Jeff Moore, director of strategic accounts for Farm Progress, spoke at his hometown’s Prairie Days about his small-town roots and how his upbringing helped him become successful in his ag-based career.

Moore is originally from Vandalia, Missouri, and he graduated from the University of Missouri in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. After graduating, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to work for Golden Harvest Seeds. Moore took a small break from a career in agriculture, and he went to work for Wells Fargo doing lending and banking.

Moore felt a draw back to agriculture, so he applied for a position with Brownfield Ag.

“That’s what brought my family and me to Jefferson City,” Moore said. “I was in sales, and I worked for Brownfield for 12 years.”

Until that point in his career, Moore explained he did not have a lot of knowledge about marketing and media, but the ag-communications community made him want to try it out.

“I did a group interview with Brownfield, and I knew I wanted to work for the company,” Moore said. “I told my wife I wasn’t sure what the job entailed, but I would figure it out. The people were great, and my boss valued my experience and background in agriculture. He told me he could teach me all the other things I needed to know.”

Ten years ago, he made the move to Farm Progress because he was intrigued by the idea of continuing his work in multimedia sales. Additionally, he loved the company culture at Farm Progress.

“The people at Farm Progress are genuine and down-to-earth,” Moore said. “That’s why I wanted to stay in agriculture. I love the industry and the people in this industry.”

Moore’s hometown hosts a Prairie Days event that welcomes its high-school alumni back home to celebrate their history and memories. It also raises money for scholarships to current high-school seniors. In September 2023, he was invited to be the keynote speaker for the event.

Moore spoke about how growing up in a small, agricultural community taught him how to be successful in life and his career.

“I am very blessed to get to work in this industry and with good people,” Moore said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with great coworkers, bosses, clients, and other individuals with whom I have engaged at farm shows or other ag events.”