Master Agriculturist

Since 1964, the Rotary Club of Ft Collins has recognized an outstanding farm/ranch individual or family who has made a significant contribution to the community with the "Master Agriculturist" award.  In addition to recognition by the club during our annual Rural/Urban club program, the recipient is also awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship.

The recipient of Master Agriculturalist for 2007/08 is Bill Markham

Glenn Schmidt presented the Master Agriculturalist Award to Bill Markham and the Markham family, owner operators of M&M Farms, recognizing more than 100 years in production agriculture in the Longmont, Berthoud and Loveland area. There have been four generations of Markhams on the current home of M & M Farms: Walter, Willard, Bill and Brett Markham.

M & M Farms was formed in 1979 as a father and son operation of Willard and Bill Markham. Bill’s great-grandfather began raising sugar beets for the Great Western Sugar Company in 1901. The Markhams currently raise sugar beets, malting barley for Coors Brewing Company, corn, alfalfa and wheat. They run 125 commercial cows on a 6,000 acre ranch in Elbert County. The cows are calved out on cornstalks in the winter.

Today M & M Farms is operated by Bill and his wife, Elizabeth. Their two children, Brett and his wife, Christina, and Jennifer Schlagel and her husband, Bruce, along with their daughters, Anna and Cate, are the future of M & M Farms.

Past Master Agriculturalist Award Winners

1964   Dale Peterson
1965   John Weitzel
1966   Steve Goodwin
1967   Roy Portner
1968   Harlan Seaworth
1969   John Worthington
1970   LeRoy Swanson
1971   M.A. "Pat" Ferree
1972   Glenn Johnson
1973   Philip Schnorr
1974   R.E. Greenwalt
1975   H.F. Lind
1976   Paul Waag
1977   Ernest Nelson
1978   Edwin W. Johnson
1979   Francis Bee
1980   Kenneth Thayer
1981   Sam Matsuda
1982   Robert L. Stieben
1983   Earl E. Hoff
1984   Albert Kraft Sr.
1985   Edward Hansen
1986   Roland Feit
1987   Raymond Rein
1988   Ron Ruff
1989   Michael Dickinson
1990   Reinholt Blehm
1991   Gene & Allan Winick
1992   Robert C. Graves
1993   Adrian Weaver
1994   Ken Knievel
1995   Willis Smith
1996   Calvin Johnson
1997   Richard Seaworth
1998   Rodney Nelson
1999   Don Le Fever
2000   Susan Moore & Jon Slutsky
2001   Terry Dye
2002   Lewis Grant
2003/04   Eldon & Trulie Ackerman
2004/05   Mario Herrera
2005/06   Jackie Holdemess Worthington
2006/07   Philip Christopher Schnorr