More than 300 leaders representing a variety of agricultural interests across the state of Kansas came together on August 20–21 at the ninth annual Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth.

According to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam expressed his appreciation for those who attended this year’s Summit. “I think the strength of Kansas agriculture and perhaps Kansas as a whole is its people. There are so many leaders including volunteers who have given their time to improve the industry, and improve the rural communities,” he said. “Thank you all — you set the bar for leadership in our state. And that’s what gives me hope as I look to the future.”

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland extended a greeting to the attendees on behalf of Governor Laura Kelly, and said “There is a new Kansas that is being built before our eyes right now, and it is driven by our ag sector. We have been smart about embracing new opportunities for growth in that sector and leveraging that growth to support rural communities around Kansas.”

This year’s Ag Growth Summit featured two guest speakers with expertise on international agriculture issues.

In the morning session, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor spoke on the importance of building relationships and focusing on long-term trends so that American farmers, ranchers and other agribusiness leaders are well positioned for future success in new and emerging markets.

At lunch, attendees heard from Eddy Acevedo, principal advisor on national security and foreign policy matters at The Wilson Center, who shared how ag producers could help the United States navigate complicated geopolitical dynamics by providing value through trade and offering solutions to common challenges.

In addition to the guest speakers, the day offered a series of conversations with leaders from the various agricultural sectors in Kansas. In the morning, the Crops Panel talked about the importance of operational diversification and sustainability and the Ag Business Panel shared concerns about the challenges of finding skilled labor. In the afternoon the Animal Agriculture Panel wrapped up the day with some discussion about enhancing the industry’s perception among the public and the opportunities to expand markets for Kansas meat products and live animals.

As the day concluded, Secretary Beam provided a summary of the highlights from the day’s discussions. For more about the 2024 Kansas Ag Growth Summit and the full Ag Growth Project —including information from previous Ag Growth Summits — go to www.agriculture.ks.gov/GrowAg .