A Tale of Resiliency, Entrepreneurship and the Value of Mentors

Joe Kerns of Ames-based Kerns and Associates has been a consultant in agricultural operations and the animal production industry for more than twenty-five years. The company’s clients include producers, veterinarians, packers, researchers, and mill operators from more than a dozen states. Kerns advises on procurement and risk management activities related to a range of operations, commodity markets, nutritional factors impacting production, and operational sustainability, leadership, and ownership. Prior to this consulting venture, he directed risk management activities for industry leaders such as ADM, Premium Standard Farms, Continental Grain, and Iowa Select Farms. Kerns is a graduate of Iowa State, where he earned a degree in agricultural business. William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture and part of CALS Week