News Release

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – Missouri corn grower Mike Geske, from Matthews, Mo., was recognized by Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce Saturday evening at the 45th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture with the 2014 Missouri Corn Legacy Award, recognizing him for leadership in Missouri’s corn industry. During the awards banquet, Missouri’s Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce recognized Geske with this year’s top corn honors in front of hundreds in attendance.

“Mike is a leader and passionate advocate for the corn and ethanol industries,” said Director Fordyce, “It’s my pleasure to recognize such a great man for everything he does to give back to Missouri agriculture.”

Geske owns a multi-crop farm in Southeast Missouri that produces corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and, some years, cotton. He started farming in partnership with his father and did so until 1990 at which point his son joined the operation. In 2014, Geske retired from active farming. He is former president of the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Merchandising Council and is currently a director with the National Corn Growers Association and the US Farm and Ranch Alliance Executive Committee. Geske graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Agriculture Economics. He and his wife, Jami, have three adult sons.

Missouri’s Corn Legacy Award was recognized alongside Legacy Awards in Soybean, Cattle, Poultry, Pork, Forestry, Dairy, Rice and Cotton, the Missouri Farm Innovation Award, the Missouri Agriculture Environmental Steward Award, Missouri Ag Education Leader Award and the Missouri Food Animal Veterinarian Award at the 2014 Missouri’ Governor’s Conference on Agriculture closing banquet.

The conference, which took place at the Lake of the Ozarks, concluded Saturday evening with a special performance by country music band Sawyer Brown. The three-day event included nationally-recognized speakers, in-depth discussions about current issues and an agriculture tradeshow. Special events during the conference included the Taste of AgriMissouri reception and the Friday evening benefit auction supporting programs for youth and young professionals in agriculture.

For more information on the Governor’s Conference on Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture, visit the Department online at http://agriculture.mo.gov.

###

Note: Photos of the award presentation are available by contacting Sarah Alsager at Sarah.Alsager@mda.mo.gov or (573) 751-2613.