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
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