MORGAN CO., Mo. — Third-generation farmer Brian Lehman offers a thoughtful perspective about time spent in service. “We often think: ‘How much time do I have?’ I can attest that time always works out for things worth doing,” Brian said. Brian grows corn, soybeans, and wheat and raises cattle on his century farm near Versailles in #Agri-Ready Designated Morgan County. He farms full-time and serves his agriculture colleagues as chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC) and his neighbors as the Eastern District Commissioner for Morgan County. In service, Brian applies himself to learning and adding value to his professional and civic communities.
A Decision to Serve
“I knew as an informed citizen, I could positively affect policy. If I don’t serve, who will?” Brian thought as he began a campaign to serve as Morgan County’s Eastern District Commissioner. “Someone without an objective perspective for Morgan County’s unique economy, with the wrong goals, could drive our county in the wrong direction.” He was elected to the position in 2020. “Serving the county is a lot like farming,” Brian explains. “We have to responsibly allocate finite monetary resources to the needs of the county in the best possible way. To meet those needs, finding labor for jobs that are mostly unseen and unappreciated is a big challenge.”
County Commissions at a Glance
It is no surprise that many citizens believe roads and bridges are the entirety of the county commission’s scope of work, since transportation is a daily concern for everyone. County commissioners, like Brian, are also responsible for establishing county policy, annual budgets, operations of emergency management, building management, risk management, information technology, 911 dispatching, and legal matters. To expand his knowledge base and to better serve the citizens of Morgan County, Brian participates on a transportation advisory committee, where he gleans a deeper understanding of infrastructure. What he learns, he brings back home to Morgan County and applies it to decisions about the best utilization of state and federal funds and grants.
Agriculture in the County
As an agriculturist, Brian knows that sound roads and bridges make a difference to a county’s economic engine. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), #Agri-Ready Designated Morgan County is Missouri’s 3rd ranked county in poultry production and 5th ranked county in aquaculture. Brian sells the grain he grows at a local feed mill. Sufficient roads are key to the marketing of these and other agricultural commodities across the county. “It’s not only about moving the products that Morgan County farms are producing,” Brian said. “It’s also about the many citizens of Morgan County that are employed because of those farm products. Their jobs rely on our county’s infrastructure being maintained and protected.”
Morgan County’s investment in roads and bridges not only supports its agricultural industry, it also improves access and adds value to the county’s tourism industry and lake attractions. Brian is proud that the agricultural and lake economies support one another, including some restaurants serving ‘farm to table’ fare.
Serving Missouri Corn and Beyond
As a corn grower with 32 years of career experience in agriculture, Brian was recently chosen to serve as the chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC), a board that includes 14 farmers elected to represent the corn growers of Missouri. Brian has been serving the Missouri Corn Growers Association since 2016; he was encouraged to serve after his experience as a member of the CornRoots Leadership Academy, a program for corn producers in Missouri who are interested in developing their leadership skills and influencing agricultural policy.
Brian described his years of service by sharing some of what he has learned. “First you learn a lot of acronyms,” Brian laughed, referring to the many collaborative projects and committees of corn growers across Missouri and the U.S. “Next, you build relationships. First with other corn growers and then through partnerships with the U.S. Grains Council, the National Corn Growers Association, Missouri Partnership and others,” Brian continued. “As a member of Missouri Corn, we develop education and advocacy programs and influence policy. We make decisions on investments that may not make a difference this year, but the evidence of those investments appears in years to come. Those decisions don’t just make a difference in Missouri but promote the reputation of corn across the U.S.” Brian volunteers on the National Corn Growers Association Communication and Education Action Team and the U.S. Grains Council Middle East/Africa/South Asia Advisory Team.
The Lehman Family
Brian’s wife, Secely, teaches 2nd grade at Versailles Elementary and his son and daughter are enjoying college. His son, Connor, was active in 4-H and FFA and is studying heavy machinery mechanics and operation. His daughter, Josie, was a 4-H member and is studying social work. Brian has served on the Morgan County Soil and Water Conservation District board and the University of Missouri Extension Council in Morgan County. He is a member of Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Missouri Corn, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association are partners of Missouri Farmers Care.
Agri-Ready Designated Morgan County
According to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study, Morgan County’s agriculture economy creates $156.8 million in value-added products, supports nearly 3,000 jobs, and generates $261.7 million in household income. Livestock and poultry production are the main drivers of the Morgan County agricultural economy, which is Missouri’s 3rd ranked county for agricultural products sold according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture conducted by the USDA NASS.
Morgan County is one of 73 Agri-Ready Designated Counties in Missouri that are embracing agricultural opportunity, literacy, and economic development. The Agri-Ready County Designation program connects counties with Missouri Farmers Care to encourage and protect agriculture and secure it as a thriving component in our state’s economic future. Missouri Farmers Care is a joint effort by Missouri’s farming and agriculture community to stand together for the men and women who provide the food and jobs on which our communities depend.
–Missouri Farmers Care
