Rural Issue

Bayer partners with Luke Bryan for 5th Farm Tour

Four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan will kick off his eleventh consecutive FARM TOUR in Marshall, Wisconsin at the Statz Brothers Farm on September 26 and will perform on stage at six farms, winding up October 5 at Norman, Oklahoma at the Adkins Farm.  This is the 5^th year that Bayer has partnered to present Luke Bryan Farm Tour.

During a conference call, Ray Kerins, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Bayer joined Bryan to talk about the tour and answer questions from a select group of reporters.

“We are real excited that we have partnered up once again with Luke on the Farm Tour,” said Kerins.  

He explained to participants why Bayer recently signed a 3-year agreement with Bryan and his team.

“Primarily because our views of how we look at the importance of the farm and what happens with farmers around this great country of ours.  We are one of the largest agricultural companies in the world.  We serve farmers across this great land and great world. And the concept of what our great American farmers do to feed America and feed the world is very important to us.”

Kerins said in 2015, Bayer partnered with Bayer and launched its campaign to celebrate and thank farmers for what they do.  Using the Luke Bryan song “Here’s to the Farmer” as the theme for the social campaign, Kerins explained that every time someone shares the hashtag #HeresToTheFarmer on social media, Bayer will donate a meal to a hungry American through Feeding America.  Over the past few years, nearly 3 million meals have been donated and more than $180,000 went to area food banks and local farmers in each of the tour cities.

Luke Bryan is the son of a Georgia fertilizer and chemical company owner, peanut farmer and peanut mill owner. 

“I remember being a kid from a rural area and never having big concerts come to my area.  It’s pretty fun to be able to bring my concert into these areas.”

“I’m just so honored to be able to attach my name to something so positive where we know hungry Americans are getting meals. . . anytime I can create a fun environment of a tour or a concert and create charitable aspects around it. . .”

Bryan said Farm Tour has given more than 100 scholarships to kids from agricultural backgrounds.   

“We have always tried to leave these communities better than we found them.”

Conference call with Luke Bryan and Ray Kerins: