This issue of Ag Innovation News (AIN) highlights AURI’s first-term Board Director, Kent Heins. Kent represents the Minnesota Beef Council and helps lead the Minnesota Hereford Breeders
Association. He is a third-generation cattle breeder. In this edition of AIN’s Board Q&A, he shares his belief that combining high-tech innovation and agricultural expertise is key to addressing global food challenges.
Q: Please tell our readers a little about your background
I was born and raised on a small cattle farm near Hewitt, Minnesota, where my family raised Hereford cattle. I participated in 4-H, FFA [Future Farmers of America], and the American and Minnesota Junior Hereford associations along with several sports and activities that most small-town kids do. My summers were filled with showing cattle, and this is where my passion for cattle
started. Always being a little nerdy, I gravitated toward math and science, where I graduated from Bertha Hewitt High School. I then went to the University of Minnesota Duluth to wrestle and study
engineering. The wrestling was tough and so were the engineering professors. I ended up with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a great experience in a great Minnesota town!
After I graduated, I started working at Seagate Technology. My 27-year career at Seagate has taken me from Bloomington, Minnesota to Bangkok, Thailand to Singapore to Beijing, China and back. It has given me the opportunity to work in a highvolume manufacturing setting, designing and implementing automated equipment in the high-tech sector, and then switching to the customer-facing end of the process, assisting customers in implementing their data storage business. Currently, I am an engineering director of Seagate’s systems business.
Outside of my professional life, my family and I have continued to raise Hereford cattle. I have remained very active in the Minnesota Hereford Breeders Association as a two-time director while being the president for six years. This is when AURI board member John Schafer introduced the Minnesota Hereford Breeders to AURI.
Q: Why did you want to join AURI’s board of directors?
I love the intersection of technology and agriculture. AURI is the perfect blend of those two sectors, which are both essential in our current environment. I’ve always loved agriculture; it’s part of who I am and has never left me. I’ve also always loved continuous improvement. The concept of aiding the State of Minnesota’s agricultural sector and its adoption of new ag technology is truly exciting!
Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing farmers today?
Minnesota farmers face significant challenges from all sides. The capital cost of staying ahead of technology is a challenge that most family farms battle regardless of which area of agriculture they participate in. As we know, technology continues to change, and Minnesota farmers and agribusinesses need to be diligent in their search for the technologies that will benefit their operations as they look to pass their business and passion to the next generation.
Q: How can Minnesota best support its agricultural industry?
By being aware of the great resources that are produced and available in this great state. Minnesota has a long history of being a global food/ag innovator. It is truly unique to live in a state where many of the food giants got their start. This was all done by innovation. We need to keep innovating and investing in the people and ideas that brought us to this point in our history to keep us ahead of the innovation curve.
Q: What are your goals as a new board member?
First, my goal is to learn. I want to understand how I can help this organization. Second, I want to fill the shoes of the board member that I’m replacing. John Schafer is very passionate about agriculture, the beef industry, and Hereford cattle. I intend to use my background in engineering to add to John’s passion for these subjects.
Q: Which ag-related issues are most important to you?
Since I have a passion for beef cattle and am representing Minnesota Beef Council, the issues that are most important to me are to ensure that beef and beef production are viewed in a positive light. Beef is an excellent protein source that is part of a well-balanced diet. The beef industry feels pressure from many sides, much like all of agriculture does, and cattle producers go to great lengths to ensure they produce a great quality product in the most efficient, environmentally safe manner while looking to maintain the land for future generations.
Q: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I love to cook. My Grandma Heins was my favorite person, and I was her favorite (no, really, you can ask anyone!). She and I share a passion that providing great food to people you care about is one of the greatest simple pleasures a person can have.
