Keeping the conversation going: Inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum honors legacy of K-State professor
By Ashley Pauls
K-State Alumni Association
It would be impossible to fully measure the impact made by legendary professor Barry
Flinchbaugh during his nearly five decades on the Kansas State University campus.
Not only did he influence farm policy on the national stage, he taught and inspired
thousands of students, sparking countless conversations that shaped the way those
students viewed the world.
Although Flinchbaugh passed away in 2020, his influence is still felt on campus, and
the center named in his honor recently launched an event to keep his memory — and
his love for storytelling and spirited discussions — alive.
The Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Ag and Food Policy hosted the inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum on Sept. 26. Producers, policymakers, industry
leaders and students were invited to visit Manhattan, for a day of candid dialogue
exploring the most pressing policy issues faced by modern U.S. agriculture. The forum
was attended by 210 participants representing 13 states.
“I came away from the inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum deeply energized and profoundly
grateful,” said Dana Woodbury ’96, ’97, executive director of the Flinchbaugh Center.
“Thank you to everyone who attended, sponsored and supported this first Forum. You
turned Barry’s teaching into a living conversation, and I’m excited to keep building
on that momentum.”
The day was also memorable for fellow alum Sheila DeWeese ’93, an associate with Roots
& Legacies.
“I was a student of Dr. Flinchbaugh’s, and helping coordinate the inaugural Flinchbaugh
Forum brought his lessons full circle for me,” she said. “He taught us that policy
isn’t about partisanship — it’s about understanding alternatives and consequences
to find real solutions. I wasn’t a standout in his class, but you didn’t have to be
for him to leave a mark. This event reminded me that we all share a responsibility
to carry forward the kind of honest dialogue and practical problem-solving he modeled.
Agriculture — and our country — need more of that kind of leadership today.”
The forum agenda included sessions on:
- “What Keeps Ag Leaders Up at Night?” — tackling the topics of water, labor and biosecurity
- Reflections from former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture Dan Glickman (presented with an honorary K-State doctorate in 2018) and Mike Johanns
- Cultivating productive disagreement
- The biggest risks and opportunities facing U.S. agriculture today
“The day was built in the spirit of Barry’s classroom: bring tough questions, lay out alternatives, and let people think through probable consequences together,” Woodbury said. “What mattered most wasn’t just what was said but how it was said: civil, evidence-based dialogue that respected different perspectives while focusing on practical solutions. Alumni, students, policymakers and industry leaders left with clearer ideas about competitiveness, trade and livestock biosecurity — and with new connections that will inform our programming and student engagement going forward.”
The Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Ag and Food Policy is an independent, self-governed
non-profit that works in partnership with K-State. The Center works closely with Jennifer
Ifft, the Flinchbaugh Chair in Agricultural Economics, and Tim Steffensmeier, assistant
vice president and director for engagement and outreach.
The Center navigates challenges in U.S. agriculture and food systems to improve performance,
competitiveness and sustainability through educating on policy alternatives and consequences.
It bridges academia, industry, consumers and policymakers by establishing facts, destroying
myths and respecting values.
The second Flinchbaugh Forum will be held in fall 2026. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CENTER