By Elizabeth Coudron, Communications and Marketing Intern

Dan Glessing’s voice carries beyond his family’s dairy farm. As president of Minnesota Farm Bureau, he works to ensure farmers have a voice in the decisions that shape agriculture.

Dan and his wife, Seena, and their family have been farming in Central Minnesota for generations. His grandparents purchased the farm in the 60’s and it’s their goal to pass the farm down to the next generation. Today, the family milk 85 Holstein cows and continues a legacy based on hard work and family involvement.

Like a lot of farmers, Dan wears many hats. On any given day, he may find himself serving as a veterinarian, mechanic, plumber, or in his case, an advocate. While farming remains his foundation, Dan has become passionate about representing agriculture beyond the farm. The two worlds often overlap, with taking work calls and meeting from the tractor cab as he works.

“Growing up, I didn’t pay much attention to politics.” Glessing said. “Just quite simply, I didn’t think it affected me.”

He knew he wanted to farm, and legislative issues seemed distant from daily life. That perspective changed when he began to see how “things were coming down the pike,” and he decided he needed to be involved.

Dan had grown up around Farm Bureau because his parents were involved, but it wasn’t until he was asked to be his local county Young Farmers Chair that he first started to get personally involved. From serving as county Young Farmer Chair with Seena, to representing Minnesota on the national level through the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, they found a love for being a part of Farm Bureau.

Today, Dan represents more than 30,000 members across 78 county and regional Farm Bureaus. While the role comes with great responsibility that he doesn’t take lightly, Dan credits the support of his family for making it possible.

With that support from his family, he can focus on representing farmers across the state. Dan believes one of the greatest strengths of Farm Bureau is its grassroots approach.

“All of our policy and programming ideas come from grassroots members.” Glessing said. “That’s why it’s important to be involved. That’s why it’s important to have a place at the table.”

As Dan and Seena look toward the future, they are focused on more than policy, they are also preparing for the next generation. So far, two of their children have expressed interest in returning to the farm, making transition planning a priority in the coming years.

The Glessings see opportunity in the farm’s diversity. Alongside the dairy herd, their family also milks dairy goats. When the dairy cows moved to a different site about a year ago, the dairy goats moved into the old tie stall barn. The Glessings also grow corn, soybeans, oats, alfalfa, raise steers, and sell seed, creating a diversified farm with opportunities for the next generation.

The future for the next generation depends on more than productive cows or successful crops. It depends on ensuring agriculture continues to have a voice. Dan encourages others to get involved in whatever way they can.

“You can find a lot of excuses to not do something,” Glessing said, “but I guarantee the rewards if you do something will be more beneficial.”

Dan believes that agriculture policy matters more than just to farmers. He believes consumers should care about the decisions affecting agriculture because everyone depends on food.

“The farm is not so far outside the back door of the grocery store,” Glessing said.

The distance between the farm and the grocery store may seem far for many consumers, but Dan hopes to help close that gap. From working on the farm to representing farmers across Minnesota, he continues to advocate for agriculture and ensure the voice of agriculture is heard.

As fewer people have direct connections to agriculture, Dan believes it is more important than ever for farmers to share their experiences, whether through Farm Bureau or another organization.

“Make your voice herd and recognize that you’re not going to win every battle, but you also can have your input into that battle so that maybe the next battle you will win.”