Our visit to Northern Missouri is intended to provide Greater Missouri participants an introduction to the issues facing smaller Missouri communities and how they are similar to or different from our more metropolitan areas.

Rural Missouri

• Gain a “big picture” understanding of the issues facing rural Missouri – including emerging worldwide trends and how they impact Missouri, and how these trends affect those living and working in northern Missouri
• Understand the changes rural Missouri is reacting to, what national or state agriculture policy changes are or will address these changes

Role of Rural Towns

• Definition of “rural” – the demographics of rural Missouri, including percentage of land mass, people, economic activity, etc. – and the unique aspects of northern / NE Missouri
• Develop an understanding of the culture of the region that lead to the establishment of the two premier Institutions of Higher Education, and how the evolution of those two campuses have not only left a lasting impact on the region but on the state and nation.
• Expand understanding of the complexity of the economic development of a rural town, and its economic engine of agriculture and related businesses, and examples of how the evolution of the farm and agricultural industrialization changed rural living and the rural way of life.

Evolution of Agriculture

• Gain a perspective on how farming and the agricultural industry have changed in the past 100, 50, 10, and 5 years
• Understand drivers to change and their effects
• Role of the national and/or state government policies and regulations
• Role of technology in farming, and the agriculture industry as a whole
• Capital costs rising, small specialized operations, family farms, supplemental income vs. large operations
• Explore the economy of energy regarding alternative fuel options – how the process of making ethanol and the use of its byproducts fits into the evolution of agriculture, the role of rural towns, and resource management.

Resource Management

• Understand the land, water, and energy needs of ethanol production, and how they may be addressed in a rural environment. Understand the policy issues that may affect the ethanol industry.
• Explore how access to other infrastructure assets might hinder or assist development of the region such as broadband access, transportation funding, public and private land restoration, conservation, and learn how local, state, and national regulatory policies might impact growth and opportunity.
• Learn about local efforts to develop efficient and effective development of the region’s resources when they are needed to include the financial resources, human skills, production resources, and/or information technology (IT) and natural resources.

We are grateful to have received a grant from the City of Kirksville Tourism that will allow us to introduce the cohort to the region. The session will include stops in Sullivan, Schuyler, Shelby, Macon, and Adair Counties. In Kirksville we will enjoy learning more about the origins of Osteopathic Medicine, tour the ATSU-MOSDOH Dental Simulation Lab, hear from the Truman State University President Sue Thomas, and enjoy a private dinner at SIP Downtown followed by a night of Escape Room/Axe Throwing fun at a venue owned by GMLC Class of 2022 participant Stephanie McGrew. The alumnae planning committee have many other surprises, networking, mentoring, and learnings in store for the Class of 2022. Be watching our social media channels as we share more!