Glen Waters: Serving Livestock Producers and Supporting Rural Missouri

“I Believe in Rural Missouri”
If Glen Waters had a creed, he would begin like this: “I believe in rural Missouri. I believe in the businesses and opportunities that make rural Missouri a great place to work, live, and raise a family.” Glen was born and raised in and still calls #Agri-Ready Designated Carroll County home. He lives near Norborne and travels across north central and northwest Missouri as a sales specialist for Purina Animal Nutrition. At home on the farm, Glen enjoys raising and marketing Hereford cattle. Every day is different for Glen with different tasks, towns, and people to see, but each day has the same goal. Glen is an avid leader and advocate for the agricultural way of life that drives the economic success of rural Missouri.
Meet Glen
Glen grew up on a diversified livestock and crop farm. His career has given him an opportunity to live close to home and continue to operate the family farm in partnership with his mother. He raises commercial and registered Hereford cattle including calves for show. “Showing cattle is a habit that my sister and I had growing up. I haven’t been able to overcome the habit,” Glen said. Today, Glen enjoys showing cattle at the local, state, and national level with his daughter Kristin, 15, and son Grant, 12.

A View of Rural Success from the Road
As a sales specialist for Purina Animal Nutrition, Glen visits product dealers across his sales territory launching new products, discussing Purina feeds and pitching promotions. He also makes on-farm visits to meet livestock producers and offers support as they utilize Purina products. For the past 32 years, Glen has viewed his job as a blessing to work, live, and raise his family close to where he grew up. “This is the only job I have had since college,” Glen said. “I get to work with livestock and livestock owners. My theory is if you like what you do, who you do it with, and where you get to do it, you have positioned yourself correctly.”
Circle of Rural Success
Glen described a circle of success from his rural perspective. “When I provide services and insights to product dealers, it helps them succeed as agribusinesses in their local communities. When I share production and technology ideas with livestock producers it helps their livestock businesses grow and be successful. When livestock producers are successful, that allows them to bring another generation back to the farm to live and work. If livestock producers are growing and thriving, they patronize those local agribusinesses. When local dollars stay local, local businesses succeed and rural communities thrive.”
Servant Leadership Mindset
“My parents always encouraged me to learn more and be willing to give back through service. It is important to support the rural efforts and activities that support us,” Glen said. Glen answers the call to serve rural Missouri and uses those opportunities to advocate for agriculture and to learn more about rural Missouri’s economic success. “Somebody needs to support the efforts that make our rural lifestyle a reality,” Glen continued. “I’ve chosen to live in rural Missouri. My parents and neighbors were willing to serve before me, and I feel drawn to support rural Missouri. I can; I need to; and I want to.”
Serving Youth
Glen speaks to and inspires FFA members at the Helping Youth Prepare for Excellence (HYPE) Academy each year, which is hosted by the Missouri FFA Association and sponsored by Missouri Corn. He is a graduate of Missouri’s Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow (ALOT) Class 7 and was recently a guest speaker for ALOT Class 20. “When I was younger, there were adults that took time to teach, train, and motivate us as youth in agriculture. Now it is my turn to reach out to youth in agriculture today,” Glen shared.
Service to Policy
Glen has learned a resounding lesson in advocacy from his time spent serving in organizations, including being a past president of the local Farm Bureau. “It is important to know your local legislative representatives and senators. If you have a policy concern, you should be able to start with a conversation, not an introduction,” Glen said. “Make sure that people know who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. When it is time to preserve or protect your livelihood, folks will already know who you are and value what you have to say.”
Service to the Cooperative, Schools, and Beyond
Glen’s service as a board member for the Farmers Electric Cooperative based in Chillicothe has shown him that electric cooperatives are not just about having power in the lines. “Having power is a good thing, but it is a driver for so much more. Power allows for a thriving business community, rural job creation and economic development. Power gives us the ability to create progress in our area of the state,” Glen said.
As a lifetime citizen of the area, Glen felt compelled to support education in his rural community by serving on the local school board. “It is important to me that our kids have the same opportunities to succeed that we had. If we are going to educate our kids, we need to start with a good plan, good staff, and good facilities.” Glen’s mother was a career teacher and his wife, Kyla, is a local elementary school principal.
Glen served the Missouri Beef Industry Council for nine years. He was on the board of Directors and served as president of the Missouri Hereford Association. Glen and his family are members of the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, both partners of Missouri Farmers Care.