Nepal RPCV Clark Moeckly honored as South Dakota Eminent Farmer



Eminent Farmers and Homemakers have been recognized every year since 1927, except in 1942 and 1943. According to the Web site, the awards honor "outstanding South Dakotans who, without looking for, needing or accepting personal reward, have gone the extra mile to make their families, their communities and our state into the outstanding entities that they are." Moeckly graduated from Britton High School and received a bachelor's degree in mechanized agriculture from South Dakota State University in Brookings. After graduation, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal for two years -- something he became interested in while he was young.

Nepal RPCV Clark Moeckly honored as South Dakota Eminent Farmer

Honors given to area ag folks: Britton, Bath residents named state's eminent farmer, homemaker

Sep 25, 2006

American News, Aberdeen, S.D.

Sep. 25--Two area agribusiness people were honored as South Dakota Eminent Farmer and South Dakota Eminent Homemaker on Sept. 8.

Clark Moeckly of Britton was named South Dakota Eminent Farmer, and Donna Sharp of Bath was named South Dakota Eminent Homemaker by South Dakota State University.

They were nominated by their local Extension services.

Eminent Farmers and Homemakers have been recognized every year since 1927, except in 1942 and 1943. According to the Web site, the awards honor "outstanding South Dakotans who, without looking for, needing or accepting personal reward, have gone the extra mile to make their families, their communities and our state into the outstanding entities that they are."

Moeckly graduated from Britton High School and received a bachelor's degree in mechanized agriculture from South Dakota State University in Brookings.

After graduation, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal for two years -- something he became interested in while he was young.

He grew up on the farm that he and his wife Pam have owned and operated since 1968.

"I had a lot of other interests besides farming, but I had the opportunity (to farm) so I decided to take the opportunity," he said.

The Moeckly farm has evolved through the years. When Moeckly first started farming, the family raised livestock as well as crops.

"We did that until the early '70s," he said. "Shortly after that, we got into the seed business."

He said that transition began accidentally.

"We started producing seed for our own use and the neighbors wanted some," he said. "It just grew from there."

The Moecklys farm 3,000 acres: half soybeans, one-quarter wheat and one-quarter corn. The crops they grow are sold to seed companies in the United States and Canada.

Moeckly participates in genetic crop research, in conjunction with the South Dakota Crop Improvement Association, SDSU, the Agricultural Experiment Station and Monsanto.

Moeckly also operates the Moeckly Elevator and the Moeckly Certified Seed Conditioning Plant. He has been involved in several national agricultural associations and served on many local boards.

He and his wife have three daughters: Andrea Kilker, who is part owner of the family farm with her husband, Darian; Vicki Henschel of Britton and Kimberly Buechler of Watertown. The Moecklys have seven grandchildren.

Moeckly is the first in his family to be named an Eminent Farmer.

"It's a humbling experience," he said.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2006; COS - Nepal; Agriculture; Awards; Farming; Small Business; South Dakota

When this story was posted in November 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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