VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Since the establishment of the ND Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1997, selected nominees are inducted into the ND Agriculture Hall of Fame during the annual North Dakota Winter Show, in Valley City. The individuals selected for induction into the ND Agriculture Hall of Fame this year are Dr. Marcia McMullen of Fargo, ND and Robert Carlson of Jamestown, ND.
Dr. Marcia McMullen is a retired NDSU Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist / IPM Coordinator. She earned her doctorate degree in plant pathology at NDSU. Dr. McMullen was a faculty member of the Plant Pathology Department at NDSU for nearly 30 years.
During her career at NDSU, Dr. McMullen’s research and the information she provided on disease management in wheat and barley was instrumental to the success of farmers in North Dakota and throughout the region. Dr. McMullen was involved in numerous professional state, regional, and national organizations; including being a member of the Northcentral IPM Stakeholder Committee, the Executive Committee of the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, the Northcentral Wheat Pathologist’s Committee, the Advanced Crop Advisors Committee, and the Policy Committee of Northland Federal Educator’s Credit Union. Additionally, she was the Chair of the Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation Committee for the NDSU College of Agriculture.

Dr. Marcia McMullen.

Dr. McMullen was the recipient of numerous awards; the Continued Service Award from Upsilon Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi Extension Fraternity, the Boss of the Year Award from the International Association of Administrative Professionals, the Excellence in Extension Award from the American Phytopathological Society, the Distinguished Service Award from the Northcentral Division of the American Phytopathological Society, the Agricultural Woman of the Year award from the Sigma Alpha Agriculture Sorority, the Honorary Kernel Award from the ND Grain Growers Association, the Woman of the Year in Agriculture award from the Fargo/Moorhead YWCA, and the Communicator of the Year Award from the NDSU Agricultural Communication Association. Lastly, she was the first female faculty member that was promoted to the level of Professor in the College of Agriculture at NDSU.
She has authored or co-authored 10 Book Chapters and Reviews, 25 publications in Refereed Journals, and numerous Extension Publications and Surveys. Dr. McMullen continues to be engaged in agriculture by editing journal manuscripts for researchers that are attempting to publish their research. In her spare time, she likes to garden, read, travel, and spend time with her family. Dr. McMullen resides in Fargo, she is married, has four grown children, one grandson, and one granddaughter.
Robert Carlson.

Robert Carlson – As a farmer, former president of North Dakota Farmers Union, and the first president of the World Farmers Organization based in Rome, Robert Carlson has worked tirelessly to improve the economic conditions of farmers and rural citizens everywhere through innovative initiatives.
He pioneered the Carbon Credit Program to put millions of dollars into the pockets of farmers in exchange for sequestering carbon in their soil to limit greenhouse gas emissions; helped establish Dakota Pride Cooperative, which markets identity-preserved crops globally; and launched a farmer-owned restaurant in Washington, D.C. – now a chain of Founding Farmer restaurants – for farmers to earn a greater share of the consumer’s food dollar.
Carlson was instrumental in passing the first-ever disaster assistance program for U.S. livestock producers in 1997, after blizzards and flooding claimed the lives of 110,000 head of cattle in our region. He also spearheaded the Rally for Rural America in 2000, the largest gathering of farmers ever in our nation’s capital (more than 4,000), to draw attention to the economic crisis gripping farm and rural economies.
As a global thinker, Robert implemented a number of humanitarian efforts beyond North Dakota’s borders, including on-the-ground rebuilding in rural Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, and delivery of North Dakota wheat to starving widows and children in Afghanistan.
Carlson served as the United Nations Special Ambassador of the International Year of Family Farming in 2014, and also was appointed to USDA’s Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Grains and Oilseeds.
He grew up on a family farm near Glenburn and served in the Vietnam War. He holds advanced degrees from Minot State University and the University of North Dakota. As a history enthusiast, he coauthored several works, including The Legacy of North Dakota’s Country Schools. He and his wife raised two sons on the Carlson farm, along with small grains and bison. In his spare time, Carlson enjoys reading, biking, hiking, and repairing things. He has always believed that farming is the most important job in the world.
Each year, the inductees are selected by the ND Ag Hall of Fame Committee, which is comprised of the following agricultural groups and organizations: ND Lamb & Wool Producers, ND Grain Growers, ND Stockmen’s Association, ND Oilseed Council, ND Dept. of Agriculture, ND Pork Producers Council, NDSU Extension Service, ND Farm Bureau, ND Farmers Union, ND Vocational Agriculture, North Dakota Winter Show, ND Implement Dealers Association, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers, Northern Pulse Growers Association and a representative from ND’s farm broadcasters and ag journalists.
The permanent home for the state’s Agriculture Hall of Fame is at the North Dakota Winter Show, in Valley City, and the display is available for viewing at both the NDWS Event Center and the Rosebud Visitor’s Center, in Valley City.
This year, the induction ceremony will take place on Tuesday, March 5th, at 5:30 pm, during the Chamber Ag Social being held in the South Exhibit Building of the North Dakota Winter Show Event Center. The ceremony is during the 82nd annual North Dakota Winter Show, this year scheduled for March 5th-10th. For additional information, contact the NDWS office, at 1-800-437-0218, email ndws@northdakotawintershow.com, or view www.northdakotawintershow.com.