William “Rich” Palmer, Old Monroe
Rich Palmer dedicates, in the words of one nominator, “a significant amount of his life helping the dairy industry.”
The Lincoln County farmer began his dairy operation in 1967 upon completion of his military service. The Palmer dairy operation includes 160 cows with a herd average of 16,000 pounds. Rich also owns and operates a 946-acre farm which in a year’s time includes 325 acres of com, 125 acres of soybeans, 100 acres of alfalfa, and a 600-acre hunting preserve.
Rich’s record as a leader in the dairy industry in long and impressive. He was a MidAmerica Dairymen Young Cooperator in 1972; chair of his Mid-America district in 1973; served on the Eastern Division board of directors from 1974 to present; member of the Mid-America corporate board from 1986 to present; and Midland St. Louis Division Board 1981 to present.
In addition he was a charter member of the Missouri Dairy Association and has been its president since 1989. He also has been a member of the St. Louis Dairy Council since 1981 and served a two-year term on the Council’s executive committee.
Other service to agriculture includes membership on the National Beef Board from 1993 to present; Governor’s Advisory Council on Agriculture 1989 to present; Western Quality Foods Sinton Dairy board 1990 to present; Lincoln County Extension Council 1968-72 including two years as president; Lincoln County Farm Bureau board 1972-78 including six years as vice president and two years as president; and Lincoln County Youth Fair board from 1970-81 serving as vice president in 1970 and chair in 1971.
Rich was born Aug. 21, 1942 in Old Monroe and married Bonnie Bryant in 1965. The Palmers have three children – Greg is a dairyman, Paula manages an A&W, and Lynn is a student.
He holds an engineering degree granted by the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1965. From 1965 to 1967 he served in the U.S. Army which included a ninemonth tour of duty in Vietnam. There, as a first lieutenant, he was company commander of a construction unit.
Rich also serves his community. He was a member of his church board, the Highland Prairie Baptist Church, from 1984-95 including two years as superintendent. And he has been vice president of the Blackhawk Hunting Preserve since 1968 and is a member of the Sporting Clays Business 1984 to present.
Rich has also served on the Old Monroe Mutual Insurance Company board of directors from 1986 to the present.