Trent McKnight

Trent McKnight is a lifelong rancher and businessman in Throckmorton, Texas, with bachelor's and master's degrees in Agricultural Economics and Comparative Politics from Oklahoma State University and The London School of Economics. He is a past national president of the Future Farmers of America, founder of the Texas Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values, and a former appointee of Governor Rick Perry to the Brazos River Authority. In 2012, he was narrowly defeated in a runoff election for the Texas Legislature. Trent has served as an agriculture advisor to the U.S. Military in Iraq, agricultural economist to the United Nations in West Africa, agriculture researcher for the Borlaug Institute of International Agriculture and chairman of the USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Committee. Agriculture, rural communities and international development are his passions. In 2013, he founded AgriCorps, a non-profit organization that connects agricultural innovation to farmers through local schools in developing countries. Trent is an operating partner in VestedWorld, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies in emerging markets.