Meet Jami Loeker
She and her husband Billy live in Manhattan, KS, with their children raising a chicken flock and garden while Jami is employed full-time off the farm as a local agronomist. She helps other farmers and retailers in eastern Kansas by recommending improvements to crop production practices for corn, soybeans, milo, wheat, alfalfa, and cotton.
Previously, she worked with conventional and GMO corn and soybeans, as well as soil environmental science, while serving on the Kansas Ag Remediation Board. Her graduate research focused on soil fertility comparing nutrient uptake in varieties of soybeans.
Jami’s entire family share the responsibilities of caring for their chicken flock and garden, which they use to support their family, neighbors and friends. She says it’s important for her children to have experience learning where their food comes from and value the hard work that goes into making sure they are fed.
Jami joined CommonGround in spring 2018 because she says she has a passion for science and truth. “Knowing so many farmers and raising my own food and vegetables means that I care about the future of agriculture and viability of the business,” she says. “Additionally, I understand what it’s like to be a mother and want to provide safe and nutritious food for your family. However, providing food for a family on a budget can be a challenge and I want to help others understand the difference (or similarity) in the products that they are choosing.”
In her free time, Jami enjoys baking, cooking, travel, movies, fitness and hiking. She is active in the Peace Lutheran Church and the Manhattan Free Community Christmas Dinner Committee.
Expertise: Biotechnology/GMOs, Sustainability and Conservation, Food Safety
Ag Connections: Kansas Ag Retail Association