Submitted photo Gary Kraft

For the second time in three months, the USDA Farm Service Agency in Pierce County wished a longtime employee a happy retirement.

Gary Kraft, who served the FSA office for 38 years and nine months, worked his last day on March 31. Kraft’s retirement follows that of Cheryl Anderson, who retired in December 2021.

Kraft started doing work for the FSA on a summer break from his studies at North Dakota State University, where he majored in agricultural economics.

“I started in the summer of 1979, ground measuring spot check farms with pins and a chain with a 66-foot metal tape,” Kraft said in a message to the Tribune. “At that time, I could not have dreamt that I would still be here 43 years later. “

“I have always worked in the Rugby office — summers while I was in college and as a temporary employee until a permanent position opened up,” Kraft added.

“My retirement plaque says 38 years and 9 months of continuous federal government service,” he said.

Listing his career highlights, Kraft said he “was detailed to Washington, D.C., in the late 1990s to work on the Consent Decree Action Team (a discrimination lawsuit and settlement).” He said his work on that team was “supposed to be two or three two-week rotations and I ended up doing 53 two-week details before it was over.

“In July 2019, our office then received a national Farm Service Agency Administrator’s Award for Service to Agriculture,” he noted. The award was given to Pierce County’s FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service teams.

“In September of 2019, our office then received the Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary’s Award,” he said, adding “both are the highest awards available for the agency.”

Kraft said he would miss the people he interacted with in his work as an employee and manager throughout the years at the FSA.

“I’ll miss everybody from our farmers and ranchers, coworkers and colleagues from all over the state,” he said.

Kraft said of his more recent work in management, “I do not work as directly with the farmers as I used to, and I miss that, but with our software changes and not having to keep up with it like our local staff does, I doubt if I would be of much help anymore.”

After he said goodbye, Kraft made plans to take the summer off, but he would stay busy with other responsibilities. Kraft is a volunteer firefighter with the Rugby Fire Department. He also sits on the Rugby City Council and the Rugby Job Development Authority Board of Directors.

He noted, “My wife Suzy and I just celebrated our 33rd anniversary in January, and March marked my 33rd year in the fire department.”

Still, Kraft said it would be easier to spend more time at the lake this summer.

“But also have plenty of projects to keep me busy for a long time,” he added.

Kraft said he and his wife and family planned to stay in Rugby for the next few years at least.

“I don’t have any grandkids yet,” he added.

Kraft added staffers Tammy Wentz, Melissa Denton, and Shawna Longie. They are available to serve the agricultural community at the Pierce County FSA office.