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Board Member Spotlight: Chris Eymer

On a worldwide agricultural stage, Chris Eymer may be considered a small actor. Yet his role as a self-described hobby farmer from Reliance, S.D., shines a spotlight on how Wheat Growers’ services are scalable for any size of operation.

While Eymer has never farmed for a living, living the farming lifestyle is the reason he has been content with maintaining 400 acres of wheat, corn and milo. In addition to the crops, they also raise cows, sheep and milking goats.

Eymer and his wife, Gayle, a high school math teacher for Lyman School District, reacquired the land that Eymer’s parents rented out in 1969. Gayle manages the AI breeding of the cowherd.

“I rely upon Wheat Growers for the technology and agronomics I don’t have the time or the energy to learn,” Eymer said. “They’re a mecca of information, they make it so easy for me. There’s no way I could compete without a partner like Wheat Growers.”

Wheat Growers/Kennebec Unification

“Wheat Growers truly listens to what their patrons want. I’ve always been impressed by that,” Eymer said. “As patrons, it’s our company, and Wheat Growers’ track record is that of dependability and reliability.”

In 2007, Eymer was on the board of directors for the Kennebec Farmers Elevator when it was experiencing a financial dilemma.

“We were a small elevator and had no rail service. We built a terminal in Highmore, S.D., so we bit off a big financing chunk. Then a commodity price spike occurred, and farmers were dumping grain like you wouldn’t believe. We got in an operating capital crunch, and our bank pulled the plug on us,” Eymer said.

“Years before, we talked to Wheat Growers and they had basically said, ‘we’re friends, we’re neighbors, if you ever need anything, call us.’ So we did, and that’s when we became a Wheat Growers elevator,” Eymer said. “They saved the patronage, and our co-op became a bigger and better co-op.

Putting Producers First

Eymer is encouraged by Wheat Growers’ vision to grow and expand infrastructure.

“Wheat Growers has to keep up with the needs and wants of the producer,” Eymer said. “We’re going to strive to do what the producer leads us to do. If producers acquire more and more, Wheat Growers has to offer more and more.”

“Wheat Growers is striving to be on the leading edge when it comes to precision technology,” Eymer said. “Their knowledge and information is amazing. There is no better place to go for those resources than Wheat Growers.”

He appreciates that at Wheat Growers, all patrons, regardless of how many acres they farm, are accommodated.

“You’re heard, no matter what your farm size is, and Wheat Growers’ services are tailored for all operations,” Eymer said. “They’ve got programs for patrons who just buy inputs; or programs designed to precisely track zones in a field. They’re very flexible.”

Paving the Way for Tomorrow’s Farmers

This past January, Eymer completed a Leadership Education Program hosted by South Dakota Association of Cooperatives. The course provided training in cooperative governance, finance and strategic thinking. 

Eymer hopes to play a role in making agriculture an achievable occupation for younger generations and providing opportunities for them to succeed. The Eymers have two sons; Conrad, 14, and Corwin, 11.

“Farming is a heritage, and I want to make sure it’s a viable business for the future,” Eymer said.