Eminent Farmer
County: Faulk
Robert Hoffman has actively worked to make his community a better place to live. As a farmer, Hoffman has practiced good conservation techniques and has shown how to use marginal land to the best of its capabilities.
As an active community leader, Hoffman has served as Republican state senator and Faulk County commissioner. As state senator, Hoffman was always concerned with keeping local government in charge of local affairs. He served as chairman of the Faulk County Republican Party and was central committeeman for Faulk County.
In addition, he has served on the Faulk County and State Extension Advisory Board; was chairman of the State ASCS Committee; has been in the Crop Improvement Association for more than 25 years, was a member of the National Grain Advisory Board; a member of the Federal Land Bank and Farmers Home Administration boards and served for 40 years on the Hillsdale Township Board.
He was successful in securing a grant to build the Rockham Community Center in 1988. He also was instrumental in setting up the Nutrition Program in Rockham.
He has traveled internationally to better understand and promote agriculture. In 1967, he participated in a "People to People" tour of Europe which included Russia and several former communist countries. In 1983, he was one of the delegates to China for the "Dry Land Wheat Tour" sponsored by South Dakota State University. He has also traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Switzerland, Great Britain and France.
In 1972, he received the State 4-H Alumni Recognition Award. He is a member of the United Methodist Church of Rockham and was in charge of building an addition to the church. He serves on the Shirk Nursing Home Board, and on the North Central Health Board which manages hospitals and nursing homes in South Dakota and Wyoming.
Robert and his wife Verna have three children. They are Diane Cogley of Mitchell, Jeanette of Rockham and Bobbi of Schaumburg, Illinois.