Interest in the politics of ag drew Johnson to MCGA board
Above: New MCGA board member Clayton Johnson with his wife, Amy, and their two sons, Paxon (age 3) and Hudson (age 1).
Written by Jonathan Eisenthal
Clayton Johnson’s recent run for the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) Board of Directors was sparked in part by his interest in advocating for farmers.
At MN Ag Expo in January, Johnson was elected to the open District 1 seat on the MCGA board. District 1 includes nine southwestern Minnesota counties.
Advocating for corn farmers is an important part of MCGA’s mission. Each year, the organization works in St. Paul and Washington, D.C., to improve quality of life for family farmers and rural communities. MCGA’s grassroots leaders cultivate connections with elected officials and thought leaders to increase understanding of issues important to corn farmers.
As Johnson noted, these efforts are especially critical nowadays since less than 2% of the U.S. population is directly involved in farming.
“There is a real need to get out and tell our story,” he said. “Consumers are getting so far away from what the farm is about and where their food comes from. It’s up to us to get out there to tell the truth, instead of having someone else, who doesn’t farm, telling our story for us.”
Early passion for farming
Johnson grew up on his family farm in Pipestone, which his grandpa started. After graduating from South Dakota State University in 2015, he worked as a crop advisor before spending nearly six years as a field sales representative for DEKALB Asgrow. Three months ago, he joined the agricultural startup company Pivot Bio, which offers the nitrogen-fixing microbial product Proven 40.
“I work off the farm, to support my farming habit,” Johnson jokes.
Johnson’s on-farm work includes raising corn, soybeans, and hogs with his dad, Curt. They also operate a small cow-calf beef cattle operation.
In recent years, Johnson has played an active role in expanding the operation. Four years ago, he began renting a farm on which he and his dad raise corn and soybeans. More recently, they purchased a neighboring farm.
Talking with non-farmers
Johnson said he enjoys talking with non-farmers about agriculture. He recalled a recent conversation with a woman who was continuing to eat meat despite her friends going vegetarian.
He said he appreciated the woman’s perspective on the health benefits of animal proteins. In turn, he told her about the importance of climate-controlled barns in raising hogs. He also noted how the animals are fed a well-balanced diet of soybean meal, milled corn, vitamins, and nutrients.
“I felt like it was educational for me as a farmer to hear a consumer talk about the benefits she sees in a product that she likes,” he said.
He added that these conversations help build trust in farmers and the U.S. food system.
Johnson feels he will learn a tremendous amount by serving on the MCGA board. He said he learned a lot about Minnesota Corn at MN Ag Expo and appreciates the organization’s focus on all aspects of agriculture.
“For farming to succeed, a lot of things need to all work well together,” he said. “It really seems like Minnesota Corn is working towards that goal.”
MCGA congratulates Johnson on his board position! We appreciate the work of our grower-leaders to advocate for policies that benefit corn farmers and all Minnesotans.
