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Colo. FFA Foundation announces its Ag Hall of Fame inductees

The Colorado FFA Foundation announced three inductees into the Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. Jay Hickert, Akron, George “Buck” Hutchison, Englewood, and Dan Williams, Denver, will all be formally inducted into the Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame on Feb. 27, 2019, at the Renaissance Hotel, Denver at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet.

Hall of Fame honorees:

Dan — known to his friends as Danny — Williams is an Eagle County native who began his adult life raising sheep and cattle. In 1976, though, he turned his attention toward public service and became an Eagle County Commissioner. After two four-year terms, he was elected to the Colorado State House and served four two-year terms. In 1993, he founded the government relations consulting business, Williams+Simpson. His clients include Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Woolgrowers Association, Colorado Horse Council and many other agricultural — and infrastructure — related organizations. Whether as an elected official or lobbyist, for over 40 years Williams has been an advocate for agriculture in Colorado.



After playing baseball at Florida State University George “Buck” Hutchison came home to the family’s lumber distributorship in Manchester, Iowa. In 1963, he created a western division in Denver and ever since, the recognizable HW logo has graced water tanks and gates on ranches and farms all across the West. Hutchison, however, was not content to have his influence contained to distribution and manufacturing. For 23 years he has served as the chairman of National Western Stock Show’s Junior Livestock Committee, indirectly benefitting over 1,900 junior exhibitors during his tenure. Hutchison has also served or is currently serving on many civic boards and associations, from the J.K. Mullen High School Board to the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Scholarship and Endowment Advisory Board to the National High School Rodeo Association and the Roundup Riders of the Rockies.

Jay Hickert was born on the family homestead in western Kansas in 1926 and moved to Colorado sharecropping his aunt’s land in the 1940s. Now, at 91-years-old, he’s the patriarch of the family’s farming, ranching and cattle feeding operations in Washington County. Over the years he was active on school boards, bank boards, co-op boards and livestock and farming associations. Throughout his career he worked closely with Colorado State University to assist on advisory boards and research projects. Hickert’s influence as a thought-leader in the cattle feeding business expands across the West, while his reputation in his corner of Colorado is unparalleled.



NAD names Breinig new assistant director

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman announced the appointment of Amelia Breinig to the position of assistant director. Breinig, who has education and experience in communications and international trade, recently began her NDA duties. Breinig is a native Nebraskan, growing up on her family farm near Arapahoe. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in journalism and a master of business administration from the University of Minnesota. Most recently, Breinig worked at the Office of the United States Trade Representative. USTR is responsible for developing and recommending U.S. trade policy to the president, conducting trade negotiations at bilateral and multilateral levels, and coordinating trade policy within the U.S. government. Prior to that, Breinig worked in Washington, D.C., for Sen. Deb Fischer, Rep. Lee Terry and the Senate Finance Committee communications team. ❖


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