DENVER — Flour-milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills gifted $3.5 million to the Kansas State University’s (KSU) Ag Innovation Initiative. The five-year gift will help the grain science department’s growth, research and development capabilities until 2026.
“Ardent Mills is passionate about cultivating an innovative future for our industry and is committed to help grow our future leaders,” said Troy Anderson, VP of operations at Ardent Mills. “That’s why this partnership with K-State’s Ag Innovation Initiative excites us. The evolving interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, along with new facilities, will enable exceptional, diverse talent development and best-in-class research to help solve food and agriculture challenges today and for generations to come.”
As part of the commitment, Ardent Mills will work alongside KSU’s College of Agriculture leadership to begin baseline metrics and goals regarding total student enrollment, recruitment and retention of diverse students, and leadership development opportunities within the milling and baking science programs. Ardent Mills’ diversity, equity and inclusion goal is to lead the flour mill and ingredient industry to a more inclusive, diverse and equitable environment.
“We want to thank Ardent Mills for their generous gift, which aligns with our vision of working closely with private industry to develop and diversify Kansas and the world’s food and agricultural economy,” said Ernie Minton, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. “This gift from Ardent Mills shows their support for expanding and improving the College of Agriculture’s world-class status and programs, further elevating us as a leading, top-ranked college that attracts diverse agriculturists and researchers.”
