Jane and Allen Nelson (left) and Dr. Les Hansen (right)
Steele County Fair honors Livestock hall of famers
Thu, 08/15/2024 - 12:00am
The Steele County Free Fair honored Dr. Les Hansen and Jane and Allen Nelson as the 2024 recipients of the Livestock Hall of Fame Award.
DR. LES HANSEN
Achievments
- Active member of Steele County 4-H and Blooming Prairie FFA.
- Founding and continuous advisor for the Gopher Dairy Club at the University of Minnesota.
- Creator and mentor of the Gopher Dairy Bar at the Minnesota State Fair which generates $150,000 annually to fund club activities.
- Coach of the University of Minnesota Dairy Judging Team which has produced three national champion teams and five national champion individuals for oral reasons
- Co-Specialist Advisor to the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Judging program and one of the founding members of the 4-H Dairy Showcase program.
- Mentor extraordinaire for countless students in securing high profile internships and completing impactful graduate programs.
- Internationally recognized geneticist with research focused on functional and health traits.
- Industry recognition includes Guest of Honor for the National Dairy Shrine, Minnesota Livestock Hall of Fame and numerous Distinguished Teaching Awards.
JANE AND ALLEN NELSON
A humble couple who quietly made a positive impact on countless young people who shared their love for livestock.
The Nelson family developed three Minnesota State 4-H Auction qualifiers in the same year, the only year all three children were eligible for the auction.
Jane
Steele County 4-H Educator from 1984-1994, serving as County Extension Director most of those years.
Created a high energy program for pre-4-H-aged youth. Here, work has become the model for the current Minnesota 4-H Cloverbud program.
Prioritized a strong yet practical community service component into all of her work.
Allen
Operated a diverse livestock operation, including farrow to finish hog, beef cow-calf and poultry components while maintaining a professional career in ag finance.
A founding member of the Steele County 4-H Purple Ribbon Committee, supporting Steele County Livestock youth at the State level.
Key Leader and Livestock Leader offering creative and educational 4-H livestock opportunities.