Dean has been breeding purebred Hampshire hogs and exhibiting at the Minnesota State Fair since 1962, showing boars, open gilts, bred gilts and production derby barrows. He has shown numerous champions over that 46 year span. Another of his State Fair highlights is his daughter exhibiting the Grand Champion 4-H barrow. Dean has also financially supported the 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction as well as donating trophies for the State Fair 4-H swine show.

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Gene was raised on a diversified livestock farm in Martin County that had grade Guernsey cattle. At the age of nine he was given a grade Guernsey heifer calf, which he eventually sold to purchase his first registered Guernsey heifer calf. His herd slowly started to grow from there. After graduation from high school, he began farming, as he had rented 80 acres of land when he was a senior. He married Ione in 1953 and they rented a farm only ¼ mile from where he was raised.

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Marlin first became interested in livestock at a young age at his home farm in Willmar. During his high school years he became involved in 4-H and FFA with formal agricultural education at Willmar High School. He was active in livestock, meats and Parli Pro and speaking contests earning a State Farmer Degree. He continued his livestock education at the University of Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education in 1959. While pursuing his career as Vocation Agriculture Instructor he received his Master of Science degree in Agriculture Education at South Dakota State University in 1968.

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Dr. Aggen grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota near Rushmore. He attended the University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine graduating in 1973. He and his wife Barb moved to Harmony, MN and joined the Harmony Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Aggen has owned and operated Oak Meadow Farm since 1977. Oak Meadow began with 80 acres and a few crossbred cows but started specializing in purebred Simmental beef cattle in 1981 when sons Matthew and Mark began showing Simmental heifers in 4-H. The herd grew when their other children Mary and Michael also started showing cattle.

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Steven Tuman, along with his wife Nancy, own and operate Willow Wells farm, in the area of Watkins, MN. They have been on this farm for the past 19 years, as they moved their dairy operation from Glencoe in 1991, where they breed and raise registered Brown Swiss. The Tuman family consists of son Scott, wife Tracie and their three children, who live in Woodbury, MN; daughter Holly Tuman-Anderson and husband Casey, and son Reece who live close to the dairy farm in Watkins, MN.

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Wally was a county agricultural agent in the early 1940’s when he and some farmers from Scott and LeSueur counties formed the Minnesota Valley Breeders Association. The farmers suggested that they locate their jointly owned sires at one place and that their cows be inseminated artificially. They moved into a vacant building, stalls for the bulls were installed and a semen collection room and laboratory set up. They started operating in 1941.

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Steve grew up on a farm in Lamberton where they raised hogs, sheep and beef cattle. He was very involved in FFA, serving as chapter president his senior year and was a good judge of meats, as he won the district contest four years in a row. He went on to college at the University of Minnesota and majored in Agriculture Education. His summer job was working at the Minnesota State Fair.

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Upon graduation from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul in 1966 with a major in Dairy Science and Agriculture Economics, Dave chose to return to the family farm in Hancock, Minnesota. At that time, there were 20 grade Holsteins bred to an Angus bull. He was introduced to registered Holsteins while at the University through his association with Floyd Marti, Dave Pierson, and Jim Schroeder so he decided to start his own Holstein herd.

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Randy and Kari function as a team to care for and promote their herd of registered Jersey cattle. They have bred registered Jerseys for more than 30 years. Along with their three children, Randy and Kari have been active in exhibiting their Jerseys at the Fillmore County Fair, the local Parish show, the 4-H show, the FFA show, and the open class show at the Minnesota State Fair and at World Dairy Expo.

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Jay C. Meiske was born and reared on a farm near Hartley, Iowa. His experiences on this general livestock farm led to his ardent interest in beef cattle. He was active in 4-H beef projects showing cattle at county fairs, and at the Iowa State Fair, Waterloo Meat Animal Show, and the Chicago International. Meiske graduated from Hartley High School (as valedictorian) in 1948 and earned his Animal Science degrees from Iowa State University (B.S., 1952), Oklahoma State University (M.S., 1953) and Michigan State University (Ph. D., 1957) with a major in Ruminant Nutrition.

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James P. Crawford served as the Agriculture Education instructor and FFA advisor at Mountain Lake Public Schools from 1951-1981. His tenure corresponded to a time period where emphasis in the livestock industry was on the development of purebred livestock. Jim supported the purebred livestock industry through livestock shows, livestock judging events and the participation of FFA members in the Minnesota State Fair FFA livestock show.

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Frank was born and raised in the Twin Cities, graduated with honors from St. Thomas University with a degree in Math and Science in 1953. He married Frosty in August of 1953. He then served his country as an officer in the US Air Force, Fight Squadron from 1953 to 1955. He and Frosty began farming in Kimball, Minn., and started Schiefelbein Farms in 1956. He purchased his first Angus breeding cattle in 1962 focusing on “performance and carcass traits”. Frank and Frosty raised 9 sons...

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Ed grew up in the Madison Lake area on a livestock and dairy farm. He was active in 4-H and was a delegate to the 4-H Congress. He was in FFA at Mankato High School and held a number of offices at the chapter level and received the FFA State Farmer degree. He was also later awarded the Honorary American FFA degree.

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Gene was raised on a family farm north of Faribault, Minn. with three siblings. He is the 3rd generation to farm and raise sheep at this site; Elmer & Elsie Sanford homesteaded the original 80 acres in 1905 with the house and barn (100 years old) still utilized today. Gene’s parents, Howard & Helen Sanford established the registered Dorset breed in Minnesota in the mid 1950’s. Dorsets are the primary breed on the farm; other breeds raised by the family include Oxfords, Southdowns, Shropshires and Hampshires.

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