Ron Thompson

Ron Thompson of Marshfield, Mo. is the recipient of the 2019 Meritorious Service Award. He retired from Dairy Farmers of America in 2019 after a career of more than 35 years with the cooperative.

Ron was born in 1954 in West Plains, Mo. and grew up as a “country boy” on a small dairy farm. He was a charter member of (Mountain View – Birch Tree) Liberty FFA chapter, and served as president. He graduated from Liberty High School in 1973 and after serving in the U.S. Air Force, attended Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University). Ron transferred to the University of Missouri and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in dairy science in 1982.

Ron began working for Dairy Farmers of America (then Mid-America Dairymen, Inc.) and served as a Field Representative for many years providing leadership and knowledge to the southwest Missouri dairy industry, dairy farmers and area field staff. His duties in this role encompassed milk quality, milk procurement and community involvement to promote cooperatives and enhance the image of the milk industry.

Nominator Murray Lane says, “Ron was always available to assist both area dairy farmers and his DFA staff when needed.” He worked side-by-side with dairy producers and was willing to step in and help on the farm. Ron has been known to pick up a milk sample from a farm at 11:00 pm to be sure the producer had test results first thing the next morning. During the 2007 Ozarks’ ice storm, Ron was the leader for providing generators for southwest Missouri dairy farmers. Ron and his staff worked tirelessly to provide generators to area dairymen to provide them a means of milking cows.

Since 2015, Ron has served as the manager of member services for the Ozarks Southeast Area. In this role he worked with Dairy Cooperative members to educate and encourage member relations, and worked on industry and quality issues.

Ron has held several leadership positions within the dairy industry. In 2004, he was the vice president of the Missouri Fieldman’s & Sanitarian’s Association and he served as president in 2005. From 2015 to 2019, he served as a board member of the Missouri Dairy Growth Council and as a trustee of the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors. Ron has also participated in the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership, and served as a board member of the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives from 2002 to 2019. In 2007, he served as president of the board.

Some of the honors Ron has received include being recognized by the Missouri Fieldman’s & Sanitarian’s Association as Field Man of the Year in 1995 and being awarded an Honorary Chapter Farmer Degree by the Sarcoxie FFA in May 2013. Ron was given the degree in recognition of his leadership in promoting opportunities for youth to learn about the cooperative form of business.

Ron is a member of the Church of Christ in Marshfield and the Webster County Farm Bureau. His parents are Virgil and Leona Thompson. Ron and his wife, Cathy, have a daughter, Sarah Craig, and three sons, Ben, Andrew, and Matthew Thompson.