Cal Siegfried honored as 'Ag Builder'
A humble -- and somewhat embarrassed -- Cal Siegfried of McCook is named the 2008 "Ag Builder" by the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet Saturday evening. Behind Siegfried's countrified radio ads and emceeing talents that make any crowd at any event feel perfectly at ease is a serious lifelong involvement in and promotion of farming and livestock production. Siegfried expanded beyond his farm upbringing to become involved in ag banking, in agriculture news and advertising, in ag education/promotion and in agriculture-related government issues. He is involved in commercial cattle feeding and marketing, heifer development and research, the development of source-verified and non-hormone-treated cattle, premium-quality retail programs and high-quality meat processing. During the sometimes-serious, sometimes-comical narration of Siegfried's contributions to agriculture by lifelong-friend Leigh Hoyt, an unpretentious Siegfried hid his head on the shoulder of Pam Harsh, the chamber's executive director. More information will appear in future editions of the Gazette on the Chamber's annual banquet, Siegfried's award and "Community Service," "Community Builder," "Chamber Volunteer of the Year" and "Cordial of the Year" awards and the chamber's annual fund-raising auction.