MINNEAPOLIS -- The founder of one of Minnesota's most successful farms is one of this year's recipients of the prestigious Siehl Prize For Excellence in Agriculture.
Bob Christensen, who co-founded Christensen Farms in 1974 with his brother and only a handful of hogs, was named the production agriculture award winner. Today, Christensen Farms employs 1,200 people, contracts with more than 450 family farmers and produces enough pork each year to feed 14 million people.
The Siehl prize is awarded annually by the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. Recipients are chosen in three categories: knowledge (teaching, research and outreach); production agriculture and agribusiness.
Additional winners were A. Forrest Troyer, who developed or co-developed 40 commercial corn hybrids for major agribusinesses that sold more than 60 million bags of seed corn; and William Hueg, director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and a U of M administrator, who developed an interdisciplinary approach in ag research that led to significant advances in addressing state and national global challenges in agriculture.
Recipients receive a $50,000 award as well as a sculpture and lapel pin designed by Minnesota artist Thomas Rose. They will be honored at a ceremony in May.
