ranch operation.
Extensive training program for beginning farmers/ranchers to master critical financial and business skills.

"The overall goal of this project is to equip beginning farmers/ranchers to be successful farm managers and provide resources and technical services that will enable opportunities for land access," said Allen Featherstone, agricultural economics department head. "The land-link program will bring farm families together through the matching process, they will receive one-on-one technical assistance in developing their transition plans, and general education conferences on farm transition will increase farm financial knowledge and business skills."

Partnering agencies for the office include Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Bankers Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm Service Agency, Kansas Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Kansas Grazing Land Coalition.

Westerhold earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics and a Master of Science in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Westerhold served as an area extension educator in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology for University of Idaho where she created, delivered, and collaborated on major risk management programs including Farm and Ranch Succession Planning, Farm and Ranch Management, Women in Agriculture, Farm Business Benchmarking, and Agricultural Outlooks. At the University of Idaho, she has obtained more than $300,000 from five funded grants to support her research and extension efforts. She has led more than 60 workshops and presentations, produced 40 video webinars and authored 18 extension publications. Westerhold has always been passionate about succession planning because of her advisor, Dr. Ronald J. Hanson, at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her main objective is to keep family farms and ranches in farming and ranching.

If you or your clients are interested in meeting with Ashlee for any of the above objectives, please do not hesitate to reach out by calling her at (785) 532-4526 or email her at ashleecw@ksu.edu. We are now taking applications into the Land Link program and scheduling one-on-one consultations.

Farmers and ranchers face risk each day. Finding strategies to mitigate risk is necessary to be successful. Dr. Jennifer Ifft, associate professor of agricultural economics, recently released a nine-part series and historic performance decision aid about price risk management considerations and strategies for cow-calf producers.

Cow-calf producers with limited experience hedging, and producers who are interested in learning more about Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), including cow-calf producers with hedging experience and stockers and feedlot operators, will find helpful insights in the series.

“In today’s volatile commodity markets, price risk management is as important as ever. Cow-calf producers historically have had limited options for formal price risk management. Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) is a livestock insurance product that has been available for two decades, but recent policy changes make it more affordable to producers. LRP makes payments when national prices drop below the producer-selected coverage price,” Ifft said.

The purpose of this series was twofold: (1) to help cow-calf producers assess whether LRP might be a good fit for their operation or if they want to learn more, and (2) increase awareness of key policy characteristics and decisions for producers that are interested in LRP. Given that cow-calf producers, especially small and midsize operations, may have limited experience with hedging, which LRP is similar to, this series was designed to provide a gradual introduction to LRP.

“The series begins with key price risk management concepts and practices before presenting policy details. The series concludes with a discussion of how LRP would have performed historically for Kansas cow-calf producers,” she said.

Ifft says there are three main take aways from the series, “LRP is very similar to a put option but is more affordable and small-producer friendly. A producer can enroll anywhere from 1 to 6,000 head of cattle (feeder or fed) in a single policy (endorsement) and premiums are not due until the end of the coverage period (usually after cattle would be sold).” Another takeaway is that, “LRP is designed to replace the income that is lost due to unexpected price declines. The producer must select a coverage price, or the level to which prices must drop for an LRP payout to be triggered.” Her final takeaway is, “Like other Federal crop and livestock insurance products, LRP is designed so the producer comes out ahead in the long run. In other words, producers are more likely than not to receive more in payouts than they pay in premiums in the long run. The key phrase here is the long run: several years can pass without a payout. Having a long-term perspective and understanding how LRP works as insurance against price declines can help producer decide whether LRP is a good choice for their operation.”

The series of articles can be found at https://www.agmanager.info/crop-insurance/livestock-insurance-papers-and-information/price-risk-management-cow-calf-producers.

Summer 2021 enewsletter

After not having any commencement ceremonies last year, we were excited to be able to celebrate our graduates in May! All together, the Agricultural Economics Department graduated 90 students during the spring.

Grad Numbers

The department was also pleased that Ag Econ Ph.D. candidate, Hannah Shear, was selected to be the Graduate School Commencement speaker.

"I was approached by Vice Provost/Dean Claudia Petrescu, and asked if I would consider serving as the Graduate School’s commencement speaker. She said that as a ‘new’ arrival on campus she had asked around and she had heard my name from several people in regards to being an active and engaged graduate student on campus," Shear said. "I was honored to be asked to speak, but was also unsure if I could manage to say anything meaningful or memorable.

"After the past year-and-a-half, many of the graduate students had spent a large portion of their studies in a less than ideal situation. Some students had lost loved ones, jobs, had technology struggles, and more. So I wanted to be sure to recognize that, but I didn’t want the speech to be centered around the pandemic. So I chose to encourage our graduates to have grace over success.

"In a combined graduation (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) there were more than 700 graduates, so I kept it short, and hopefully sweet," she said.

Here's the speech she shared with graduates:

Grace Over Success

Congratulations. You did it! You have successfully achieved a graduate degree. You have achieved a level of education that a very small percentage of the world population reaches. You have succeeded in your academic endeavors and you deserve to be recognized for all of your hard work. That hard work may have felt insurmountable given all that has happened over the course of the past year. But you persevered. You succeeded.

Success is generally defined as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”. For each of you, your short-term aim was to achieve a graduate degree. Thus, as a participant in this graduation, you are, by definition, a success. As you each move forward you will define for yourself a new aim or purpose. I know you will take the knowledge you have gained in your time here at Kansas State University and leverage it to be successful yet again.

So you can call yourself resilient, persistent, and successful as a graduate of Kansas State University. But I want to encourage you, as you leave this place, to consider placing grace before success.

Grace can be defined as “courteous goodwill”. I implore you all, as members of the K-State family to always put grace before success. Be gracious in your words, actions, deeds, and choices. Pick up the piece of litter on the ground, return the shopping cart to the stall, comfort someone in need, nominate someone for an award, celebrate another’s achievement, send a note to a loved one, be free with forgiveness and stingy with anger. Be harder on yourself and easier on others. Respect one another and our differences, hold the elevator, volunteer, beautify your surroundings.

If you make your aim or purpose to do all things with grace, then you will without a doubt be successful. So as you leave here today to celebrate, go with pride, go with the knowledge that you are forever a part of the K-State family, and go with grace.

Congratulations graduates.

The Agricultural Economics Department selected five students to receive the Department’s 2021 Outstanding Senior Award. The award recognizes seniors in the Agricultural Economics Department for their significant contributions during their time at K-State.

“It is always a pleasure to recognize the outstanding seniors in our department. It is exciting to be reminded about the exceptional things our students are doing academically as well as serving their peers and communities,” Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Undergraduate Programs, said. “This group of students has been challenged as they faced virtual learning, changes in internships, and disruptions to their final three semesters at K-State. Despite that, they have thrived. We appreciate their resiliency, all of their contributions and wish them the best as they become alumni of the Department of Agricultural Economics.”

The following students were recipients of Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior Award:

MiKayla Deters, Sabetha, Kansas, completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness with the international option and a secondary major in Global Food Systems Leadership. Deters has been involved with many activities on campus. She was a member of Blue Key Senior Honorary as the Director of Nationals and Scholarship, as well as being involved with Sigma Alpha Ag Sorority and National Agri-Marketing Association. She has completed internships with Cargill Animal Nutrition and John Deere. She accepted employment in Cargill’s Animal Nutrition Business in Olathe, Kansas as a Management Associate. Her career interests lie in pricing, merchandising, and strategic marketing. She plans to pursue a Masters of Agribusiness after several years in industry and eventually transition into running her own business and operating the family-farm.

“I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be recognized by the agricultural economics department as an outstanding senior. Looking back on my experience at K-State, I know that the department has been instrumental in my development and boasting the best faculty and staff on campus. It’s truly been an amazing four years!” Deters said.

Rebecca Hernandez, Fort Worth, Texas, completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Economics with a specialty in optimization and a minor in Statistics. Hernandez has started a two-year Technical Research Associate position at MIT Sloan School of Management. Hernandez intends to pursue a PhD in Economics in the future. She is a McNair Scholar and was actively engaged in research with Dr. Schwab throughout her time in our program.

“From the moment I stepped into the Ag Econ Department I felt at home. All the students, professors, and staff were always so welcoming and that made it easy for me to form relationships which have helped me to excel in my coursework. I used to joke that Waters Hall was my real home away from home and not my apartment because of how often I would be there in my free time. It truly is an honor to be selected as one of the Outstanding Seniors, because my passion for Agricultural Economics was planted and nourished under the guidance and influence of the Ag Econ Department and I am forever grateful,” Hernandez said.

Megan Hill, Home, Kansas completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness with a minor in Animal Science and Industry in December 2020. Hill was actively involved in the leadership of NAMA. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University with an anticipated graduation date of May 2022. In 2019, Hill held a dual internship with Merck Animal Health in Desoto, KS and the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor in Kansas City, MO.

“I am very honored to be selected by the agricultural economics department as one of the Outstanding Seniors. The faculty and staff in this department played a huge role in making my time as an undergraduate student at K-State a fulfilling experience. I look forward to continuing my academic career in this department by pursuing a master’s degree,” Hill said.

Dannell Kopp, Fairview, Kansas, completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring Agricultural Economics with a pre- veterinary specialty and a minor in Animal Science and Industry. Kopp is a member of the College of Agriculture Ambassadors, Alpha of Clovia, and the Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness club. Following graduation, she began working with Drs. Ted Schroeder and Robert Larson to collect data for their cow-calf record keeping and data transfer app. In August, she will start her course work in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. Kopp’s goal after graduation is to return to a rural community in Kansas where she can practice veterinary medicine on production livestock animals.

“I truly appreciate being chosen for this distinguished honor. Majoring in Agricultural Economics with a Pre-Vet option was one of the best decisions I made during my undergraduate career,” Kopp said.

Amber Oerly, Boonville, Missouri, completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Economics with a specialty in Policy. She was a transfer student from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. While at K-State, she has been a student researcher with Dr. Glynn Tonsor and completed an internship in Washington, D.C. for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Oerly has co-published articles including her most recent publication in 2020: “Traceability, Biosecurity and Health Management by U.S. Feedlot Operations – 2018 Survey Summary.” Following graduation, she will spend the summer in Denver, CO on an internship with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in their beef sustainability research program. This fall Oerly will attend graduate school at K-State focusing on livestock economics and policy.

“I am extremely honored to be selected as an outstanding graduate in the agricultural economics department at Kansas state. Not only does the program have national recognition for research and extension work, the faculty also have a genuine desire to assist their students in becoming better scholars, professionals, and agriculturalists. I am certainly blessed that God led me to K-State for my undergraduate career,” Oerly said.

K-State IFAMA Team

K-State's Graduate Students of Agricultural Economics (GSAE) Case Study Team of John Green, Lauren Benavidez, and Megan Hill recently competed in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) Student Case Competition. The team was awarded 1st Place in the Graduate Division out of a field of 26 teams from around the world.

“It was a very fulfilling experience having real-life company issues to solve strategically with the knowledge acquired from our master's program studies," Benavidez said. "The group dynamic was great as everyone came up with ideas from our diverse backgrounds and that made the contest also an enjoyable experience."

IFAMA conducts the competition at its annual conference, but due to COVID, the 2021 contest was conducted virtually. During the competition, teams review a selected company and provide recommendations to a panel of senior management judges.

"The IFAMA Student Case Study Competition was held virtually this year and consisted of two rounds. In the preliminary round, we had 24 hours to read and analyze a case study over the company Perfect Day and write a five-page report giving our recommendations to the company," Hill said. "In the final round, we had four hours to read part two of the case study and create a presentation with our recommended solutions. Immediately after the four hours ended, we gave our presentation to the judges over Zoom. This was a challenging experience because of the time constraints, but it gave us the opportunity to use the skills we learned in the classroom and apply them to real issues that companies face."

The team wins a cash award; opportunities for internships and interviews with the sponsoring companies; an opportunity to serve on a sustainability council for Perfect Day--the company featured in the case study; and complimentary conference attendance for the IFAMA in-person conference in Costa Rica in 2022.

"John, Lauren, and Megan worked hard and were determined to successfully represent KSU in this international competition," Dr. Aleksan Shanoyan, Associate Professor and the team's faculty advisor, said. "Taking 1st place in this global competition indicates the quality of our graduate students and the world-class agribusiness education they receive in the Department of Agricultural Economics at KSU. This continues the tradition of our students placing top in national and international competitions."

Each year the Alumni Association recognizes students annually with Anderson Senior Awards and Graduate Student Awards.

Faculty and peers nominate students for the awards, and committees consisting of members of the Alumni Association board of directors and K-State students select the recipients.

“These students are role models for leadership, community service, inspiration and academics and exemplify the caliber of students at K-State,” said Tamie Redding, assistant director of student programs for the Alumni Association. “The Alumni Association is pleased to celebrate these students by recognizing them for their contributions to the Wildcat community.”

The Anderson Senior Award recognizes four graduating seniors for excellence academics, leadership, inspiration and service. The award was established in 1998 and pays tribute to K-State’s second president, John Anderson, who served from 1873 to 1879.

Of the eight Anderson Awards, two were awarded to Agricultural Economics students.

Riley Sleichter, Abilene, Kansas, agribusiness, for inspiration.
In his own words: "As I reflect on my time at Kansas State I hope the biggest impact I leave is an aspiration for the students I was involved with to be filled with ambition to chase their dreams and fulfill their goals. I have spent a lot of my time in Manhattan focused on helping develop others personally, professionally, and academically, and I love watching them succeed—whether it be getting that internship they worked for or successfully leading a group. Life can be full of so much more joy and purpose if you take the time to prioritize your personal goals and do what makes you feel fulfilled—that’s the biggest impact I hope to leave: to encourage others to find their ‘Why.’"

After graduation, Sleichter accepted a position with Deere and Company in their Marketing and Customer/Product Support Development Program.

Thomas Smith,Windom, Kansas, agricultural economics, for service.
"I don’t know that I would say that I have one specific instance that I feel was my biggest impact on campus, however, I would say that my biggest impact has been in the relationships that I have made. As a freshman I had a lot of upperclassmen invest in me to help me and that really helped cultivated K-State Experience for the better. After that, I made it my goal to do the same and invest in the future of K-State. I was able to do this through my fraternity, Student Governing Association, College of Agriculture Student Council. Throughout these organizations I was able to work with others to help build and invest in my fellow K-State students in hopes to make their K-State experience better. In addition, I also worked at formerly New Student Services giving tours to perspective K-State Students in hopes of showing them the university that I love so much in hopes that they would choose to come here as well. It is through these interactions that I feel I was able to impact K-State and help shape its future leaders," Smith said.

Smith has accepted a position with StoneX Group, Inc., in Kansas City, MO as a Risk Management Consultant.

The Alumni Association recognizes two graduate students with its Graduate Student Award, which was established in 2010. The award recognizes outstanding graduate students for academics, service and leadership. One of the award winners was from Agricultural Economics.

Hannah Shear, Winchester, Kentucky, doctoral candidate in agricultural economics.
Shear has served the graduate community at K-State in a variety of positions. She served as President of both the Agricultural Economics Department Graduate Student Association (GSAE) and the Graduate Student Council (GSC).

in addition to her formal leadership positions, Shear organized food drop-offs and childcare for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has accepted employment as an assistant professor in Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University.

"We celebrate with our students as they have been recognized for their hard work and leadership during their time in the Agricultural Economics Department," Dr. Allen Featherstone, department head, said. "Hannah, Riley and Thomas are all well deserving of these awards, and are positioned to make a lasting impact as they embark on their life's journey."

Spring 2021 enewsletter

Dr. Jesse Tack, associate professor for the Department of Agriculture Economics, has been selected as an editor for the American Journal of Agricultural Economics (AJAE).

The AJAE is a peer-reviewed journal that employs economists, like Dr. Tack, to analyze public policy and consumer behavior. The journal focuses on publishing empirical and theoretical papers in finance and other closely related fields.

“The journal is considered to be the leading journal in Agricultural Economics and highlights research that can affect both agricultural policy and on-the-ground decision making," Tack said.

To be selected as an editor for the AJAE an application must be submitted to the Agriculture and Applied Economics Association for review. Dr. Tack, will work with a team of faculty that includes Dr. Jill McCluskey, Washington State University; Dr. Marc Bellemare, University of Minnesota; and Dr. Amy Ando, University of Illinois. Tack’s term will be a four-year term starting January 1 of 2022.

“Dr. Tack is the first faculty member from Kansas State University to be selected as an editor. We have had several members of our faculty serve as associate editors, but none have served as editor," Dr. Allen Featherstone, Agricultural Economics Department Head, said. “Certainly this is a great honor for Dr. Tack, but also for the Department as a whole. This type of honor continues to validate the Department’s research ranking #21 for Agriculture Economics Departments in the World according to Research Papers in Economics (RePEC) managed by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank.”

Dr. Tack’s main responsibilities will be to coordinate reviews for submitted manuscripts and to ensure the integrity of the peer review responses. Editors make the final decision on whether manuscripts will be published in the AJAE. A combination of recommendations of referees and the editor’s evaluation of the paper are the deciding factors for the editor’s final decision.

“I am genuinely excited for the opportunity to engage with the leading research in the profession," Tack said.

Sanders Barbee and Michaela Forst, two students from the Agricultural Economics Department, have been chosen for the Kansas Food and Agricultural Policy Fellowship Program, or Ag Fellows. The Ag Fellows program is a leadership opportunity for Kansas students studying an agricultural field to better serve the state’s food and agricultural industry.

“I am looking forward to this because I know it will be helpful and necessary information for future sorghum growers to have. I hope to learn more about ag policy at both State and Federal levels," Barbee said.

The Ag Fellows will complete two separate experiences: one at the state level and one at the federal level. They will gain a firsthand understanding of policy and regulatory challenges facing the food and agriculture supply chain, be challenged to develop strategic solutions to meet these challenges, and will participate in the policy process during the program.

Michaela Forst While this experience better prepares them to enter the workforce serving the Kansas food and agriculture industry, it also enhances their ability to advocate for laws and regulations that allow Kansas and the food and agriculture community to thrive and grow.

Barbee and Forst had to go through an intense application and interview process before being selected. In her application essay, Barbee chose to write about food insecurity in undernourished countries.

Barbee is a sophomore in agricultural economics with a specialty in pre-law. She will serve as the conservation fellow with Kansas Grain Sorghum. Barbee is a member of the K-State University Marching Band, secretary for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources Related Sciences, or MANRRS, and works as a peer mentor in K-State’s Office of Student Belonging.

Forst is a junior in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership. Forst will work with Dairy Farmers of America. She serves as a College of Agriculture Ambassador and as a member of the Student Advisory Leadership Team for the Food Security Scholars Program.

Two agribusiness students, Hannah Ballard and Kaitlin Bell, were recently elected as President and Vice President of the Alpha of Clovia 4-H Cooperative Leadership House. Women of Clovia live together in a cooperative manner – sharing housework and later responsibilities to reduce the overall cost of living.

The opportunity to live among women with similar backgrounds, while reducing housing costs, focusing on academics, philanthropy and social activities is the main reason many young women apply to Clovia.

"Through my involvement in 4-H and FFA, Clovia has been a great fit for me, allowing me to connect with other girls from across the country who grew up the same way I did," Bell said.

Kaitlin Bell Ballard is sophomore in Agribusiness. She grew up in Madison, Kansas on a cow calf, custom grazing, and row crop operation. Growing up she was actively involved in 4-H. At K-State, she has been on the wool judging team, a part of Quest freshman honorary society and the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness club.

Bell is a senior majoring in Agribusiness with a minor in Animal Science and Industry. In addition to her involvement with 4-H and FFA, she was also a member of the Pennsylvania Junior Angus Association while growing up. At K-State is a member of the Meat and Livestock Judging Teams.

With COVID-19 making gatherings difficult for many organizations, Clovia has made an effort to give house tours to show girls what it’s like to live in the house. Both Ballard and Bell have been working on plans to host a family weekend during the upcoming fall semester and a hospitality weekend where prospective members can come and visit with active members to help recruit new members. Clovia will be also hosting a national meeting with its sister chapter, Beta of Clovia, from the University of Minnesota.

“I am excited to serve and represent Clovia as a whole. Being a leader during this time will be challenging, but rewarding. I look forward to learning and growing as I go through my term as President," Ballard said. “The best part of Clovia is the girls! They are truly such a good group of driven, motivated and inspiring young women."

Bell who grew up on a small cow-calf operation in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the relationships with her housemates are a big part of why she chose to serve as Vice President.

“For me, the friendships I have made are by far the most rewarding. Being 1,200 miles away from home, living here has given me an amazing group of young ladies that have become some of my closest friends," Bell said. “I am extremely excited to work with Hannah and the rest of the officer team throughout the year to help welcome girls into the house and make friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Fall 2020 Exchange eNewsletter

by Sara Wyant, President, Agri-Pulse.com

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, an economist who influenced decades of U.S. farm policy and thousands of students and farm leaders, died Nov. 2 in Topeka, KS. His doctors indicated the cause of his death as a malfunction of his pacemaker, according to his family. He was 78 years old.

There are a lot of different and talented agricultural economists in this country. But Flinchbaugh was unique in his style, his colorful stories and his convictions. If you ever met him, you wouldn’t forget him.

“While Barry was well-known for his contributions to U.S. agricultural policy, Dr. Flinchbaugh also had a great passion for teaching and his students,” Dr. Allen Featherstone, Agricultural Economics Department Head, said. “He continued to teach his Ag Policy course via distance this fall. He will be deeply missed and leaves a big hole in the Agricultural Economics Department that can’t be filled with someone of his knowledge and wit. Our hearts go out to Cathy and his family.”

As a professor and extension educator, Flinchbaugh taught agricultural policy subjects to approximately 4,000 undergraduates and, as a much sought-after speaker, lectured at farm meetings around the country. Most recently, he served as professor emeritus, department of agricultural economics, at Kansas State University, where he joined the faculty in 1971.

"He was always able to look at complex numbers and develop a narrative around those numbers that helped everyone understand the policy and the implications — whether it was the farmer, the elected official or the person in the White House," noted Mike Torrey, principal and founder of Michael Torrey Associates and a former student in Flinchbaugh's farm policy class.

Kansas farmer Jay Armstrong was Flinchbaugh’s second teaching assistant in 1972-74.

“I drove him around to every county in Kansas when he educated farmers on how use-value appraisal would work. It was complicated, but Barry’s style made it so farmers could understand it,” Armstrong recalled. “From that effort, ag organizations took hold of their now educated membership and got urban candidates to support a change to the Kansas constitution which has saved farmers untold millions.

“His plain speaking style is what made him a necessary force in Kansas ag policy and in turn his talents were used nationally with Freedom to Farm. Outspoken? Certainly. Effective? Definitely, yes.”

Students flocked to Flinchbaugh’s classes and many remember his style as tough but rewarding. He frequently chewed on a cigar and in later years, took pleasure in stomping his cane at his side to make a point.

“The truth was that Barry’s ‘bark was worse than his bite’. He would challenge and sometimes even scare students. But once they became amiable to working and understanding, he would bend over backwards for them - not only in their studies but helping them with their lives and finances. In short, his heart was bigger than his bravado,” Armstrong added. “He told me many times, ‘put humor into teaching and students will remember….that’s the goal.’”

During his early professional years, he began working with leaders of both political parties on federal farm bills. On a national level, his contributions to the development of U.S. agricultural policy have included serving as chairman of the Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture formed by the 1996 FAIR Act (also known as the Freedom to Farm Act).

Dana Brooks, the CEO of the Pet Food Institute, said she first met Dr. Flinchbaugh when he chaired the 21st Century Ag Commission in 2000. She was a new staffer on Capitol Hill.

“I was mesmerized by his intelligence, personality, leadership and commitment to agriculture. When I started looking at graduate school programs, I picked Kansas State University because of their reputation and Dr. Flinchbaugh was an advisor to the program. He will always be larger than life in my memories.”

Some of Flinchbaugh’s speeches and comments created controversy. Gregg Doud, who is now the top agricultural adviser for the U.S. Trade Representative, remembers walking across the Kansas State campus during his freshman year when the American Agriculture Movement hung a Flinchbaugh look-alike in effigy. They were upset about comments Flinchbaugh had made about whether or not there were too many farmers in 1985.

“I remember thinking, ‘who is this guy?’” Doud recalled. “He taught me never to back down.”

Many government leaders shared their memories of the impact he had on policy, as well as them personally.

“Franki and I are deeply saddened by the news of Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh’s passing. Dr. Flinchbaugh was nothing short of a legend in his field. His expertise made him one of the most coveted and trusted advisors for agricultural policy for decades," noted Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts.

"Dr. Flinchbaugh’s legacy as an educator and advocate will live on through his work at Kansas State University and his lifetime of dedication to agriculture. I will not only miss his guidance, but I will also miss his friendship, wit and humor. I have many special memories of Barry, in particular our times together on the “Pat and Dan Show,” where he moderated lively discussions between former Congressman Dan Glickman, our state agriculture groups and myself. Our prayers are with the Flinchbaugh family during this difficult time.”

Glickman, who served as Secretary of Agriculture from 1995-2001 and appointed Flinchbaugh to the Commission on 21st Century Agriculture, said “there will be a little bit of Kansas history lost,” when he learned that Flinchbaugh had died.

“He has been my mentor for decades and will be fondly remembered for his wit, his wisdom and irreverence,” Glickman said. “He was one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve ever met.”

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, said, “There may be no Kansan whose company I enjoyed more.” But before getting to their remembrances, it might be nice and surely fun to recall the directness, wit and insight Dr. Flinchbaugh provided whenever he spoke. Here is a Sampler of Flinchbaughian Rhetoric (excerpted from his keynote speech to a Kansas Commodity Classic audience in January 2018).

“We’ve got a solid Kansas delegation with Sen. Moran and Sen. Roberts, and with Dr. Marshall we have a member on the House Ag Committee again….. If the other 49 states had the kind of delegation Kansas does, there’d be a lot fewer problems. But unfortunately, they don’t.”
“There is a big lesson that needs to be learned or re-learned [regarding trade]. This is a global economy and we aren’t going back. In 1960, about 9% of our GDP came from trade. In 2016, it was 24%.
“We’ve been through the nonsense of having congressmen fall for the idea of separating the two [regarding food stamps]…..If you take food stamps out of the bill, then that’s the last Farm Bill you’ll see. Urban congressmen don’t have any reason to support crop insurance without a nutrition program. The two have got to stay together.”
“You’ve got people saying if food stamp recipients need to be drug-tested, then so do farmers getting subsidies for crop insurance……It’s a no-win position.”
“TPP was probably the most lucrative bill for farmers in my lifetime. It put the U.S. in a strong, countervailing position of power to China. It put two powers in the region instead of one bully. Rejecting it played right into China’s hands. We have to get across the point that multi-lateral agreements are far superior to bi-lateral agreements for farmers.”
“At the end of the day, the question is, if you don’t have exports, you need to cut ag by 25%. Which 25% do you want to put out of business?”
“You get all this talk about H2A workers, but we don’t need seasonal workers. Cows have to be milked 365 days a year. We need permanent workers.”
“The reality of the last several years has been that net migration is going south, wages are going up and labor shortages are becoming common.”

Flinchbaugh went on to serve on a variety of boards of directors such as the Farm Foundation, advisory organizations like the 25x’25 Alliance and national task forces, providing input on domestic food and agriculture policy and serving as an advisor to industry and government leaders.

Originally from York, Pennsylvania, Flinchbaugh earned a bachelor's degree in animal science in 1964 and a master's degree in agricultural economics in 1967, both from Penn State. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University.

Flinchbaugh has been honored with Outstanding Teacher Awards three times by Kansas State University and has been recognized by the agricultural industry with several honors. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the American Farm Bureau and recently was selected as one of Farm Credit's 100 Fresh Perspectives, a national recognition for leaders making positive contributions to agriculture and rural communities.

Flinchbaugh is a lifetime member of Penn State's Alumni Association, its Ag Alumni Society and its alumni Stockman's Club.

He and his wife Cathy raised three children: David (deceased), James, and Katherine. He is also survived by two grandchildren: Henry and Piper.

There will be a private family burial and then a celebration of Dr. Flinchbaugh’s life scheduled sometime after the pandemic is over. The family suggests that memorials be sent to the Kansas State University Foundation for the Flinchbaugh Agricultural Policy Chair (Account O64415), the Flinchbaugh Agricultural Policy Student Scholarship (Account O64410) or given to a charity of your choice in Barry's name. The Kansas State University Foundation is at 1800 Kimball Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan, Kansas 66502-3373.

Professor Vincent Amanor-Boadu along with Jonathan Dessi-Olive, architecture, and Richard Todd, plant pathology, secured a Global Food Systems grant from Kansas State University to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of fungi-based building materials as sustainable development opportunity in Rural Kansas.

"We are investigating renewable energy (wind and solar) for electricity, which will be used to produce ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen for use as fertilizer and energy storage and treat water for improved water conservation in arid areas. My role is to develop a system dynamic decision support system for the alternative technological solutions that allows small town and rural (STAR) communities’ leaders to select the appropriate scale and scope of the technologies to achieve their socio-economic objectives," Amanor-Boadu said.

More than ever, the building construction industry relies on materials that are neither renewable nor reusable – often mined and manufactured with energy-intensive processes. New building materials are needed to build homes that can be sourced and produced locally to create jobs and support circular material economies. Non-conventional materials such as mycelium-based composites (“mycocomposites”) that use byproducts from agriculture and forestry industries have emerged as a commercially viable renewable building material. The growth forms of mycelia used in myco-composites have lent themselves to applications including packaging materials, acoustical panels, and composite core panels to replace petro-chemical foam and fiberglass. How modified growth forms of mycelia could produce other desirable material properties has not been widely studied. Myco-composite and biopolymer materials are understood to be compostable, but the manner in which these materials degrade may be useful and is unknown. Furthermore, no current building construction or fabrication systems exist in which materials are meant to be reclaimed.

"Although renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar power, have brought some economic growth to Kansas, these industries import the majority of their inputs, and hence do not created enough jobs opportunities to expand the state’s employment base. By identifying new bio-based building materials developed from better management of food and agricultural byproducts, there is opportunity to create a new sustainable material industry in Kansas that would create new local jobs and generate export revenues."

This pilot project will assess the technical and economic feasibilities of novel applications of fungi and agricultural byproducts to create this bio-based building material industry in Kansas. The long-term goal of the project is to provide alternative materials for design and construction that fit in a sustainable circular economy, reducing the adverse environmental effects of current materials.

We are proud to announce faculty and staff have won a number of awards during the fall semester.

Dr. Aleksan Shanoyan
USDA Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Award, 2020

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) honored Dr. Aleksan Shanoyan with one of six Regional U.S. Department of Agriculture 2020 Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences. The award celebrates university faculty for their use of innovative teaching methods and service to students.

"The department of Agricultural Economics at KSU has established a track record of excellence in teaching and learning and I am happy to be able to continue that tradition," Shanoyan said.

Shanoyan has been on the faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University since 2012. He teaches courses in agribusiness economics and management to undergraduate and graduate students where he combines real-world problem-based learning activities with computer-aided real-time learning assessment tools.

"I am grateful to the department and the college for their support and dedication to high quality instruction, and for the opportunity to work with most enthusiastic and hard-working students a teacher can ask for," he said.

In his teaching philosophy he emphasizes the importance of human connection and sincere dedication to student success. Outside the classroom, Shanyonan’s dedication to student success is reflected in his involvement in a wide range of advising and extracurricular activities. He serves as a co-adviser of Agricultural Economics Club, has advised student research projects for the Center for Risk Management Education and Research, served as a mentor for undergraduate students in the K-State Research and Extension Multicultural Summer Research Fellowship program, advises K-State Agricultural Economics Graduate Student Case Study Competition Teams, serves as an academic advisor to undergraduate students and supervises graduate student thesis and dissertation research. Alex is also actively involved in research on teaching and learning and is a frequently invited contributor to teaching workshops and mentoring programs organized by the university and professional associations.

Dr. Glynn Tonsor
K-State Research and Extension and Kansas ACE, Communicator of the Year, 2020

Glynn Tonsor, professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural Economics, received the Communicator of the Year Award. The committee noted his willingness to be available to answer questions and try new things as they helped people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are many deserving of this and other awards. It is always an honor to be recognized by your colleagues and I want to extend a thank you as I was not able to do so at this year’s Annual Conference," Tonsor said.

Tonsor has been with K-State since 2010, is a regular contributor to the AgManager.info website. His knowledge of swine and beef production was especially valuable during the crisis, and he was a sought-after expert for interviews across the state and nationally. In addition, he prepared several publications and continued his regular communication efforts throughout this time.

“Looking forward, it appears society’s need for objective information has perhaps never been higher. The pandemic has magnified several pre-existing challenges and now there are many divisions within the U.S. meat-livestock industry. While my comments on the economic workings of meat and livestock markets, impacts of possible policy adjustments, etc. are not always popular I do hope they provide value and contribute to the growing thirst for objective information.”

The award is presented annually by the K-State Department of Communications and Agricultural Education members and the Kansas chapter of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE), the international professional association for Extension communicators.

Dr. Andrew Barkley
K-State Office of International Programs, International Educator of the Year, 2020

Andrew Barkley, professor of agricultural economics, has been named the 2020 International Educator of the Year.

K-State created the International Educator of the Year Award in 2003. It was established by the provost's office and implemented by the Office of International Programs. We announce this award during International Education Week in November each year. This award recognizes an individual who has contributed to advancing international education at the university. Since 2003, Agricultural Economics faculty have been recognized three times with this award.

"I am excited about International Education Week, and honored to be recognized with this award," Barkley said. "I view the honor as a team award because there are a large number of people who work hard to make international programs possible. Our programs in agricultural economics are developed and implemented by Mary Ellen Barkley, Cherie Hodgson and myself, so I am thrilled to accept this award on their behalf. Study abroad programs are supported by a great group of people in Education Abroad and the department of agricultural economics. The dedication of these individuals provides students with truly meaningful life experiences."

Barkley added, "There is no greater reward than sharing international travel with our great students at K-State! The outstanding work of the Office of International Programs provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience for students, with knowledge and compassion that will stay with them for a lifetime!"

Barkley advised many international students and teaches international agricultural economics courses.

Since 2003, the international programs office added additional international award categories to recognize faculty, staff or administrators of the K-State community and external partners for their major contributions and sustained commitment to advancing international education at the K-State.

Robin Reid and LaVell Winsor along with Dr. Mykel Taylor, Mary Bowen, Mary Huninghake
K-State Research and Extension Team Award 2020 for the Farm Financial Skills for Kansas Women in Agriculture program

Lead by Reid and Winsor, this large team worked together across the state of Kansas, and in their smaller groups locally, to provide meaningful programming. Seventy-five county and district extension agents across the state set up 32 host sites for the program. The series of four programs, one night a week for 4 weeks, brought in 685 participants. Topics included Farm Recordkeeping, Balance Sheets, Income Statement, Cash Flow, and Goal Setting. While the program was titled Farm Financial Skills for Kansas Women in Agriculture to target as USDA defined underserved demographic, the series was open to anyone and did attract several male participants.

"We were honored to receive this award, but the county and extension agents who got people to attend hosted and facilitated the events made the program successful. Everyone working together made it possible to provide meaningful programming to such a large group," Winsor said.

This award recognizes outstanding efforts by a group of individuals addressing one of the grand challenges facing Kansas: global food systems, water, health, community vitality, and developing tomorrow's leaders.

Bailey Hinkle and Devin Brand
1st Place, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's National Case Study Competition

Bailey Hinkle and Devin Brand, master's students in agricultural economics, recently competed in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's national Case Study Competition and earned first place.

The students were given an in-depth case study covering a real business venture, Solinftec, a Brazilian technology and precision ag company that wants to establish a foothold in the United States. Hinkle and Brand had a month to prepare their proposed solutions and strategies for the company and to submit them in the form of a video presentation.

The video submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges, including faculty from across the United States, as well as the chief operating officer of Solinftec. Hinkle and Brand then had to present their strategy and defend their solutions to the judges in several rounds of live discussions.

"The competition looked a little different this year due to the pandemic, but we were excited about the opportunity to use our education and skills to provide a solution to a real-world problem," Brand said. "We are grateful to our advisor, the competition organizers and the company executive who thoughtfully considered our proposed strategy."

"The first-place win in this national competition is a result of Devin and Bailey's hard work and creativity," said Aleksan Shanoyan, associate professor of agricultural economics and the team's advisor. "It is also a testament to the high-quality training they received in the department of agricultural economics at K-State."

In the past 20 years, the Agricultural Economics Case Study Team has placed in the top three 12 times and has placed first seven times in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association competition.

"This continues the tradition of K-State agriculture economics graduate students placing top in national and international competition," Shanoyan said of the programs continued success.

Although many summer activities were put on hold due to COVID-19, some students were still able to participate in summer internships. Internships are an important opportunity to valuable gain on-the-job experience and apply skills learned in the classroom. Here's a brief look a few summer internships.

Avery Aust, Merchandising Intern, Consolidated Grain and Barge

This summer, I had the privilege of interning for Consolidated Grain and Barge as a Merchandising Intern in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This internship allowed me to gain a perspective of both a merchandising and operations side of Consolidated Grain and Barge and introduced me to the skills of how to derive key information to assist in company origination.

Although I worked in an office setting in Tulsa, I also had the opportunity to experience the busy wheat harvest period at the Consolidated Grain and Barge facility in Enid, Oklahoma. I spent a week in Enid, and during this time I learned how to grade wheat, operate the wheat probe, and assisted in customer relations with trucking companies and local growers. I learned information that was applicable to the work I had been completing in the Tulsa office – such as protein grades and the discounts offered on hard red winter wheat. During my internship, I learned the process of basis and hedging in a cash business, the valuation of barge and truck freight and how this drove company exports, as well as the importance of communication and following up with customers to obtain valuable market information for the company. This internship helped me grow both professionally and personally and I am very thankful for my time spent in Tulsa.

Antoinette Dorris, Accounting Intern, Garden City Co-op

Garden City Co-op hired me to work with Kelly Drees in the Accounting and Finance department. During the spring semester I was able to start working with them through the Collegiate Career Development Program to sharpen my professional and technical skills before I went to the office during the summer. I completed multiple financial projects through the semester and the summer. These consisted of simplifying data to make it easier to understand and access in the future. The co-op helped me gain a better understanding of their grain process by having me shadow employees that are part of their grain department. I shadowed elevator managers, grain merchandisers and grain originators. I enjoyed the inclusion and the learning atmosphere I was a part of this summer. I was able to put college classes to real world experiences. The Garden City Co-op gave me the opportunity to learn more about their industry and gave me skills and values to use in future experiences.

Natalie Harris, Fed Beef Sales and Marketing Intern, JBS

Natalie Harris is a senior majoring in Agribusiness and Global Food Systems Leadership. She began her internship with JBS, USA in Greeley, Colorado this past summer as a Fed Beef Sales and Marketing Intern. Some of her responsibilities included implementing a digital shelf recommendation for key formula customers to improve e-commerce, studied data and analytics to get a better picture of the ideal product, and attended sales meetings with the marketing and outside sales teams. Natalie appreciated the opportunities that JBS was able to extend and to keep their internship program an integral part of the company in the midst of all that’s happened this year.

Morgan Lowderman, Market Intelligence, INTL FCStone

I am currently a senior in Agribusiness that is also obtaining a certificate in Risk Management. This past summer I interned for INTL FCStone, now known at StoneX, in Kansas City, Missouri. There, I was the intern for their Market Intelligence team. At first I felt intimidated and not qualified enough to be on this team, but quickly my feelings changed. My first project was predicting the lean hog index price for the livestock team. I ran many regressions and analyzed them. Luckily, I was very familiar with this kind of analysis thanks to my ag econ classes at K-State. Some of my other projects included predicting US corn and soybean yields and analyzing the differences between food consumed at home versus food consumed away from home. I also helped my team answer daily broker requests that came in. I was able to help my team on the current reports that they sent out, but also develop new reports to be sent out and posted to our portal. I am so grateful I took a step outside my comfort zone and said yes to this internship. I was able to learn how to navigate through different databases including Bloomberg, ProphetX and datamart. I learned how to properly read many USDA reports. I also was ale to further develop my excel skills and my communication skills. This internship showed me that I truly have a passion for data analysis and market research, and it also taught me to be confident in my findings.

Eli Ohlde, Agronomy Sales Intern, Central Valley Ag Cooperative

I interned with Central Valley Ag Cooperative as an Agronomy Sales Intern this summer. I was based out of Clifton, Kansas but spent my time traveling the whole area serviced by Central Valley Ag over the summer. I helped plant and maintain plots, I delivered seed, delivered chemical, offered recommendations for chemicals and fertilizer for producers, and even sold some dry fertilizer to a new customer for CVA. I learned a ton about chemical systems and soil fertility over the summer. My boss and mentor was phenomenal. He was excellent at helping me learn more the technical parts of agronomy. I fit in well with the company culture at CVA and enjoyed working for the cooperative.

Spring 2020 enewletter

As Kansas is beginning to reopen, K-State Research and Extension faculty and staff are still on the job during closures and social distancing. Agricultural Economists have been busy providing updates and consulting on the impacts of the uncertainty and economic disruption are having on livestock markets, grain markets, land values and the overall agriculture economy. In coordination with AgManager.info, the Economics of Agriculture During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Series of Online Gatherings webinars were created.

“When the COVID-19 Pandemic started and the economy was shutting down, our Ag Econ team recognized that Kansas stakeholders would have a number of questions. We could address these questions in a webinar format,” Brian Briggeman, agricultural economist and director of the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center, said.

Primary topics of the webinar series have been updates on the macro economy, grain markets and planting intentions, effects on livestock markets, effects on land values, Kansas farm income, and a discussion of the CARES Act and Agriculture with Representative Roger Marshall and Senator Pat Roberts. Presentations on each subject were followed by the opportunity to discuss and ask questions.

“The webinar series had a primary goal of addressing questions from Kansas stakeholders. However, the last two months has been filled with unprecedented changes. There were significant needs and questions coming from every industry. A more focused response was required. Our Agricultural Economics team was up to the task by producing additional applied research, fact sheets, webinars, and interviews, all aimed at helping agricultural leaders make better and more informed decisions,” Briggeman said.

In addition to the original webinar series, there have been a number of other videos and interviews on stimulus programs, oil and biofuels, the Federal Reserve’s response, as well as weekly updates on the IHME COVID-19 Projection Model. All of these resources are posted on the AgManager.info website.

“AgManager provided us with the necessary platform for K-State ag economists to connect with local, state, regional and national audiences,” Briggeman said.

Judging by the response, the webinars and resources are meeting the needs of producers and agribusinesses for information during the pandemic. To date there have been more than 1,700 online participants and more than 6,600 additional viewings of session recordings since the middle of March. The recorded sessions are on AgManager.info and the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/AgManagerInfo.

“This webinar series was developed recognizing the rapidly growing demand for economic information on multiple aspects of the agricultural sector and the fact our combined faculty have valuable expertise to help meet this demand for knowledge,” Glynn Tonsor, agricultural economist, said. “Economists are perhaps in highest-demand in times like this. The large number of attendees have expressed thanks and noted benefits of this effort in several ways.”

The webinar series has been continued with additional dates and topics being added. A list of upcoming sessions and links to previous webinars can be found on the AgManger.info website.

The Agricultural Economics Department has selected four students to receive the Department’s Outstanding Senior Award. The award recognizes seniors in the Agricultural Economics Department for their significant contributions during their time at K-State.

“It is always a pleasure to recognize the outstanding seniors in our department. This year it was extremely difficult to choose just four students because we have so many doing exceptional things academically and serving their communities and world,” Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Undergraduate Programs, said. “This semester has been challenging for our students as they say good-bye to their time at K-State from a distance. We appreciate their resiliency, all of their contributions and wish them the best as they become alumni of the Department of Agricultural Economics.”

The following students were recipients of Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior Award:

Sara Gammon, Drexel, Missouri, is completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership with a minor in Statistics. Sara is a 2020 Truman Scholar, has studied abroad in Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and has interned internationally in India and Kenya. Sara completed an internship with Cargill Feed and Nutrition in Olathe, Kansas working on supply chain optimization, future contracts, and micro ingredients for feed production. She has also worked as an undergraduate research assistant and teaching assistant in the Department of Agricultural Economics. She recently co-authored a publication in the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Sara will pursue a one-year Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at the University of Cambridge and a one-year Master of Science in Development Economics from SOAS University of London. Sara hopes to earn a Ph.D. in Development Studies and conduct research related to women’s economic empowerment.

“It's an honor to have been chosen as one of the Ag Econ Department's Outstanding Seniors. The Department has truly shaped me into the individual I am today, and I am grateful for the support and guidance I have been given over the past three years. Here, I have found my passion and have been set on a path to success,” Gammon said.

Jenna Goetzman, Gardner, Kansas, is completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness and Global Food Systems Leadership. Jenna is a Student Fellow with the Center for Risk Management Education and Research. She completed the Cargill Fellows Program and a research project for Frontier Farm Credit. Jenna has interned with Merck Animal Health in Nebraska and created sales growth projections for her assigned territory from work with 10 veterinarian clinics, 55 cow/calf operations and feedlots. Jenna has also interned with John Deere in Olathe, Kansas. Jenna’s plans include working for an agricultural company doing sales and marketing.

“I am honored to be selected by the Agricultural Economics Department for the Outstanding Senior Award in Agribusiness this year. The faculty, staff and students truly make the College of Ag and Ag Econ department so unique and special to me. It’s been an amazing four years at K-State and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!” Goetzmann said.

Julia Maddock, Paola, Kansas, is completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring Agricultural Economics with a specialty in Finance, minor in Statistics and a Certificate in Integrated Risk Management. Julia is a Student Fellow with the Center for Risk Management Education and Research and completed internships with Consolidated Grain and Barge in Tulsa, Oklahoma and ProAg Crop Insurance in Lenexa, Kansas. She has worked in the Department of Agricultural Economics analyzing and modeling data, assisting in learning management for freshman orientation classes, creating marketing and information graphics for department electronic displays and mailings, and using Microsoft Excel to create and maintain student records. Most recently, she has been assisting with research and analysis of the IHME COVID-19 model. Julia will be working for Cerner in Kansas City as a Business Analysis following graduation.

“I am honored to have been selected, and appreciative of the many opportunities I have been able to experience as a student within the department,” Maddock said.

Clara Wicoff, Iola, Kansas, is completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership with a minor in Entomology. She is a 2019 Truman Scholar and a 2020 Marshall Scholar. Clara has held internships with Cargill, Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Department of Agriculture and Food Safety and Lodging Program, United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Kansas State Legislature and Kansas State University. She has also studied abroad in India. Clara has served as Co-Director of the Catalyst self-development program at K-State where she spent a semester co-developing the curriculum before delivering it as part of the Blue Key Senior Honorary to approximately 90 freshman and sophomore students. Following graduation, Clara will be continuing her education in the United Kingdom. She is currently working with the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission to determine which university she will be attending in the fall.

“I am so grateful to have been a student in the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics for the past four years. The faculty and staff in this department are truly second to none. They have not only supported my academic growth as an undergraduate student, but have also empowered me to continue my education abroad after I graduate from K-State. The K-State Department of Agricultural Economics has a history of producing students who compete well in nationally competitive scholarships, which is a reflection of the incredible faculty, staff, and students who make up this department. I am honored to have been selected as a recipient of this amazing department's Outstanding Senior Award!” Wicoff said.

Robin Reid, K-State extension associate, and LaVell Winsor, K-State farm analyst, delivered the keynote address on farm financial risk management education to nearly 500 women across five states for Washington State University’s Women in Agriculture Conference. That presentation sparked the idea to do something similar closer to home and the Farm Financial Skills for Kansas Women in Agriculture series was developed.

“The model of having webinar components mixed with local activities to reach a wider range of farm women was a wonderful idea for farm financial risk management education here in Kansas,” Reid said.

In January and February, K-State Research and Extension hosted a four-part series of workshops focused on helping women sharpen their farm financial management skills during this time of struggling farm economy. The sessions were offered in 32 locations around Kansas through a combination of broadcasted keynote and local speakers.

“Women in agriculture were specifically targeted for these workshops,” said Reid, a farm economist for K-State Research and Extension. “They tend to be an underserved demographic, but many times are doing the books or recordkeeping for the operation. By teaching them skills necessary to turn farm records into financial statements, and then using those statements to make management decisions, farm women can increase the profitability and sustainability of their operations.”

Session topics included principles of recordkeeping to develop a balance sheet, income statement and a cash flow statement. Participants worked with a case farm to assess performance and understand how these statements can be used to make management decisions. Other special topics addressed were managing family living expenses, coping with mental stress and developing a whole-farm financial management plan.

“The downturn in the farm economy has highlighted a need for more education in farm financial management, specifically focusing on debt to asset relationships, cash flow management, financial analysis and benchmarking,” said Winsor, a farm analyst for K-State Research and Extension and farm wife.

Nearly 700 people across the state participated in the workshops along with 75 K-State Research and Extension agents that facilitated local programming.

Given the success of the four-part series, a fifth session was added to address the COVID-19 situation in April. The goals for the webinar was to provide context around what’s impacting the agriculture markets. Ideas for practical items that producers should focus on were discussed to put some control back into their hands. There were about 250 participants on the webinar.

“Part of the reason to hold the webinar was because the agriculture economy was difficult before March, and COVID-19 made everything much more uncertain. We wanted to emphasize the importance of continued financial management on their farms so they can use their records to make changes,” Winsor said. “These challenges are weighing on people and the goal was to give participants strategies for how to address the financial stress they are facing.”

The sessions were well received by attendees. Comments from participants were positive.

“Thanks for putting together. Probably the best series ever offered by KSU Extension for Women in Ag.”

“Getting to step out of my comfort zone and learn something new. Really enjoyed getting to know women in the farming industry.”

“Every session was good. Brought awareness to many topics that I find myself thinking about on a daily basis. Will definitely be helpful in the future of our farm.”

“Each session was set up well, not too much information at once. They did so well making something difficult become learnable.”

The program was supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through North-Central Extension Risk Management Education.

The Exchange enewsletter

Spring 2025 enewsletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone

Farm and Ranch Transition Conferences

2025 Outstanding Seniors

Faculty Awards

Day of Giving 2025

Farm and Ag Tour of Spain and Portugal 2026

Course helps students returning to the family farm

Spring 2023 enewsletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - Spring 2023 Department Update

2023 Outstanding Seniors

Frahm named Agricultural Economics Distinguished Alum

New faculty join Agricultural Economics Department

Three graduate students named Farm Foundation Agricultural Scholars

The Evolving Kansas Farmer Cooperative Landscape

From Ukraine to the U.S.A. - Antonina Broyaka

Spring 2022 enewsletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - Spring 2022 Department Update

Agricultural Economics 2022 Outstanding Seniors

Andy Barkley authors book for educators

Doud talks trade negotiations with CRMER Student Fellows

Office Farm and Ranch Transition created

Ifft Releases Series on Price Risk Management Strategies for Cow-Calf Producers

Capper-Volstead Act 100th Anniversary

Summer 2021 enewsletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - July 2021 Department Update

Spring Commencement 2021

Agricultural Economics Outstanding Seniors

K-State Team Wins IFAMA World Student Case Study Championship

K-State Alumni Association Awards

Graduate Student Success

Spring 2021 enewsletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - April 2021 Department Update

Dr. Jesse Tack selected as Editor for AJEA

Undergraduate Student Center Update

Ag Econ Students Selected for Kansas Food and Agricultural Policy Fellowship Program

Students selected to lead Clovia House

CRMER Announces 2021 Fellows

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - December 2020 Department Update

Farm policy expert Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh passes away

Global Food Security Grant for Fungi-Based Building Materials

Agricultural Economics Faculty, Staff and Students Earn Awards

Students Complete Summer 2020 Internships

Agricultural Economics Administrative Staff Provides Experience and Knowledge to Department

Spring 2020 enewletter

From the desk of Dr. Allen Featherstone - May 2020 Department Update

Cherie Hodgson receives award for academic advising

Economics of Agriculture During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 Outstanding Senior Awards

The following students were recipients of Agricultural Economics Outstanding Senior Award:

Farm Finance Series for Women in Agriculture

PDFs of previous enewsletters: