Potter Farmer New Member of Hall of Agricultural Achievement

Three people from the Panhandle are among a dozen new members of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.

Rick Larson of Potter was joined by Nancy Peterson of Gordon and Douglas Olsen of Harrisburg in being elected during a banquet at the Nebraska East Union on UNL's East Campus. Formed in 1916, the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement is dedicated to preserving and improving Nebraska agriculture. Each year, the group recognizes at least one honoree and elects new members.

New members were nominated by a fellow member of the hall for their significant contributions to the state's agriculture industry.

Rick Larson farms and ranches in Banner and Kimball Counties. He and his wife, Diane, grow irrigated and dryland wheat, corn, dry edible beans and alfalfa. Rick is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in animal science and has served on the Kimball-Banner County Extension Board.

He has served on the Nebraska Wheat Board, including as chairman. He also serves on the U.S. Wheat Board and has worked extensively with the Nebraska Wheat Growers in implementing their mobile baking lab, which is used to educate consumers and connect farmers with consumers through fresh-baked wheat food to show their food comes from. Larson also has hosted several international trade teams on his farming operation. He has been involved in Banner County Wind Committee and served as grower representative on the National Jointed Goatgrass Steering Committee.

He has been innovative in adopting new technologies in his beef operation. Larson is a past winner of the Panhandle Research and Extension Center's Service to Panhandle Agriculture Award.

Peterson is a veterinarian and co-owner of Plum Thicket Farms, whose stated mission is to produce high quality cattle, forage, and grain with management practices that foster the best stewardship of land, livestock, soil, and human resources. Plum Thicket Farms received the 2016 Aldo Leopold Award for Conservation and also was named the 2016 Commercial Beef Breeder of the year by the Beef Improvement Federation.

Nancy and her husband, Rex, head the cattle operation. They bought Plum Thicket Farms in 1998, after moving from the Colorado Mountains where Nancy had a cow/calf veterinary practice.

Olsen is a cattle producer, farmer and community leader in Banner County, where he manages a large commercial and purebred Hereford herd, with his father, Art, wife, Pam, children, and several employees. Doug, a graduate of UNL Animal Science Department, is an early adopter of new and research-proven technology, using the information and also sharing it with others through personal contact and hosts numerous field days or tours.

Olsen is Chairman of the Board of the Panhandle Cooperative, and also is active in the Nebraska Coop Council, Nebraska Cattlemens Association, American Hereford Association, and National Cattlemens Beef Association.

Other new NHAA members of the Ag Hall of Achievement include Barbara Cooksley of Anselmo, Ted Tietjen of Grant, Mary Garbacz of Lincoln, Terry Hejny of Lincoln, Pete McClymont of Lincoln, Richarard Rasby of Lincoln, Chuck Burr of North Platte, and Roric and Deb Paulman of Sutherland.

The Hall of Agricultural Achievement's 2019 honorees were Bob Dickey, a farmer from Laurel and Al Svajgr, the owner of Agrow.