Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh taught generations of farmers, students and elected officials how to think about “alternatives and consequences” in agricultural policy—and he did it with a cigar, a squeaky voice and a room full of laughter. In this episode, host Aaron Harries visits with Jay Armstrong of Armstrong Farms and Dana Woodbury, executive director of the Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Ag and Food Policy, about the man behind the legend and the new center created to carry his work into the future. Jay shares road‑trip stories from his days as Flinchbaugh’s first teaching assistant and explains how their research and statewide meetings helped Kansas voters pass the constitutional change that moved farmland to use‑value appraisal, protecting farmers on the urban fringe. Dana walks through the mission of the Flinchbaugh Center: engaging students, convening stakeholders, and bringing policymakers the straight facts on complex issues like property taxes, ag labor and water. You’ll hear how the inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum packed a room with more than 200 people hungry for honest conversation, how a new grant is helping involve western Kansas high school students in Ogallala aquifer discussions, and how the Flinchbaugh Fellows program is building a pipeline of Kansas‑trained policy staff for both Topeka and Washington, D.C. The episode closes with a look at the Center’s growing partnership with Kansas State University and how grassroots support can help keep Barry’s purple‑bleeding legacy alive for the next generation of rural leaders. Top 10 Takeaways Barry Flinchbaugh’s impact was personal and practical. Jay’s stories show a professor who could scare you on day one, then turn into a lifelong mentor, road‑trip partner and advocate for farmers and students.The Flinchbaugh Center is about people, not just data. Dana emphasizes that the Center’s core job is to convene stakeholders, sort out what’s really true, and carry those voices—and their analysis of alternatives and consequences—to policymakers.Kansas’ use‑value property tax reform is a textbook example of Barry’s model. Research, objective extension education, mobilized farm and commodity groups, and then a constitutional amendment campaign protected farmers from being taxed off the land on the urban fringe.The Center is building a student pipeline into ag policy. Through the Flinchbaugh Fellows program, K‑State students intern with Kansas ag organizations and then in Washington, D.C., meeting alumni working in policy and seeing how Congress actually functions.Western Kansas water and the Ogallala are priority issues. Supported by a Patterson Family Foundation grant, the Center is convening western Kansas high school students and local stakeholders to talk about Ogallala aquifer policy, self‑regulation and long‑term water security.Rural voices still want straight talk and facts. The inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum drew more than 200 attendees who said they were hungry for fact‑based discussion and “the truth” about big issues affecting agriculture.Issue selection is deliberate and collaborative. The Center uses calls with industry and policy leaders, a policy council and a board that includes former U.S. Ag Secretaries and a former Senate Ag Committee chair to pick issues where education can still move the needle.Barry’s teaching continues through recorded lectures and archives. COVID‑era videos of his final classes and boxes of papers at K‑State will keep his voice and frameworks like “Kings and Kingmakers” alive for new generations of students and fellows.Kansas State University is a central partner. The Flinchbaugh Chair (Dr. Jennifer Ifft), the College of Agriculture dean and K‑State’s Office of Engagement are all actively involved in the Center’s work, tying it to the land‑grant mission.The Center’s future depends on grassroots and partner support. Early funding from the Flinchbaugh family and a few key donors is now being expanded through a matching campaign, grants and partnerships with groups like Kansas Wheat and other commodity organizations. Timestamps [00:00] Welcome and introductions Aaron opens the show, introduces Wheat’s On Your Mind, and sets up the conversation around the Barry Flinchbaugh Center. Bios for guests: Jay Armstrong (Armstrong Farms, longtime Kansas Wheat leader and former Flinchbaugh teaching assistant) and Dana Woodbury (executive director of the Flinchbaugh Center, Garden City business background and prior agribusiness communications work). [02:00] Who was Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh? Jay tells the story of taking Barry’s class in 1972, being the Farm Bureau president’s son, and Barry calling him out on day one—cigar, squeaky voice and all. He describes becoming Barry’s first teaching assistant and, unofficially, his driver because “you didn’t want to ride with Barry.” [06:00] Learning on the road with Barry Jay recalls traveling Kansas for multi‑county extension meetings, long car conversations, and Barry’s blend of bark and deep compassion. Stories from Barry’s Pennsylvania Dutch roots, his time as a county extension agent back east, and even a mafia‑linked family trying to donate to 4‑H. [09:30] Humor, taxes and building trust with farmers Jay explains how Barry tackled hot‑button issues like property taxes using the “three‑legged stool” of income, sales, and property taxes. Barry would ask producers what their biggest problem was, then challenge them—earning credibility by telling the truth instead of pandering. [13:00] Dana’s connection and Barry’s legacy dreams Dana shares how Barry literally burst through the second door by her desk in grad school and later helped her make policy connections after graduation. Jay talks about Barry’s wish for an endowed chair and eventually a policy center that would mirror similar work in other regions while focusing on the Midwest. [17:30] Why a policy center mattered for Kansas farmers Jay walks through the land‑use appraisal story: research on property taxes on the rural‑urban fringe, an extension bulletin, a statewide education tour, and farm groups taking the issue to policymakers and voters. That process led to a constitutional amendment that protected farmers by moving to use‑value appraisal—a model Jay hopes the Center can replicate for today’s issues like water. [22:00] Mission and vision of the Flinchbaugh Center Dana gives the “elevator pitch”: the Center focuses on student engagement, stakeholder‑driven policy analysis, and getting clear, non‑partisan information to decision‑makers. It’s not a data factory; the emphasis is on bringing affected groups together, sorting fact from noise, and examining policy alternatives and consequences in Barry’s tradition. [26:00] Flinchbaugh Forum and youth water project Dana recaps the inaugural Flinchbaugh Forum, where more than 200 people packed a room looking for honest conversation about ag issues. She outlines the Patterson Family Foundation‑funded project on the Ogallala aquifer that will convene cohorts of western Kansas high school students, connect them with local stakeholders, and elevate youth voices in water discussions. [31:00] Inside the Flinchbaugh Fellows program Dana explains how the fellows program pairs K‑State students with Kansas ag organizations in the spring and D.C. internships in the summer to see how policy really gets made—or stalled. Students meet former Flinchbaugh students working in policy, build networks, and often rethink their own career paths in ag policy. [36:30] Why the Fellows matter to Kansas agriculture Jay notes that too often Kansas lawmakers’ ag staff come from outside the state; the fellows program builds a homegrown pool of talent. Having “Flinchbaugh Fellow” on a résumé signals real policy experience and a shared foundation in Barry’s style of straight‑talking analysis. [40:00] Choosing issues and staying ahead of politics Dana describes the Center’s issue‑selection process: calls with 12–15 industry and policy leaders, review by a policy council, then deeper vetting by the board. Jay stresses the importance of getting to issues early—before they become so partisan that education is impossible—using ag labor as an example of an issue that’s already too politicized. [44:00] Ogallala as a model for national work The board includes national leaders like former Ag Secretaries Mike Johanns and Dan Glickman and former Senator Pat Roberts, giving the Center a national reach even as it starts with a regional Ogallala project. Jay hopes the Ogallala work becomes a template for how other aquifer regions can bring multiple water users together to craft workable policy. [47:00] Preserving Barry’s voice and K‑State partnership Jay and Dana talk about Barry’s papers housed at the K‑State library and the treasure trove of lecture notes and correspondence they hope to mine. COVID‑era recordings of Barry’s final semester of classes are now used to orient fellows to concepts like “Kings and Kingmakers” and “alternatives and consequences.” They highlight deep ties with Kansas State University: the Flinchbaugh chair held by Dr. Jennifer Ifft, the College of Agriculture dean and K‑State engagement staff serving on the board. [51:00] Funding, grassroots support and closing thoughts Dana outlines the $95,000 matching campaign funded by the Flinchbaugh family, future grant pursuits, and potential partnerships with groups like Kansas Wheat. Jay reflects on Barry’s advice about needing money, kingmaker support and the right staff—and says they’ve found the right person in Dana. Aaron wraps up, promising to post the Flinchbaugh Center website and reminding listeners they can find past episodes at wheatsonyourmind.com or on Apple and Spotify. Kansas WheatWheatsOnYorMind.com
