8 Heartland Governors, 30 Mayors Speak Out on Why Leading Globally Matters Locally

MINNETONKA, MN – On August 30, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) officially launched Farmers for Prosperity, a network of agribusiness leaders committed to harnessing all American resources to feed the world. This announcement coincides with USGLC’s 2022 Heartland Summit which takes place in-person and virtually simultaneously on August 30 across three Heartland cities: Minnetonka, Minnesota; West Lafayette, Indiana; and Wichita, Kansas.

“USGLC is thrilled to launch Farmers for Prosperity, a growing group with hundreds of U.S. farmers and agribusiness leaders, speaking up and speaking out for American global leadership,” said Liz Schrayer, President and CEO of USGLC. “Given the multitude of global challenges affecting American families every day, farmers see first-hand the impact these global issues have on our health, safety, and economic interests. It is not surprising, and couldn’t be more important, that they are adding their powerful voices for America’s continued role in the world.”

With food insecurity severely impacted by global crises, it’s more important than ever that rural communities and farmers from across the Heartland are advocates for American global engagement. USGLC has recruited over 200 farmers in the initial launch states of Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota to lead efforts for strengthening America’s role in global food security solutions through the Farmers for Prosperity initiative, in partnership with Cargill and Land O’Lakes.

Governors, Mayors Join in Marking U.S. Heartland Global Leadership Day

Along with the launch of Farmers for Prosperity, Heartland leadership is also being showcased on August 30 as 38 governors and mayors in 11 states across the Heartland issue proclamations marking U.S. Heartland Global Leadership Day. The Republican and Democratic governors highlighting the day include Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Eric Holcomb of Indiana, Laura Kelly of Kansas, Mike Parson of Missouri, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, alongside mayors from dozens of communities including Bloomington, Lincoln, Sioux City, Gary, Lansing, Green Bay, Toledo, and Minnetonka.

Together, these elected leaders are speaking out on the importance of agriculture exports and the impact of global relationships, from the economy to education to diplomacy. They know that what happens around the world directly impacts their community’s success and prosperity, and they are showcasing what it is worth across America’s Heartland.

Farmers Leading the Way

The launch of Farmers for Prosperity at USGLC’s Heartland Summit comes as the ongoing war in Ukraine and supply chain issues continue to disrupt global food security.

“I’ve been all around the world assessing the incredibly complex state of global agriculture. There’s the business side with supply chain distribution and international trade, but it’s also about the people – from the farmers who grow the grain to the people who eat it,” says David Headley, Trade Team Coordinator of the Illinois Soybean Association. “American farmers play a pivotal role in the global grain supply chain and with global threats from the climate and food insecurity, now is the time for farmers to join a network like Farmers for Prosperity and build a solution together.”

American agricultural exports of U.S. farm and food products to the world shattered records in 2021, totaling $177 billion and supporting over 1.3 million jobs on the farm and in related industries such as food processing and transportation. America’s farmers are key to unlocking solutions for the global food insecurity crisis that is impacting more than 800 million people around the world.

“It’s more important than ever that the United States continues to lead globally to protect food systems abroad and our citizens at home from supply chain disruptions and rising prices,” said Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. “Farmers around the world are not all that different. Together, they grow the food that sustains communities. At a time of global crisis, American farmers can lead the effort to tackle hunger and food insecurity.”

America is uniquely positioned to address the global hunger crisis. Farmers for Prosperity will be a critical component in the agribusiness community to leveraging collective influence and developing solutions.

To watch virtually the formal launch of Farmers for Prosperity at the Heartland Summit, click here. If you would like to attend in-person, please RSVP to Coby Jones at [email protected].