Concordia University Uzziah Ag Scholars Headed to Missouri

By Kerry Hoffschneider for “Stories in Action” – (A program of the Difference in Action program)

SEWARD, Neb. – The Missouri Organic Association (MOA) and Difference in Action, a non-profit focused on food security, entrepreneurship, and lifelong ag education, is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Concordia University Uzziah Ag Scholars Program. Students from the Uzziah program will be heading to help orchestrate the “Roots to Revenue” conference being held Thursday through Saturday, February 25-27 in Springfield, Mo.

“Roots to Revenue: The Future of Regenerative Agriculture is the Missouri Organic Association’s premier annual conference bringing together farmers, businesses, educators, and innovators who are shaping the future of profitable and resilient agriculture,” explained Grace Ames, who leads communications and membership for MOA. “We go to great lengths to provide an education-rich experience for attendees focused on regenerative farming, soil health, specialty crops, livestock systems, conservation practices, emerging markets, and farm profitability. This event creates meaningful opportunities for education, collaboration, and business growth.”

Students from the Uzziah program will be both working at and attending workshops at the event gaining insight on how to plan a national conference while being exposed to a host of educational tracts and meeting all sorts of entrepreneurs, industry experts, and frontline/progressive farmers and ranchers.

Ames said, “Attendees of all backgrounds connect with industry experts, discover new products and services, and build relationships that strengthen the future of agriculture across the Midwest and beyond.”

“We at MOA are committed to providing educational opportunities in agriculture. Working with Uzziah to bring the next generation into the room with producers and ag professionals that are thinking outside the box is a unique and important piece to the puzzle,” Ames added enthusiastically. “It is opening the door of possibility to what agriculture can look like when we dare to ask questions, work with nature, and come together as community.”

Rebekah Kraeger, Uzziah Program Scholars Director and Assistant Professor of Agricultural Sciences at Concordia University echoed the enthusiasm and excitement, “The Uzziah Program was built to equip passionate agriculture students to become future leaders and stewards of God’s creation through enriched academic and field experiences. In Scripture, King Uzziah is remembered as a leader who strengthened his nation through innovation, stewardship, and service. His success came as he sought the Lord and faithfully used the resources entrusted to him. Working with a program like the Missouri Organic Association offers, fits so well with our goals at Concordia. This will be such an in-depth educational experience for students on a multitude of levels. I am also looking forward to gaining a host of contacts and new, cutting-edge, progressive information about the future of agriculture as a teacher and leader of the Uzziah Program.”

Kerry Hoffschneider, co-founder of Difference in Action, said the collaboration fits perfectly with their mission, “Our organization is about connecting people with open hearts and minds, who truly want to improve the food system and agriculture for all creatures great and small. We so look forward to attending this conference, and working with both Rebekah and Grace to provide a worthwhile experience for all the students and leaders involved – an experience that will change the future of rural and agriculture for the better for generations to come.”

Register for the MOA conference here: https://moaorganic.org/2027-roots-to-revenue-the-future-of-regenerative-agriculture/ Contact Kerry Hoffschneider to learn more about this collaborative effort and the Difference in Action program: (402) 363-8963.

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