PATRICK SEYER: PITCHING MISSOURI CORN’S GREAT STORY
It’s always ‘grow time’ for third-generation farmer, Patrick Seyer, who stewards the soils of his southeast Missouri farm. He grows corn, wheat, soybeans, canola, and rice in partnership with his brother and nephew near Oran in Agri-Ready Designated Scott County. This summer is also ‘Game Time’ for Patrick as he steps up to the plate as a member of Missouri Farmers Care’s 2026 Race to the Plate Farm Team, an agriculture advocacy partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals. Patrick is ready to pitch corn’s story to consumers!
Patrick represents Missouri’s corn growers as the chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, a partner in the Race to the Plate campaign which continues through the 2026 season.
Missouri Corn’s Message to Consumers
Patrick and his corn colleagues took over Busch Stadium’s Ford Plaza on May 29th with farm games and conversations with consumers before the Cardinals bested the Chicago Cubs 6-5.
“The Race to the Plate Campaign has been great. It is well received by fans,” Patrick remembers. “We enjoyed talking with fans, sharing with people about life on the farm and how corn is used. We take many things for granted that a lot of people don’t know. It is important to make those positive connections and share our story.”
“Corn farmers want consumers to know that we work hard to grow a commodity that is important for feed, fuel, and exports around the globe. Thirty-five to forty percent of corn is used to feed livestock that becomes our beef, pork, and chicken, so corn is important for all consumers.”
He continues, “The Race to the Plate campaign is an excellent way to visually share what is happening on our farms. It is an opportunity for consumers to see that what is growing on my farm helps feed my family, just as it feeds the world. If we trust our products to feed our families, consumers can trust it to feed theirs, too.”
Diversity on the Farm
Patrick primarily grows conventional corn varieties but also plants non-GMO corn as a specialty crop. Planting different varieties of corn creates biodiversity across his acres and diversifies the farm’s revenue sources, an economic sustainability strategy.
“Non-GMO corn plants do not have the strong genetic traits of conventional corn to protect them from environmental pressures,” Patrick describes. “They are less drought tolerant and are more susceptible to pests. Non-GMO crops take more work to grow.”
Farmers like Patrick who produce non-GMO corn earn a premium price for their product, but not all farmers are able to take advantage of the opportunity.
“The limited amount of non-GMO corn that is harvested is what creates the premium that can be earned for the specialty crop.”
Interestingly, Patrick’s non-GMO harvest is sent to Japan and is processed into beer brewer’s grits and other food-grade uses.
What is the Race to the Plate Farm Team?
The Farm Team will return in 2026 as an advocacy partnership between the St. Louis Cardinals and Missouri Farmers Care. The Farm Team meets baseball fans where they are to connect them with agriculture through radio, print, farmers in the stadium, videos, and social media content. Meet the Farm Team at https://mofarmerscare.com/cardinals/
Race to the Plate Partners:
Missouri Farmers Care’s Race to the Plate is brought to you by Missouri Beef Industry Council, Missouri Corn, Midwest Dairy, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Pork Association, and MFA, Inc.
More About Patrick
Patrick is no stranger to advocacy; he was honored as a 2024 Corn Advocate of the Year by the National Corn Growers Association. To meet a need in his community, Patrick manages bus services and maintenance for the local school district. Occasionally, Patrick steps out of the tractor cab to drive a bus route to ensure kids can get to school! He and Audrey, his wife of 39 years, enjoy sharing their family farm lifestyle with three grown daughters and eight young grandchildren. Patrick is an active member of the local Knights of Columbus chapter and the Guardian Angel Catholic Church and enjoys spending time at the lake when he can get away from the farm.
The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC)
is an organization dedicated to the profitability of corn production by investing checkoff dollars in the development and expansion of corn markets at the state, national, and international levels, as well as facilitating communication with growers and customers.
Agri-Ready Designated Scott County
Agriculture, including food, feed and forestry, contributes $514.2 million in value-added products, $1,369.0 million in output, over 6,500 jobs, and adds $475.2 million to household incomes in Scott County according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study.
What is Agri-Ready County Designation?
Agri-Ready County Designation is a voluntary program that recognizes counties committed to supporting and growing their agricultural industry. To qualify, a county must agree to support agricultural stewardship, growth, and economic interests. The designation helps counties promote themselves as agricultural hubs, attracting and supporting agribusiness. More information can be found at https://mofarmerscare.com/agri-ready/.
As of January 2026, 82 Missouri counties have been designated Agri-Ready.
What is MFC?
Missouri Farmers Care unites the state’s agricultural community to support the men and women who provide the food and jobs that sustain Missouri. With the partnership of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and 45 other member organizations, MFC works to ensure all Missourians understand the truth about modern agriculture, food production, and the farm families behind it.