Mizzou’s impact reaches every community in Missouri. Throughout the summer, I’ve had the honor of seeing the difference we make firsthand at events across our great state.

I recently traveled to Portageville in Missouri’s Bootheel to celebrate the annual Fisher Delta Appreciation Breakfast and Field Day. The event featured U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, Congressman Jason Smith, Governor Mike Kehoe, State Senator Jason Bean, Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn, Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins and University of Missouri Curator John Raines, among many other state, community and university leaders. Our Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center is a world-class resource for producers in the Bootheel, and we continue to make great progress on the Roy Blunt Soil Testing and Research Laboratory. When completed, the facility will offer the very best resources for producers in the region and make a difference for the local economy and workforce.

Last week, we kicked off the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia with Mizzou Day, including a full schedule of exciting Tiger-themed events and announcements. Alongside Governor Kehoe, we celebrated a ribbon-cutting for the transformed 4-H Building on the fairgrounds and announced the game-changing new 4-H Mizzou Ready program, which provides guaranteed admission to Mizzou for qualified 4-H members. Missouri 4-H is a program of MU Extension, and this pathway program recognizes that 4-H members have the drive, resilience and leadership skills to succeed on campus. We’re proud to create even more opportunities for students across the state to earn a Mizzou degree and lead their communities.

Earlier this month, we celebrated the life and legacy of Congressman Jerry Litton at the Litton Legacy of Dreams 50^th Anniversary in Chillicothe. The event was sponsored by the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation, Mizzou and CAFNR.

I was pleased to participate in the program alongside Congressman Sam Graves, Director Chinn, former President of the University of Missouri Board of Curators Ed Turner and Litton Leadership Scholars alum Carley McLean. The late Congressman Litton was a proud Mizzou alum, a pioneer of cattle genetics and a prominent voice for rural Missourians. His legacy lives on throughout the state, including here on campus with the Litton Leadership Scholars, which supports the next generation of ag leaders.

Agriculture is central to who we are as the state’s flagship, land-grant university. Through partnerships and outreach across Missouri, we continue to support producers, invest in future leaders and work each day to meet the needs of all we serve.

— Mun