Class of 2017

Wendla Black is being recognized for 31 years of service to the Allen County agricultural community as the Organizational Director of Allen County Farm Bureau from 1980 to 1997. She served Farm Bureau as the office administrator from 1974 through 1980 from the Swaney and Billings Nationwide Insurance Agency. Wendla and her husband Bruce reside in close proximity to the Auglaize Township farm she grew up on. But her role in agriculture was somewhat of a happy accident when the opportunity for the County Farm Bureau administration role was accepted by her employer and herself. In 1974, Allen County Farm Bureau had 504 members and that had more than doubled to 1034 by the time Wendla retired in 1997. During her career, Wendla was the local conduit and voice between Ohio Farm Bureau and the local farm families. Her record of commitment and success in engaging people, forging partnerships, and helping people solve problems speaks for itself and is the reason that she is being honored as an outstanding agricultural professional.

C. Mark Hershberger is a farmer in Jackson Township, but is also being honored for his service to over 900 Allen County farm families through his career with the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. In 1983, Mark was promoted to a District Director position and was responsible for administering the conservation and production adjustment programs for 12 counties and approximately 16,000 farm families. For two and a half years he served a position at USDA in Washington, DC writing position papers in a class action suit for farmers claiming discrimination against the agency. In 1986 Mark was awarded a Great Lakes Basin Certificate of Appreciation by the Environmental Protection Agency for leadership and enthusiastic cooperation in demonstrating conservation tillage practices. USDA recognized him in Washington, DC in 1992 with a Distinguished Achievement Award. He retired from USDA in 2005 after 33 years of service. Mark feels honored to have been able to provide for his wife Rita and their family while serving an industry he loves.

Calvin R. Kiracofe served the agriculture industry in Allen County for 60 years and is being honored posthumously. Cal and his wife Marjorie raised their family on their Bath Township farm – where she still happily resides. He is well known as an early adopter and promoter of conservation tillage and no-till cropping systems. He served as a board member with the Allen Soil and Water Conservation District for 26 years. In that capacity he gave long term leadership to setting policy and delivering programs to protect and preserve soil, water and related natural resources. In 1992 Allen SWCD honored Calvin with a rare Lifetime Commitment to Conservation award. He served the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts as an officer and they inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1990. Governor Rhodes appointed him to the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission in 1975 and he served nine years. He also gave leadership to the 15 county area of the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District as a board member for 24 years. In 1990 Calvin was quoted as saying, “I realized early in life that the resources we are using today were millions of years in the making and that I had a choice with the limited resources I managed. First, I could fail to manage them wisely and they would be unproductive and seriously damaged. My second choice was to use the best stewardship and technical practices available to increase productivity and protect them for future use. I chose the second path.”

Robert and June Polter are being inducted into the Allen County Agriculture Hall of Fame posthumously and are the first couple to receive this honor. This is because family, neighbors and friends have been adamant that Bob’s farming success was largely due to the dedication of his wife June who always worked by his side – they were a team. They were full time farmers whose operation began in 1943 and ended in 1985 when they decided to retire. The Polters are acclaimed as farmers who set the bar for their neighbors in crop yields and other benchmarks of excellence. Bob and June were early adopters of soil conservation practices and cooperated with county agencies to host field days to showcase those practices for other farmers. Over the years they spent considerable time studying and putting into use progressive and best management practices. Bob and June were very humble people, never seeking praise or accolades and they certainly would have down-played deserving this honor that is being bestowed on them in their memories.