Speaker Bios

 

Betsy Bower, Agronomist - Region 4, Ceres Solutions Cooperative

For 30 years, Betsy Bower has been a trusted agronomic voice in the Indiana agriculture community. Betsy works as a professional certified crop advisor for Ceres Solutions Cooperative, a large retailer operating more than 35 agronomy service locations across Indiana and into Michigan. Betsy’s areas of expertise include working with farmer customers one-on-one regarding crop nutrition, crop protection and soil water management on the irrigated acre in either no-till or conventional cropping systems. Betsy brings a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Purdue University and a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Nebraska. Betsy resides with her family in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and travels the Ceres Solutions trade area in Parke, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan and Knox Co IN.  
 

Scott Beck, President, Beck's Hybrids

Scott values his upbringing in his family’s farm and seed business, Beck’s Hybrids, founded in 1937 and headquartered in Central Indiana. Scott, a fourth generation family member, is President of Beck’s, the third largest seed brand and the largest family-owned and operated retail seed company in the U.S., which serves thousands of farmers in the Midwest and Mid-South. 

Scott’s education in agronomy from Purdue University in 1987 and his graduate degree in 2012 from the Purdue-Kelley MS-MBA dual degree program contributed to his passion for agriculture, business, and to helping farmers succeed. 

He has served his industry through leadership and membership involvement in the Indiana Crop Improvement Association, Purdue Dean’s Advisory Council, American Seed Trade Association, AgriNovus Indiana, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. 

Scott and his wife Shantel love living on the farm where they raised their five children: Corey, Chris, Jason, Jordyn, and Jadyn. Scott’s desire is to serve others through his faith, his family, and through helping farmers succeed from generation to generation. 
 

Levi Huffman, Partner, Huffman & Hawbaker FarmsLevi Huffman is a fourth generation farmer in Tippecanoe County.  He farms with his son and son-in-law who do the day to day management of growing corn, soybeans, popcorn, tomatoes, and peppers. Levi currently serves as a Director on the AgrIInstitute Board and on the Indiana AG Advisory Board.  Previously he has served on the Indiana Soybean Association and Farm Bureau Association and numerous other boards with agricultural interests.

 

 

Amie Osborn, VP Commercial & Ag Lender First Farmers Bank & Trust

Amie Osborn’s diverse background, engagement in her community, and passion for fostering the development of future generations guides her professionally and personally. Amie provides valuable support to her clients and community as a Commercial & Agricultural Lender at First Farmers Bank & Trust with a history helping traditional row crop and livestock producers, as well as non-traditional ventures like land-based aquaculture facilities and renewable energy projects. In addition, Amie actively volunteers her time serving at Fuel Church and with Farm Bureau. She enjoys supporting youth agriculture education programs such as FFA and 4-H and is a proud member of AgrIInstitute’s Indiana ALP Class 18.

Although originally from a rural town in Northern California, Amie and her husband, Vince, bleed black and gold. She graduated with a M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and currently resides in Miami County, Indiana. 

Sam Krouse, CEO, MPS Egg Farms

Sam Krouse is the Co-CEO of MPS Egg Farms, a 6th generation family-owned egg farm that operates farms in Indiana, Illinois, Texas, and Georgia. MPS serves retail and foodservice customers across the United States and is a leader in advancing sustainable agriculture from field to fork. Early in his career Sam served as the International Trade Program Manager for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, advancing Indiana agriculture’s network abroad. Later, he received his MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and worked as a Brand Manager for ConAgra foods prior to joining MPS. Beyond MPS, Sam contributes his expertise to the industry as a member of the board of United Egg Producers and the American Egg Board’s Executive Committee, playing an active role in promoting industry insight & innovation.
 

Harold Cooper, CEO, Premier Companies

 

Kevin Underwood, COO, Underwood Farms, Inc.