Barry Flinchbaugh, Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics, taught agricultural policy to more than 4,000 undergraduate students during a nearly half-century career at Kansas State University. | Download this photo.
K-State mourns loss of esteemed agricultural economics professor
Flinchbaugh’s career at the university spanned nearly a half-century
Nov. 2, 2020
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Barry Flinchbaugh, whose remarkable career in agricultural policy at Kansas State University spanned nearly a half-century, passed away Nov. 2 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.
He was 78 years old.
The charismatic Flinchbaugh was well known as one of the United States’ leading experts on agricultural policy and agricultural economics. For more than four decades, he was a top adviser to politicians of both major political parties, including Secretaries of Agriculture, chairs of the House and Senate Ag committees, and numerous senators and state governors.
Flinchbaugh was involved to some degree in every U.S. Farm Bill written since 1968, and served on many national boards, advisory groups and task forces, providing input on domestic food and agricultural policy.
He served as the Chairman of the Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture, which was authorized in the 1996 Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act, also known as the Freedom to Farm Act.
Flinchbaugh grew up in York, Pennsylvania, and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State University. He earned the doctoral degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University before joining the K-State faculty in 1971.
At the time of his death, he was Professor Emeritus in K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics, teaching a 400-level course in agricultural policy each fall.
A dynamic speaker, it was reported that he would receive as many as 100 speaking invitations per year. He authored more than 100 publications and co-authored a textbook on agricultural policy
Flinchbaugh is survived in the family’s Manhattan home by his wife, Cathy. Funeral arrangements are pending.
A full news release about Flinchbaugh’s career as well as tributes from colleagues and leaders will be distributed by K-State on Tuesday. The Agriculture Today radio show will feature a retrospective of Flinchbaugh’s career on radio stations across Kansas at 10 a.m. and via online streaming.
