The third class of Kansas Corn Corps young farmer program recently held its first session at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City. Kansas Corn created this program in 2015 to provide young farmers opportunities to network, learn more about the corn industry and develop new business skills they can use to enhance their own operations, according to Stacy Mayo-Martinez, Kansas Corn’s director of industry relations.
“We are excited to be working with another great group of young farmers with our third class of Corn Corps,” Mayo-Martinez said. “Kansas Corn leaders have continued to invest in this program to help these young farmers strengthen their personal farming businesses, and to find their fit in helping move Kansas Corn forward.”
The opening three-day session introduced the participants with a focus on understanding their strengths, outlining their roles as young farmers and learning more about state, national and international corn industries. The class will participate in three sessions and a domestic trip over a 16-month period.
Corn Corps participant Kelby Adams, Macksville, said the weekend retreat was beneficial to his farming business.
“We really enjoyed getting to meet new people. This is such a great program and we appreciate having the opportunity to be involved with it,” Adams said. “We learned a lot of information from K-State that we can take back to the farm and our seed business. We enjoyed talking to others involved in the class to understand how they are dealing with these volatile markets, and how trade and the industry affects us all.”
Funding for this program comes from both the Kansas Corn Growers Association and the Kansas Corn Commission. This program is free to all members of the KCGA under the age of 45 who play an active role on their farming operation. Learn more about the program and the application process at kscorn.com/corncorps.
The Kansas Corn Corps Class 3 participants are Kelby and Nicole Adams, Adams Farm Inc., Macksville; Derek Belton, Belton Farms, Tampa; Shawn and Kylee Geffert, Humboldt; Jay Ostmeyer, Ostmeyer Family Farms, Manhattan; Hayes and Shelby Kelman, Kelman Farms, Dodge City; Nathan and Jessica Simshauser, Simshauser, Lakin; and Matt and Stephanie Symns, Symns Farms, Atchison.
