Now is the time to invest in the future of the College of Agriculture

Committed to transforming the way this world is nourished, Ardent Mills is the premier flour milling and ingredient company with a passion for cultivating an innovative future for the industry of agriculture.

This passion and dedication to the agriculture industry come full circle with their gift to the K-State Agriculture Innovation Initiative. Troy Anderson, vice president of operations at Ardent Mills and K-State Class of 1992 graduate, has been a lead voice for the Ardent Mills gift and believes that this initiative's success is fundamental to the College of Agriculture at K-State. Anderson said, “It has to happen for Kansas State to be a player, continuing to drive the solutions across the food supply chain globally. The Agriculture Innovation Initiative has to be successful; there's just too much at stake not to get it done.”

In addition to his role at Ardent Mills, Anderson has served on the College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Council for over 10 years. The conversation at his first meeting was about infrastructure and how something needed to be done differently with the current facilities. With the support of President Linton and current leadership, the State of Kansas and alumni, including the gift from Ardent Mills, there is momentum to create a Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation with world-class research laboratories and classrooms.

Anderson is excited that the conversations, planning and input are all now coming to fruition. “The reality that it's actually starting is exciting! There are planning discussions in place with the architects to get to the designs in process, but it's already created a significant buzz and stir. As I make my rounds across our plants and interact with our customers, there's a conversation that wasn't there before about what Kansas State is doing for the future. What's most exciting is this unique position Kansas State serves in the food and ag space that no other university across the globe can. It obviously starts with genetics and agronomy all the way through the manufacturing side. So the Grain Sciences and Industry Department is this unique cog in the wheel that positions Kansas State to do something that no other university can. It then moves on to the food science and animal science aspects that are world-class here at Kansas State. But to hear the buzz across the food space of what's going on here on campus and then to eventually see the new facilities, the new labs, all that new research that's going to come out of those new spaces.”

K-State’s College of Agriculture is one of the nation’s top-ranked ag schools. More than 97% of the College’s graduates are either employed or pursuing further education within 6 months post-graduation. For every $1 invested in Kansas State agriculture, teaching, research and extension yields a $17 return to the Kansas economy.

Ardent Mills has a large connection to K-State, with hundreds of their 2,600 employees K-State graduates. Anderson said, “ We feel to be fair and to be good, responsible stewards of our future professionals and leaders across Ardent Mills, we need Kansas State, specifically the Grain Science Program, to be extremely strong to develop great students for future careers, to grow the student population in the industry. Additionally, I think the other part that excites me a lot is I truly believe the diversity that's going to be attracted because of the new facilities and the outstanding faculty that will be part of the new Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation.”

To follow Ardent Mills’ leadership, now is the time to invest in the Agriculture Innovation Initiative.