North Dakota producers Myron Blumhagen and Mike Gartner were honored at the North Dakota Crop Improvement and Seed Association’s 65th annual conference in Bismarck.

Blumhagen, of Drake, received the Distinguished Service Award for making significant contributions to agriculture at the local, county, state and regional level.

He grows spring wheat, peas, soybeans, canola, alfalfa, lentils, chickpeas and flax. He also is president of the McHenry County Township Officers Association; a member of the North Central Research Extension Center Board of Visitors, McHenry County Ag Improvement Association, Drake Rural Fire District and McHenry County Water Resource District; a Spring Grove Township supervisor; and a delegate to the North Dakota Farmers Union convention.

When not busy on his own farm, Blumhagen enjoys helping other farmers, hunting, fishing and spending time with his wife, Mary, and their sons, Eric and Ryan.

Gartner received the Premier Seed Grower Award for his significant contributions to the certified seed industry.

Gartner, of Mandan, owns Gartner Seed Farm and is known for his oat expertise. He has produced certified seed for more than 25 years and grows wheat, barley, oats, peas and durum.

He has provided seed for local and state exhibitions. He also has been active in many organizations, including the Morton County Farm Bureau, Morton County Crop Improvement Association, North Dakota Crop Improvement and Seed Association, Northern Great Plains Research Station Focus Group and Morton County Rural Fire Department.

Nominations are being sought for the Distinguished Service and Premier Seed Grower awards for 2018. A nomination form is available online at https://www.ndcropimprovement.org, or contact Toni at 701-231-8067 to nominate someone for these awards.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - March 1, 2017