Edgar Hicks was a seasoned international grain marketer and commodities expert whose 40-year career in agriculture was marked by visionary leadership, steadfast advocacy, and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainable farming and rural advancement.
Born in Louisiana to a physician father and a teacher mother, Hicks pursued a degree in finance at Pace University in New York City. At Pace, Hicks met his life-long partner of 52 years, Anna Kai (Wong) Hicks. He began his career in 1971 as a floor clerk at the Chicago Board of Trade, immersing himself in the fast-paced world of agricultural markets. In 1985, he relocated to central Nebraska to work as a grain merchant for a cooperative in Merrick County. Eventually settling in Omaha, Nebraska, Hicks spent the remainder of his career championing equity and innovation in agriculture, with a strong emphasis on supporting Black farmers and revitalizing rural communities.
Hicks served on the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Administrative Council from 2007-2015, participated in the Farmer Rancher Grant Review Committee in 2005-2006, and contributed to the Circle of Sustainability initiative from 2008-2011. He also represented NCR-SARE at numerous events, including hosting tours and engaging youth at the MANRRS National Conferences. He remained active with SARE as a member of its Alumni and Heroes Committees.
A longtime supporter of Black farmers, Hicks was a founding member of the Kansas Black Farmers Association (KBFA) in historic Nicodemus, Kansas, where he served as board chair. He also worked as a marketing consultant for the Nicodemus Flour Cooperative, where his leadership helped introduce teff as a crop. He spearheaded the production of Nicodemus Flour and Pancake Mix. His vision extended from field to market, and he brokered deals that brought these products to local outlets like No More Empty Pots Culinary and Coffee Shops. His creativity and dedication also led to the KBFA Free Pancake Breakfast founding at Nicodemus’s annual Emancipation Celebration—this event served more than 10,000 guests from 2006-2019.
Hicks’s impact extended to education and community building. Beginning in 2013, he taught a segment on sustainable agriculture at Kansas State University as part of GenAG210: Diversity in Farming, sharing his knowledge of equity, marketing, and rural resilience. In 2016, he traveled to Senegal as a USAID volunteer in sustainable agriculture.
Throughout his career, Hicks spurred dialogue regarding the meaning and practice of sustainability. He championed systems thinking, equity, and action while consistently encouraging peers and young people to engage more deeply with agriculture’s future. His legacy included service on advisory boards for the USDA, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and various rural development and grain inspection initiatives.
Hicks passed away on June 29, 2024. This recognition was presented posthumously to his son William Edgar Hicks and William’s wife Helen.
Leaders in sustainable agriculture offered tributes as Hicks was nominated and selected to receive this recognition, including:
- I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Edgar & Anna Hicks in the late 1990's, when they came to that year's annual State Grange Convention. My wife & Anna hit it off right away, and Edgar & I did as well. He had "a way" about him that made the difference in skin color not even enter one's mind (at least for me). We traded "jabs" back & forth, each of us giving as good as we got. He was unfazed. His love of history & all things agriculture was only surpassed by his inquisitive nature in asking about my background. He knew far more about Grange history than I did, which fascinated me. I was really amazed by his appreciation and reverence for the role that the Grange organization had played in so many momentous political and legislative milestones in our nation's history. He was deeply intrigued by the instances of members of my family being participants or leaders in many of the same actions. Over the next 25+ years, we sought each other's counsel on various subjects and brainstormed on issues of mutual interest. Edgar met my mother and became one of her biggest supporters/admirers. Eventually, he came to refer to me as "my brother from a different mother," even introducing me to other people with that introduction. How could anyone resist that? The man was always spinning out ideas, often jumping from one to another before even finishing the thought or sentence he was on at the moment. Maddening & amazing at the same time! Although we lived 200 miles apart and seldom saw each other in person, we spoke on a near-weekly basis over the phone. We talked about everything under the sun. He was the only man who ever called me "Sugar." He made me feel special, and in turn, he seemed to really appreciate my ideas. I miss him so much. His passing really left a hole in our Grange "Family", especially our family. We shall never forget him. He left behind a wonderful wife and Godsend to him (Anna), and two wonderful children (William & Rye), with their families. I am so happy to see him honored by SARE for his efforts and dedication to promoting Agriculture in so many ways! It is your turn to go rest high on that mountain, my friend! - Kevin Cooksley, President of Nebraska State Grange, Weissert, Nebraska
- "There are no words that can fully express the vital role Edgar Hicks played—and continues to play—in the Kansas Black Farmers Association. His unwavering commitment, visionary leadership, and deep compassion laid the foundation for the work we do today in support of our farmers. It is because of Edgar’s dedication, tireless efforts, and his unique gift for stewardship—his favorite word, husbandry—that we are able to carry this mission forward. He was more than a leader; he was our guide, advocate, and farm hero. Edgar’s legacy lives on in every seed planted, every farmer supported, and every stride we take toward equity and sustainability in agriculture. We are forever grateful." - JohnElla Holmes, President, Kansas Black Farmers Association