Agricultural Business Council Recognizes Dillingham Awardees

/

Bob Petersen, Jan Lyons, Mike Beam

Chris Daubert, Abner Womack, Bob Petersen

Kansas City’s Agricultural Business Council held its 12th Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agriculture Leadership and Excellence Luncheon at historic Union Station. Receiving the Council’s highest recognition were Jan Lyons, founder of Lyons Ranch in Manhattan, Kansas and Dr. Abner Womack, co-founder of the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI).

Event Master of Ceremonies and Council Executive Director Bob Petersen called on two local agricultural luminaries in their own right – Mike Beam, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture and Chris Daubert, Dean, College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources at University of Missouri – to introduce the awardees.  John Dillingham, Jay B’s son, was on hand to present the “classic” video clip of an interview his father gave to Agriculture Future of America in 2004. The younger Dillingham offered a dramatic perspective on the impact Kansas and Missouri agriculture has had globally: “Every single person on the face of the earth is a potential client of the farmers, livestock producers, processors, transporters et al in our region.” Presenting sponsor of the event was John Deere.

Honoree Jan Lyons, with her husband Frank, established Lyons Ranch in 1977 when they purchased a group of bred heifers and selected few Angus cows from top breeders in the state as foundation cows.  Using A.I. and embryo transfer, the ranch was able to breed to specifications focused on economical and sustainable maternal traits for the herd. 

Lyons got involved in industry organizations early in her career and went on to record several “firsts,” serving as the first woman president of the Kansas Livestock Association in 1994 and as the first president of the Kansas Angus Association in 1981. She was Chairman, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board in 1996 and President of the National Cattleman’s Beef Association in 2004. Beef Magazine named her “Producer of the Year” in 2004 for her leadership during the BSE crisis. In 2008 she was recognized as “Stockman of the Year by Kansas State University.

Lyons encouraged the agriculture industry and community to “plan our own future and prepare for disruption.” And she offered this advice: “Consider the consequences, intended or not, when you enlist government help.”

Dr. Womack is Professor Emeritus of Agriculture Economics at MU. He earned national recognition for his work at FAPRI and his earlier achievements while working at USDA’s Economic Research Service where he developed economic models focusing on the structure of the global food system. At FAPRI he evaluated potential economic consequences of policy options under consideration by legislators. Over his career he has received accolades from many organizations such as these:

  • AFBF’s Distinguished Serve Award , 2014

  • Top Producer Magazine’s Leaders That Made A Difference: Brave Thinkers, 2013

  • USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture Award, 2001

  • EU, University of Missouri Fellows Award, 1999

  • Council of Agriculture Science & Technology’s Charles A. Black Award, 1999

Closing his remarks, Dr. Womack advised the Council members to “respect what you have accomplished in agriculture.”