Former MSU department head receives lifetime ag award

Anson Elliott, the former department head at Missouri State University’s William H. Darr School of Agriculture, received a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 47th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture.

Held Dec. 14-16 at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Lake of the Ozarks, Elliott was one of two recipients; Tom Payne, the dean of University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources of Columbia, also took home a Lifetime Achievement Award from Gov. Jay Nixon and Missouri Agriculture Director Richard Fordyce. Payne plans to retire this month.

Elliott retired a year ago after 37 years with MSU and all but two of those years working as department head.

In the event bio, Elliott was noted for starting a leadership course for incoming freshman that has developed ambassadors for agriculture. He also is credited with leading successful efforts to modify the U.S. Farm Bill and to obtain funds for which MSU and other nonland grant universities could qualify for the improvement of education.

“We appreciate the leadership that Anson has provided over the years and the passion he has brought to the program at Missouri State,” MSU Provost Frank Einhellig said at the time of Elliott’s retirement. “It has become a magnet for attracting students focused on a future career related to the multiple aspects of agricultural science and business.”

During his career, Elliott also received the inaugural Greg Onstot Outstanding Achievement Award from MSU, the Distinguished Service Award from the Missouri Farm Bureau and the Distinguished Educator Award from the National Association of Colleges and Universities and Teachers of Agriculture. MSU has created a scholarship for agricultural leadership in Elliott’s name.

Another southwest Missourian honored at the state agriculture conference was Glen Cope, a farmer from Aurora. He received the Beef Cattle Legacy Award. Cope manages with his father and brother 550 head of commercial cows and calves, and he’s served as chairman of the Missouri Beef Industry Council and as a board member of MFA Inc.

In all, over 20 awards were issued during the conference, which also included expert speakers, discussions with industry peers and an agriculture trade show. About 825 people attended, state officials said.

Organizers also announced results of a study showing agriculture’s economic contribution to Missouri tops $88.4 billion. Commissioned by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and Missouri Farm Bureau, the study reviewed crops, livestock, forestry and fishery production; agriculture inputs and services; food and related products manufacturing and forestry products manufacturing.