COVER STORY

Carol Ackerman named Agri-Business Citizen of the Year
Marlow & Donna Christensen: Farm Family of the Year
2009 Farm Show Schedule of Events

Long-time Ag Council member recognized by Chamber
Carol Ackerman named Agri-Business
Citizen of the Year

By Sara Weber
Public Affairs & Research Manager

As a long-time member and past-chair of the Ag Council, Carol Ackerman has been involved in the selecting of Agri-Business Citizen of the Year, and couldn't believe that she would be selected to receive the honor.

"I was extremely surprised and honored to receive the award- it really means a lot to me, "said Ackerman.

Each year, the Chamber's Agri-Business Division Advisory Council chooses a member of the business community to be the Agri-Business Citizen of the Year. Ackerman will be recognized by the Chamber's Agri-Business Division at the Mayor's Round-up and Sale of Champions, to be held Jan. 30 at the Best Western Ramkota Exhibit Hall. She will also be recognized at the Chamber's Agri-Business Division Annual Meeting in April.
Ackerman has worked for Sioux Valley Energy for 10 years, and is the Manager of Marketing.

"I have worked for electric cooperatives for most of my career. I enjoy being out in the different communities we serve, working with people and helping them understand what their cooperative can do for them," she said. "We pride ourselves on providing the most reliable power possible at the most reasonable prices possible."

Ackerman grew up in Cooperstown, North Dakota, where she started her career. She has spent the last 20 years working for electric cooperatives; the first one being NODAK Electric Cooperative; then at the NE Oklahoma Electric Cooperative before coming to Sioux Valley Energy in 1998. In her job, she and her staff help to set the cooperatives programs for each year. Once Ackerman took the job at Sioux Valley Energy, she knew that she wanted to be involved in the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, and it seemed that the Agri-Business Division was the best fit. For the past nine years, she has been involved, chairing the Council in 2003-04. As part of her involvement in the Council, Ackerman was extremely instrumental in securing the Touchstone Energy Sponsorship, of which the Sioux Valley Energy cooperative is a member.

"When the Ag Council was faced with needing a gate admission sponsor, I thought that Touchstone Energy would be a great partner- with our rural and business partnership," she said. The partnership has helped keep the Ag Appreciation Day a success for the past six years.

Sioux Valley Energy & Sioux Valley Wireless serves seven counties in South Dakota and Minnesota, providing them with power. There were territorial lines drawn by the Public Utilities Commission years ago, and approved by the legislature.

"An energy cooperative is such that, if you buy power from us, you become an owner — and receive a dividend periodically, which is determined by an 11-member Board of Directors made up of cooperative members elected by the members," explained Ackerman.

Although some of Sioux Valley Energy's territory includes part of Sioux Falls, most of their territory is rural. They provide power to operate a number of farms; two ethanol plants; Pipestone Systems Hog Operation; and a number of dairy farms and elevators.
In her work, and as someone who grew up on a farm in North Dakota, she has witnessed first-hand how agriculture has changed over the years.

"Farming is becoming very technical — the technology is absolutely amazing! It is definitely run as a business these days- they're looking at profit and loss margins just like any other business on Main Street," she said. "It is becoming very sophisticated; it is not a dying industry by any means."

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Marlow & Donna Christensen:
Farm Family of the Year

By Amy Smolik
Marketing & Communications Manager

Farming is a family affair for the Marlow and Donna Christensen family of Beresford. Their three sons were involved in the farming operation while growing up and now their four grandchildren help on the farm after school and during the summer.

The Christensens were named the Farm Family of the Year by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Division. They will be recognized during the Sioux Empire Farm Show at the Mayor's Round-up & Sale of Champions Jan. 30 at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel Exhibit Hall.

The four Christensen families live within five miles of one another. The farm where Marlow and Donna live was his mother's home place and has been in the family since 1887. Marlow's 93-year-old mother, Lucille, now lives in Sioux Falls. Middle son Doug now lives on the farm where Marlow grew up.

The Christensens are not incorporated; they all operate separately, but work together. From corn and soybeans to alfalfa and cattle, it is truly a family-run business. The Christensens farm about 2,700 acres of owned and rented land in Clay, Lincoln, and Union counties. They also custom chop silage with good friends the VanderLaans.
The day generally starts at Marlow and Donna's home and often times ends there, too, as the family says they eat a family meal together 80 percent of the time. Each of the wives also plays a part in the operation as well, though they also have jobs outside of the farm.

Marlow had no doubt that he wanted to farm for a living and neither did his three sons. Dale started in 1983, Doug in 1989, and Don in 1997. Donna grew up on a farm near Centerville.

Farming has changed tremendously over the years. When Marlow first started farming he hand-fed 140 cattle, used a four-row planter for his crops, and a "trip bucket" loader. It wasn't until the 1970s that they had a scale on the feed wagon. Donna and Marlow also farrowed about 400 pigs each year and in 1998 were farrowing more than 3,000 feeder pigs per year when they dispersed the hog portion of the operation.

Today, the Christensens use a 16-row planter and are able to finish 2,300 head of beef cattle each year. They attend sales and purchase their own cattle to feed. The Christensen sons also have a 100-head Angus cross-stock cow herd and feed out the calves. Technology has helped the family in preparing feed rations, equipment, seed selection and banking.

They feel fortunate to be able to farm in a region with agri-businesses that support farmers. They are proud to do business with Sioux Falls Regional Livestock and feel blessed to have such a facility in the area. The Christensens also credit good neighbors, family and friends for the assistance they received with farm activities. In their spare time, they all enjoy riding horses together.

"We were married in 1964 and started farming in 1965," Marlow said. "It's what we always wanted to do and we still love doing it. What a joy it is to see my grandchildren take an interest in the operation."

The Christensens are familiar with the Sioux Empire Farm Show as they have purchased cattle there in the past and now their grandchildren take part in the 4-H show. The Christensens have previously taken home the bull buyer's portion of the Supreme Row purse, which is awarded to the buyer and producer of the best bull and heifer of all the purebreds at the Sioux Empire Farm Show. The Supreme Row purse is also announced at the Mayor's Round-up and Sale of Champions. Tickets are $30 per person. Call the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce at (605) 336-1620 for more information.

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2009 Sioux Empire Farm Show Schedule of Events

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