Ag Business Council Recognizes 2025 Young Leaders in Agribusiness

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City is proud to announce the selection of six individuals to be honored as the 2025 Young Leaders in Agribusiness.

“We are pleased to recognize these rising leaders, nominated by their employers for demonstrating outstanding passion, leadership, and business acumen,” said Ron Seeber, chair of the Agricultural Business Council and president & CEO of the Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, and Renew Kansas. “These individuals represent the next generation of executives who will help shape the future of the agribusiness industry.”

The 2025 Young Leaders in Agribusiness are:

Taylor Adcock

Taylor Adcock, Roots and Legacies, Inc.
Taylor Adcock is a partner at Roots & Legacies, where she helps clients in the food and agriculture space connect with audiences of all shapes and sizes. Whether organizing and executing unforgettable events, developing content for publications and marketing strategies, supporting fundraising efforts, managing project details, or writing compelling grants, Taylor brings unmatched organizational skills and audience understanding to every project. In previous roles, she served as Events Director at Maple Ranch—hosting corporate CEOs and their teams from around the globe for multi-day meetings—and as a project coordinator for the new American Royal. Outside of work, Taylor and her husband, Del, enjoy cheering on the K-State Wildcats (their alma mater) alongside friends and family, visiting their favorite local KC spots (Mean Mule and Ragazza), and traveling.

Emily Cowley

Emily Cowley, Bayer Crop Science
Emily Cowley, MBA, PE, is a Senior Quality Engineer at Bayer CropScience’s Kansas City site. In her role, she increased Right Time First Time across the plant by 5% in her first year and led root cause investigation to reduce impurities. Emily earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology and an MBA from Rockhurst University.  Prior to her role at Bayer, she worked as a Senior Quality Engineer for Honeywell in Kansas City, MO. In that role, she worked with teams to identify and eliminate requirement gaps for national defense production. Outside of work, Emily enjoys reading, quilting, and general mischief. She and her husband, William, live in Overland Park, KS, with their children: Micah (16), Liam (8), and Maggie (2).

Shayna DeGroot

Shayna DeGroot, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers
Shayna DeGroot joined Kansas Wheat in January 2022 as the Director of Membership and Governmental Affairs. In her role, she is responsible for managing the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers membership base, lobbying on behalf of wheat farmers and monitoring policy at a state and federal level. Her work aligns with serving farmers' needs and ensuring their voice is heard to legislatures and policymakers. Shayna earned her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and Master of Agribusiness degrees from Kansas State University. Outside of work, she enjoys going to cattle shows with her family and finding the best new places to eat. She currently resides in Platte City, Missouri, with her husband, Cody Jensen.

Glenn Gibson

Glenn Gibson, Dairy Farmers of America
Glenn Gibson joined DFA in 2021 as an intern and has since held a variety of roles across business divisions, gaining experience in pricing, data analysis, public speaking, and project management. Now serving as Optimization Manager, he leads initiatives to enhance operational efficiency across the milk supply chain. Glenn is known for championing emerging technologies—including generative artificial intelligence—and for fostering strong collaboration with teams and leaders nationwide. His work consistently focuses on delivering value directly to the farmer milk-check, aligning innovation with impact. He holds a BBA in Financial Planning from Colorado State University. Outside of work, Glenn is passionate about music and volunteers as a multi-instrumentalist in the worship band at Reach Church De Soto.

Alison Rasmussen

Alison Rasmussen, AdFarm
Alison Rasmussen is an AgIntel Analyst with AdFarm in Kansas City. In her role, she blends technical understanding with strategic thinking to deliver agricultural insights that make complex topics clear and relevant—ensuring impactful, accurate work across a wide range of clients. Supporting the next generation of agriculture is a passion of hers, primarily seen in her work to orchestrate AdFarm’s internship program and volunteer work with AFA. Alison earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and an MBA from Baker University, as well as a Master of Veterinary Biomedical Science from Kansas State University. Outside of work, Alison and her husband, Wyatt, enjoy spending quality time with friends and family which typically includes delicious food and good music. Together they reside in Gardner, KS with their daughter Hallie and dog Finley.

Lucas Simmer

Lucas Simmer, Livestock Marketing Association
Lucas Simmer is a Government and Industry Affairs Associate at the Livestock Marketing Association. In his role he advocates on behalf of livestock marketers and the agriculture industry. Lucas grew up on a row crop and cow calf operation in west central Minnesota. He earned a B.S. in Agriculture Economics and Political Science at North Dakota State University and is currently a Kansas Ag Rural Leadership (KARL) associate. Lucas lives in Lee’s Summit, MO and has volunteered time at the American Royal and his church.

These honorees will be formally recognized at the Council’s Summer Social, held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Lidia’s Kansas City.

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City represents a membership of more than 700 leaders from across the food and agribusiness value chain. Agribusiness is a foundational sector for the Kansas City region, accounting for 8% of the local workforce and 22% of the gross regional product (GRP).