Ag Appreciation Banquet

2020 Farmer/Rancher of the Year Nomination Form

CONTACT

Bowman Area Chamber of Commerce

13 1/2 East Divide
Bowman, ND 58623

701.523.5880
Chamber@BowmanND.com

Celebrate our Ag Industry

The Ag Appreciation Banquet is an annual event that honors a Farmer/Rancher of the Year in either Bowman, Slope, or Harding County.

The event will look a little different this year. Due to the current circumstances, we will not be hosting a banquet that is open to the public. However, we will still be honoring the 2020 Farmer/Rancher of the Year by hosting a special meal on October 21 for the honoree and their family and friends to celebrate together.

It is with pleasure to announce the 2020 Farmer/Rancher of the Year as Brooks Chalky Butte Ranch. Our honorees include brothers Steve and Ryan along with their wives April and Becky who farm and ranch in Bowman County.

Brooks Chalky Butte Ranch operates on 15,000 acres. Working together to create a diversified operation, Steve leads the ranching operation and Ryan leads the farming operation. The farm and ranch was started in 1904 by great, great-grandfather William Sheets and was purchased by Steve and Ryan in 1983. The ranch continues the family tradition with Steve’s and Ryan’s kids as sixth generation farmers and ranchers.

The ranch runs a registered Angus herd including 550 cows and 175 yearling heifers. They utilize artificial insemination and some embryo transfer to ensure a strong calving season. Two sales are conducted each year, a female sale in December and a bull sale in April. The April bull sale also includes around 1,000 yearling heifers from past bull customers.

The farm runs on 4,500 acres and raises corn, wheat, durum, chickpeas, sunflowers, lentils, and cover crops. Ryan’s focus is to maintain good rotation of crops and also good farming practice. Our family commitment to the land is second to family.

Steve and April are parents to Calli (Levi), Cassi, and Skeeter and have two grandchildren. Ryan and Becky are parents to Sasha (Lucas), Alicia (Nathan), Carter (Tianna), and Mariah (Mark) and have four grandchildren with one more on the way.

Steve, April, Ryan, and Becky are all very active in the community serving on many boards. Some of these include Slope County Crop Improvement Association, North Dakota Angus Association Board, Certified Angus Beef Commission, American Angus Board, ND Stockmen’s Association, Bowman Area Chamber of Commerce, Northern Pulse Growers Association, State Board of Research and Extension, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Association, Bowman Grain, Inc., and many more.

Thank you to all of the sponsors and committee for making this evening possible!

Past Farmer/Rancher of the Year Awards

2019 Wayne and Susan Nelson
2018 Gerald, Rita, Larry, and Jackie Lambourn
2017 Kenneth Abrahamson
2016 Harry Kerr
2015 Donald Brown
2014 Wayne Mrnak
2013 Bruce Freitag
2012 Bob Andrews
2011 Marlene Mrnak
2010 Leo Heinrich
2009 John Lee and Ellen Njos
2008 Don Burke
2007 Roger Stuber
2006 Burke Lambourn
2005 Elwood and Gerry Andersen
2004 Ina Holmquist
2003 Lyle and Sharon Gunderson
2002 Lyle Sander
2001 Stanley Pope
2000 Bob Penfield
1999 Lawrence Faris
1998 Bill Fisher
1997 Fred Gerth
1996 Dorothy Soreide
1995 Ken Rajewsky
1994 Odell Sabe
1993 Howard Pearson
1992 Albert Bowman
1991 Wally Jacobs
1990 Jim Mrnak
1989 Howard Brooks