Director Position 1: Heartland Dave Harder

Dave Harder

Age as of March 1, 2026:       48

Residence Location:  Potwin, Kansas

Place of Operation:  Whitewater, Kansas

Business Experience: I am not the typical farmer. After graduating from K-State with an Agribusiness degree I went to work for ADM in grain trading and flour milling. I was the Commercial Manager of ADM’s Camp Hill, PA flour mill when I made the jump to Kellogg Company in Procurement. While at Kellogg I was directly responsible for purchasing over $1 billion in commodities each year. At both stops I was considered top talent and promoted quickly into people management. I successfully made the jump from an individual contributor to setting strategy and getting things done by building highly successful teams. At the end of my tenure at Kellogg, I led the packaging team to secure the largest deal in Kellogg history. 

 I enjoyed my career outside of farming, but as the saying goes, you can take the boy off the farm but can’t take the farm out of the boy. I always knew I would return to the family business, and I did that in 2019. Since then, I have been laser focused on growing the business in a profitable manner. This has been made possible by the outstanding support we have received from American AgCredit to allow us to expand and start new businesses. In 2020 we started a rye seed sales business to capture the emerging trend of cover crops and the local cattle feeder market.  This market was non-existent locally and has now grown to be a significant part of our operation completely replacing our wheat acres.  

 I am a firm believer in hiring quality people, giving them the tools to succeed, and let them go. We have grown our cattle feeding operation which has been made possible by hiring good people and the support of American AgCredit. 

 What gets my juices flowing is business and business strategy. I would relish the opportunity to sit on this board. 

Education:

• Graduate Degree in Ag Economics and Business

Current Boards: 

• USD 206 Remington-Whitewater Board of Education

Nominating Committee Slated: Yes

Strategic & Visionary Thinking: I consider vision and strategy one of my key strengths. This was demonstrated in my career before farming by way of being promoted into strategic roles and being known for thinking long term and seeing around corners. On the farm my focus is always on a 5 year or longer time horizon. This has been demonstrated by starting a cereal rye seed sales business just in time for increasing local demand.   

Corporate Governance: As President of Harder Farms Inc. I am familiar with corporate governance on a relatively small scale. However, having worked in the past in global multibillion dollar companies I am familiar with how much larger organizations need to operate.

Financial Expertise: My financial background started in undergrad at Kansas State University with a degree in AgriBusiness Management and a minor in Agricultural Economics. I also earned my MBA at Millikin University in Decatur, IL while working for Archer Daniels Midland. I have always been entrusted with managing increasing dollar amounts to the tune of billions of dollars of spend while with Kellogg.  As a farmer, I manage all financial aspects of the business such as ROI analysis, breakeven analysis, borrowing strategies, and long-range cash flow planning.

Communication: I consider myself to be an effective communicator.  This skill was refined in my corporate jobs where many times it’s harder to sell strategies internally than negotiating with the supplier. My final job at Kellogg consisted mainly of advocating for my team and removing barriers to get things done. Communication on the farm is important as well. Whether it’s getting employee buy-in or articulating a vision and long-term plan with my partners. Communication is key.

Technology: I consider myself quite technologically advanced, especially for someone in farming. I have used my skills from my previous corporate roles to gain insights on the farm and make better management decisions. Technology has allowed me to be more efficient and make better decisions.   

Human Resource Management: At ADM I was the Commercial Manager of a flour mill and managed the office staff. I also managed several teams at Kellogg, ending my time there as a Sr. Director. This exposure has given me a very good working knowledge of the challenges and pitfalls that come with human resource management. As a farmer, managing multiple personalities, backgrounds, and roles has become second nature to building a winning team.  

Risk Management: I have extensive experience in commodity risk management from my time as a grain trader at ADM, as well as hedging with futures and options when I was at Kellogg. On the farm I am responsible for commodity risk management using futures and options for corn, soybeans, and cattle which is paramount to ensuring profitability. I have also managed risks on the farm by putting in place a buy-sell agreement, life insurance policies for shareholders, and the use of LRP on the cattle. 

Leadership:I have been told multiple times that I am a servant leader. I look for the best solutions in a way that uplifts those around me. I do not seek attention for myself. I work well in teams and on boards to bring people to consensus.