Eminent Farmer
County: Lyman
Pat Blum, and her husband Bart, have ranched near Reliance for the past 40 years. She is a former president of the South Dakota CattleWomen and has served as president of the South Dakota Beef Industry Council. She is a member of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, Prime CattleWomen and South Dakota Farmers Union. Currently, she chairs the Producer Communications Committee of the Cattlemen's Beef Board. The Blums were honored as Friends of the Beef Industry at the SDSU Beef Bowl in 1999.
She has been a 4-H leader, and currently is treasurer of the South Dakota Hall of Fame Foundation. As a registered nurse, she is a member of the local hospital board, nursing home board and Community Health Board.
She is a strong supporter of South Dakota State University and vocal advocate of funding for research. She currently serves on the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board, representing food animal and commodity producers. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture appointed her to this position.