Harold Storck, Lebanon

Harold Storck was raised on a dairy and poultry farm in southwest Missouri near Purdy. He was an active participant in 4-H club work and FFA and showed Holsteins across the Midwest as a youth.

Harold attended the University of Missouri and received a degree in dairy science in 1964 and a masters degree in 1965. He married Linda Richesin of Versailles in 1965. The Storcks have one daughter, Melissa and she and her husband are both University of Missouri 1990 graduates. The couple now live in Little Rock, Ark.

Harold started his career with University of Missouri Extension after completing his graduate work in 1965. His initial extension assignment was as a Balanced Farming agent in Sullivan County. He transferred to Laclede County in 1968 to become an area dairy specialist as University Extension moved to specialization and area work. Currently, Harold is regional extension dairy specialist and county program director in Laclede County.

During his service in Laclede County, Harold was one of the earliest University Extension workers to become involved in using byproduct feeds in dairy rations even though research on using such feeds was limited. He found that milk producers wanted to reduce costs and were willing to use byproducts on a trial basis. Now many producers routinely use byproducts in their dairy rations.

On-farm feed processing and total mixed rations-TMR-were areas that Harold worked on in south central and southwest Missouri. This work led to close contacts with many milk producers.

With the adoption of computers in the 80s, Harold developed, along with help from Jim Spain, University Extension state dairy specialist, a dairy nutrition short course. The “hands-on” approach using computers at a local vocational technical school put producers and feed suppliers to work on their dairy rations. As a result of this training most dairy producers in south central Missouri adopted DAIR4 to use in balancing rations.

For many years Harold served as 4-H project leader for a county-wide dairy group and usually had 20 or more enrolled in dairy projects. Many of these young people became involved in dairying as a result of Harold’s leadership.

Harold has been involved in University Extension activities at the state level. He served as president of the University of Missouri Extension Association, an organization of extension workers across the state, and that organization awarded Harold its Meritorious Service Award in 1993.

Other awards presented Harold include the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Achievement Award in 1975 and its Distinguished Service Award in 1978.

Harold has been the trainer for the State 4-H Dairy Judging Team since 1972 and is a member of the National 4-H Judging Committee. Also, he has worked with the junior judging events at the Missouri State Fair. The Missouri Association of Extension 4-H Youth Workers presented Harold its Meritorious Service Award in 1982.

The extension dairy specialist also takes part in community activities. He has served as president of Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Committee, and as a board adviser to the Laclede County Fair.