Gary  Riekhof

Gary is the owner of GR Farms near Higginsville, Missouri.  He has managed this fourth generation farm since 1972.  GR Farms is a diversified crop operation. Much of the success of this business is attributed to its adoption of precision farming techniques.  Since installing one of the first available GPS combine yield monitors in 1995, the technology used has expanded to such things as variable rate seeding and photo-sensors to variably apply corn nitrogen needs. Recently the farm has implemented the use of their Veris Technologies soil electro-conductivity equipment to develop productivity indexes for cropland.  Coupling these technologies with GR Farms’ tile and drainage business has allowed them to optimize productivity while conserving the land for future generations.  Gary’s son, Garrett, and wife Cara both 2003 graduates of the University of Missouri-Columbia now manage many of the farm’s day-to-day operations.

Gary graduated from Higginsville High School in 1967 and attended the University of Missouri – Columbia. He is a Vietnam war veteran having spent 18 months in Taipei, Taiwan serving with the U.S. Army STRATCOM unit.  While in Taiwan he used his electronics training to coordinate communication circuits throughout the South Pacific.

Gary was selected to participate in the first class of the University of Missouri’s Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow program. During this program he had the opportunity to study agricultural businesses in the Western U.S., Mexico and Western Europe.  Gary also has work experience as a business and product development consultant to Deere & Co. and DuPont Crop Protection.  Additionally, he has work experience with a regional farm management firm.

He has been recognized as one of Missouri’s Top Ten Individuals by the Missouri Jaycees, has served as President of the Lafayette County Farm Bureau and Lafayette County C-1 school board, and has received the Missouri Soybean Association’s Young Farmer of the Year award.  Gary and his wife Glenda own and operate Crop Insurance Solutions, bringing their combined 20-year experience in the risk management field to their customers in West Central Missouri.

Riekhof is married to Glenda Busch Riekhof also of Higginsville. They have two children and three grandchildren.

Glenda worked for FCS Financial, formerly Farm Credit Services, for 25 years as Financial Services Specialist.  She served as their local crop insurance specialist.  Additional duties included farm records analysis, customer financial and earnings statement coordinator, accounting, and loan processor.

Upon Glenda’s retirement from FCS in July of 2007, she joined her husband, Gary, as a co-owner in their business, Crop Insurance Solutions, Inc.  Her duties include insurance sales, coordinating customer needs, and maintaining customer files with various insurance carriers.

Glenda’s community involvement includes immediate past secretary of Higginsville Chamber of Commerce and FFA Booster member.  She has served as President of the C-1 Band Boosters, Salem UCC Church Board of Christian Education, and Beta Sigma Phi sorority. Glenda has received the Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company Million Dollar Club award and the Lafayette County Farm Bureau Woman of the Year award.  She currently serves as co-chairman of the Agriculture Future of America scholarship fundraising committee and member of Higginsville Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee.

Riekhof is married to Gary Riekhof also of Higginsville.  They have two children and three grandchildren.