More than 500 Missouri Farm Bureau members gathered this week for the organization’s annual meeting, debating a wide slate of issues, from energy security to foreign land investment, while also electing a new vice president after a rare, three-round vote.
Seventh-Generation Farmer Andy Clay Elected Vice President
Moniteau County farmer Andy Clay, a seventh-generation producer from Jamestown, was elected as the new vice president of Missouri Farm Bureau, succeeding Todd Hays, who is retiring after years of service. Prior to his election, Clay served on the organization’s Board of Directors, representing District 3, a role he won during the 104th annual meeting in 2022.
Clay and his father operate Clay Farms, a diversified row-crop and cattle operation that also incorporates cover crops. The farm includes land originally settled along the Missouri River in 1816. His father oversees the family’s feed mill and seed/chemical business, while Clay manages day-to-day farm operations.
He and his wife, Kacey, previously served on the Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, with Clay chairing the state committee in 2013. The couple later served two years on the American Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Committee. At the county level, Clay served as president and YF&R chair of the Moniteau County Farm Bureau.
Clay said he is honored to step into the statewide leadership role.
Four candidates sought the vice presidency, triggering three rounds of voting before Clay secured the two-year term. As vice president, he will work closely with President Garrett Hawkins and oversee the resolutions process.
Grassroots Policy Work Remains the Heart of the Meeting
Outgoing Vice President Hays said the organization’s bottom-up approach to policy remains his favorite part of the annual gathering.
“When it’s finally done, it’s done, and then that’s our policy for a year,” Hays said. “So as the board of directors and our staff go to talk to people at the Capitol or in Washington D.C., this is what we’re telling members of Congress, state lawmakers or agencies.”
Members strengthened policy language on energy development, solar siting, property rights, and eminent domain, reflecting concerns that have grown in rural communities across the state.
Energy, Transmission Lines and Property Rights Fuel Debate
President Hawkins said the state’s rising electricity demand is creating pressure for new transmission lines and energy-related construction in rural areas.
“Ultimately, people want green space or farmland to run new transmission lines,” he said, stressing that farmers must have a strong voice when negotiating utility easements and major infrastructure projects.
Delegates approved updates on wind energy, energy storage, data center development, and eminent domain procedures. Hawkins said the work positions Missouri Farm Bureau well ahead of discussions with the American Farm Bureau Federation.
He also said the organization is poised to advance a landowners’ bill of rights to set clearer expectations before, during, and after construction projects involving private property.
Members Also Weigh Foreign Land Investment, Data Centers, Regenerative Ag
In addition to energy concerns, members reviewed policy related to:
- Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, which remains a prominent issue
- Standards for responsible data center development, as the industry expands across Missouri
- Defining regenerative agriculture, a term increasingly used by agencies and corporations
A Clear Roadmap Heading Into 2025
With energy infrastructure, landowner protections, and rural development topping the list of concerns, leaders say this year’s resolutions process sets a unified agenda for the coming year.
Clay’s election adds a young, generational voice to Missouri Farm Bureau’s leadership team as it prepares for legislative advocacy in Jefferson City and Washington, grounded, Hawkins said, in the priorities shaped by its grassroots members.
Jake Kroesen is a Jackson County native and a graduate of the University of Central Missouri. He holds a B.S. in Political Science.
