Agricultural Economics Names Jay Armstrong 2023 Distinguished Alumni

The agricultural economics department has named Jay Armstrong the 2023 Distinguished Alumni. He is a fourth-generation farmer near Muscotah, where he grows wheat, corn and soybeans.

Armstrong earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University and also participated in agribusiness seminars at the Harvard Business School.

When he came to K-State in 1971, he had not decided on a major, but he knew he planned to return to the family farm and wanted to study something that would help on the farm.

"I liked the courses I took in production analysis and ag policy, so I signed up for agricultural economics," Armstrong said. "Looking back, my agricultural economics education wasn't just study and get a piece of paper — it was studying and networking throughout my whole life."

During his time at K-State, Armstrong was Barry Flinchbaugh's first teaching assistant in 1972-1974.

"I drove him around to every county in Kansas when he educated farmers on how use-value appraisal would work," Armstrong said. "It was complicated, but Barry's style made it so farmers could understand it. From that effort, ag organizations took hold of their now-educated membership and got urban candidates to support a change to the Kansas constitution that has saved farmers untold millions."

Armstrong served as a Kansas Wheat Commissioner from 2007-2015 and the Kansas Wheat Chairman in 2015-2016, representing Districts 7, 8 and 9 in eastern Kansas. Armstrong has also served as the Farm Foundation Chairman, U.S. Wheat Associates board of directors and Wheat Innovation Association, president of the Delaware Watershed, a member of his local church board, president of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership program, the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, and the Kansas State Fair Board.

"I am honored and humbled to be selected as the distinguished alumnus for agricultural economics," he said. "Thoughts of Barry came back to me when I received the call about the award. I hope I have made him proud."

Armstrong will be honored at the Agricultural Economics Student Scholarship Banquet on Sept. 22.