BIRD ISLAND -- George Tesch, of rural Olivia, received the distinguished service award at the 2010 annual ag banquet on March 13 at the Island Ballroom, Bird Island.
The annual banquet is a collaborative effort of the Renville County Corn & Soybean Growers Association, the Renville County Pork Producers, ProAg of Renville County, and the Renville County American Dairy Association.
Tesch is a 1953 University of Minnesota graduate. In January 1954, he took his first job teaching vocational agriculture in Dassel High School, a position that he held for six years.
During that teaching career, Tesch helped design the gun safety program for young people, that later became a Minnesota state law. In 1959, he and George Neperud, a Dassel attorney, developed a plan for a community celebration in Dassel, called Dassel Red Roster Days in appreciation for the large hatchery business in the community. The Dassel Chamber of Commerce continues that yearly celebration on Labor Day weekend.
While in Dassel, Tesch became acquainted with Bernie Haapala, Haapala Seed Corn Company, who offered him a job taking over the seed production and plant manager duties at Haapala's Eldora, Iowa, location. Eventually, Trojan Seed Company purchased the Eldora facility and Tesch and his family moved to Olivia, the headquarters location of Trojan Seed Company. Pfizer Genetics, the new owner of Trojan Seed, eventually shut down the Olivia facility which Tesch later purchased and started his own seed operation, Quality Seed Associates. In 2004, he sold that facility to Tersteeg Bros., and retired from the seed business.
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The banquet also recognized Renville County's three Dairy Princesses: Kate and Meg Kanne, daughters of James and Mary Kanne, and Rebecca Radtke, daughter of Leon and Lisa Radtke. Gary Lamka, Renville County Pork Producers, introduced Anna Marzen, the current Renville County Pork Ambassador.
