VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A grain storage expert and a ranching couple who are leaders in the cattle
industry are this year’s inductees to the North Dakota Agriculture Hall of Fame. Dr. Ken Hellevang and Melvin and Luella Leland will be recognized March 4, 2026, during the ND Winter Show in Valley City.
Dr. Ken Hellevang is acknowledged to be one of the nation’s leading experts on grain storage and grain drying. Hellevang was Extension Agriculture Engineer at North Dakota State University from 1980 to 2024, a time of great expansion in on-farm and commercial grain storage and an accompanying expansion of grain storage issues. Hellevang received the Sukup Global Food Security Award for his efforts and was recipient of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers’ International Engineering Achievement Award. He has authored or made significant contributions to more than 230 publications and videos, with more than 250,000 copies having been distributed internationally.
Melvin and Luella Leland are second generation owners and operators of the 115-year-old Leland Red Angus ranch, on the edge of the western North Dakota Badlands. Their commitment to the betterment of the agricultural industry is
evident in the leadership positions they have taken on various organizations. Melvin served as president of the North Dakota Stockmen’s’ Association and the Red Angus Association of America. He also served on and was president of the state Board of Animal Health. Their ranch was recognized by the Red Angus Association of America as Breeder of the Year in 1995 and Pioneer Breeder of the Year in 2011 and has been inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.
The North Dakota Agriculture Hall of Fame was established by the 1997 North Dakota legislature to provide a way to honor men and women who have made significant contributions to the state’s leading industry, agriculture. The induction of Hellevang and the Lelands brings to 66 the number of men and women in the Hall.
Story by Al Gustin.
