South Dakota Corn Utilization Council (SDCUC)
SDCUC Board Members
Bill Whipple - District 7
Bill Whipple of Wilmot, S.D., incorporates no-till farming practices raising corn and soybeans on his farm. He manages 300 acres of CRP and operates a custom pasturing business on 4,800 acres of native pasture with rotational grazing units. He has been using no-till farming practices since 1985 and established his rotational pasture systems in 1980. He joined the South Dakota Corn Utilization board in 2008.
Whipple attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from South Dakota State University. He served in the U.S. Army for 4 years as a helicopter pilot before returning to the family ranch in 1973.
He chose the farming profession because of the opportunity it offers to work outdoors and the atmosphere for raising a family. He enjoys the challenges of managing a successful operation and the technical challenges of finding a better way to accomplish tasks.
Whipple sees among the most important issues facing the industry today is enticing the next generation to the exciting and challenging career of production agriculture.
“The average age of the family farmer is 58; the pay and life style of an 8-hour day, guaranteed wage position is attractive and draws the young away from the farming career,” said Whipple.
In addition to his position on the SDCUC board, Whipple also served on the South Dakota Corn Growers Association board and held positions of vice president and chairman. He was also a founding director of Northern Growers LLC.
His family includes his wife, Diana, and two grown children, Robert and Heather. In his spare time he enjoys hunting, fishing, traveling and visiting family.