The 2025 Missouri Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees

June 6, 2025

Written By Adam Buckallew

The Missouri Agricultural Hall of Fame was created in 2023 to recognize farmers, ranchers and agribusiness leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to Missouri Agriculture. The Hall of Fame is a celebration of the vitality of the agricultural industry in Missouri. Inductees into the Hall of Fame are selected by a committee and are honored annually in a ceremony in front of state leadership and their peers.

Dave Baker’s vision for collaboration has earned him a place in the Missouri Ag Hall of Fame. As a University of Missouri Extension state agricultural safety specialist for over 20 years, he built a top U.S. agricultural safety program, authoring over 100 publications. He taught agricultural safety and occupational health for 27 years and later served as assistant dean, program director for Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension (1994–2015), and director of commercial agriculture (2013–2015). His investment in an innovative pasture-based dairy and heifer replacement programs generated $75-121 million and over 1,000 jobs for Missouri. Nationally, Baker fostered ties with Congress, government and agricultural groups and co-founded the Extension Disaster Education Network. Following his retirement from MU, Baker served for five years with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, leading special projects for directors Richard Fordyce and Chris Chinn.

From humble beginnings in Meta, Mo., the family-owned Diamond Pet Food Company has risen to become the world’s fourth-largest pet food manufacturer. Founded on April 1, 1970, by brothers-in-law Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter, the company has roots that lay in “Diamond Feeds,” where livestock feed took center stage and pet food was a mere sideline. Imagine: In those early days, kibble was scooped into plain paper bags with a shovel.

But the landscape shifted dramatically. By 1980, pet food was no longer an afterthought; it was a burgeoning business. A pivotal $180,000 bank loan fueled their ambition, propelling Gary and Richard into a new era of growth. Initially, Diamond competed with commodity brands. However, by 1987, the emergence of “super-premium” brands signaled a turning point. Recognizing the opportunity, Gary and Richard strategically pivoted, targeting a higher-end clientele. They elevated their recipes, incorporating superior protein sources and higher energy density formulations. Notably, this transformation was deeply rooted in their Missouri heritage, with ingredients sourced from local agribusinesses and freight handled by Missouri-based haulers. The Meta workforce carried themselves with the typical tenacious Missouri work ethic. From the very beginning, Gary and Richard treated their employees like family, with world-class healthcare benefits and profit-sharing, long before such things were commonplace.

This strategic shift to higher-value products unlocked nationwide and international markets. While their original distribution tilted toward the Farm & Fleet sector, Diamond navigated the evolving retail landscape, forging partnerships with Costco Wholesale, Tractor Supply, Petco, PetSmart, Walmart and Sam’s Club. In recent years, the company brands of Diamond Naturals and Taste of the Wild have found a strong online presence on platforms such as Chewy and Amazon. The steady and sometimes rapid growth necessitated significant expansion. In the summer of 1999, Diamond’s second facility launched in Lathrop, Calif., followed by Gaston, S.C., in 2002. Diamond’s second West Coast facility in Ripon, Calif., came online in 2012. Dumas, Ark., launched in 2016, and Frontenac, Kan., in 2022. Diamond’s latest facility, their seventh, will be operational later this year in Rushville, Ind.

Throughout this remarkable journey, Gary and Richard remained steadfast in their family-centric approach to business and their unwavering commitment to their faith in God, principles that continue to define the Diamond Pet Food Company today.

Lowell Mohler delivered a lifetime of impact to Missouri agricultural leadership. Born in Holt County, he and JoAnn, married since 1958, raised three Mizzou grads. Beginning at Northwest Missouri State, he transferred to MU and led its meats team. After graduating in 1959 with a B.S. in agriculture, Mohler worked with the National Livestock and Meat Board and Kansas Department of Agriculture. In 1966, he joined Missouri’s Department of Agriculture, launching May Beef Month and many other programs. At Missouri Farm Bureau (1966-late ’90s), he grew membership significantly. As director of agriculture under Governor Holden, he depoliticized the agency, refocusing its mission. On the Conservation Commission (2003-2009), he balanced farming and conservation, earning the Lowell Mohler Wetland Unit namesake. He helped shape the Missouri State Fair, establishing its foundation and invigorating the fair as a state showcase of Missouri agriculture. His work for organizations at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources focused on youth programs and infrastructure, leaving a lasting legacy.

A true farmer and true leader. Governor Mike Parson joins the hall of fame retired from office and back on the farm. Parson is a veteran who served six years in the U.S. Army. He served more than 22 years in law enforcement as the sheriff of Polk County. A strong advocate for agriculture throughout his career in Jefferson City, he served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011, in the Missouri Senate from 2011 to 2017, and as lieutenant governor in 2017-2018. He was sworn in as Missouri’s 57th governor in 2018 and was reelected by a historic margin in 2020. Governor Parson and First Lady Teresa live in Bolivar. Together they have two grown children and six grandchildren. He was raised on a farm in Hickory County and graduated from Wheatland High School in Wheatland, Mo. He is a small-business owner and a third-generation farmer who currently owns and operates a cow/calf operation in Bolivar.

Eddie Sydenstricker’s agricultural journey began in 1952, inspired by the trade of two registered Angus pairs for a Super C Farmall at his father’s International Harvester dealership. In 1966, the family acquired a John Deere dealership in Mexico, Mo., setting the stage for Eddie’s dual impact on both the cattle and machinery industries. He expanded the John Deere business to 13 dealerships before merging with Nobbe in 2020, forming Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners (SNP). By 2024, SNP reached 38 locations, earning the “North American Farm Equipment Dealer of the Year” award in 2021. Sydenstricker Genetics, now with 900 cows, remains a national leader in performance genetics. At 85, Eddie remains active, guided by his principle, “Do what you say you’re going to do.”