Governor Mike Parson Talks Missouri Economic Development and the Future of Farming on Inside the ICE House Podcast
- March 06, 2024
Having brought $15 billion worth of new business to the state and over 100,000 new employees in his five and a half years as Missouri Governor, Mike Parson says companies considering Missouri appreciate his focus on the areas that touch their business the most: infrastructure and workforce development. Furthermore, Parson has leveraged his experience as a third generation farmer to consider challenges and opportunities the next generation of young farmers will experience as they attempt to break into one of Missouri’s top industries.
If you’re curious about what Missouri Governor Mike Parson thinks about the younger generation entering the workforce, how technology has changed the game for farmers, and how Missouri’s infrastructure attracts companies from all over the world, you’ll enjoy his recent guest appearance on Inside the ICE House, Valediction: Outgoing Missouri Gov. Mike Parson Plants His Vision for Farming’s Future.
Here are some highlights from his interview with Josh King, Chief Communications Officer, ICE and Head of Corporate Affairs, NYSE.
Josh King:
Missouri is home to several companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, including Anheuser-Busch, (BUD), H&R Block, (HRB), Emerson Electric, (EMR), and the Reinsurance Group of America, (RGA), among so many others. With over 20 such New York Stock Exchange listed companies located across the state, how have you as Governor strategically promoted the state to retain and attract large corporations and foster the economic growth and stability that comes with that?
Governor Mike Parson:
[…] I think when we talk about workforce, you’ve got to be willing to train people for the workforce of tomorrow. I think that’s why we’re second in the United States for apprenticeships. We’re fourth in the United States for manufacturing. Things that we’re doing to make sure we’re preparing people for these businesses.
Josh King:
The recent release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census results revealed a nationwide decrease, Governor, with over 140,000 farms and 20 million acres of farmland lost over the last five years between 2017 and 2022. What factors do you think most contribute to this decline on a national scale
Governor Mike Parson:
Well, I think one of the big factors you’ve got to look at – people are leaving the urban areas and they’re going out to the suburbs, and they’re starting to spread more and more into agricultural land. […] We’re losing farms across the United States, but for Missouri, for example, we’re doing $4 billion more in production with what we have. What that tells you is that we’re doing a better job of taking care of the land that we have and making it more productive. A lot of that’s through the technology, research, science, the things we’re doing to be better producers.
Josh King:
[…] For our listeners who benefit from listening to both a Governor and a farmer at the same time, share with us where you see some technology really coming to bear in our agricultural industry that will address some of these issues.
Governor Mike Parson:
I think people think you’ve got a cap on. It’s dirty. You’ve got overalls on. Farmers are kind of rugged and rough. But I tell you, if you get into new combines today, what that new combine would cost you, and it’s like getting in an airplane cockpit. There’s more gauges. There’s more instruments. They’re all set up to make your life easier for you as a farmer. Matter of fact, you don’t even drive them. They’re GPS-driven where farmers are basically sitting there seeing what the moisture of that product is, when that bin’s going to be full. […] I think that is so important and is why this state is up billions of dollars in production. They’ve got these set up now where you don’t even stop and unload the grain. You’re literally going down field, somebody pulls up beside and you unload the grain and keep going. That’s all technology-driven to be able to do that.
Listen to the full episode of Inside the ICE House, Valediction: Outgoing Missouri Gov. Mike Parson Plants His Vision for Farming’s Future. Inside the ICE House is a podcast brought to you by Intercontinental Exchange, featuring leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries driven by the ambition to establish enterprises and make a profound impact on society.