Board of Directors

Home » Board of Directors

Board of Directors

2025 DAKOTA LAKES RESEARCH FARM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Dakota Lakes Research Farm Corporation Board of Directors is comprised of eleven representatives. One from each of the 5 geographical districts in central South Dakota and six “at large” members from any South Dakota location. The president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer are elected from these representatives. Board members are elected and serve for 3-year terms. For more information about districts, please see the district map below.

Scot Eisenbraun

Wall

President

District – At Large

scoteisenbraun@icloud.com
(605) 685-3986

Tyler Frederick

Reliance

Vice-President

District – 2

karlenfieldview@yahoo.com
(605) 769-4148

Justin Harer

Gettysburg

Secretary-Treasurer

District – 4

justinharer@live.com
(605) 769-0205

Corey Cronin

Gettysburg

District – At Large

cacronin05@icloud.com
(605) 769-0231

Charles Edinger

Mitchell

District – At Large

charlie_edinger1969@hotmail.com
(605) 770-5727

Brad Finley

Blunt

District – At Large

bjfinley@gmail.com
(605) 280-2045

Blake Foxley

Platte

District – 1

blake.foxley@gmail.com
(605) 680-1992

Brett Huber

Lowry

District – 5

huber.brett@gmail.com
(605) 845-6566

Benson Kleinschmidt

Harrold

District – At Large

benson.kleinschmidt@gmail.com
(605) 222-2456

Trevis Olson

Pierre

District – 3

treolson@yahoo.com
(605) 391-9409

George Sperry

Pierre

District – At Large

zoneinagronomy@gmail.com
(605) 280-5720

DAKOTA LAKES RESEARCH FARM CORPORATION DISTRICT MAP

District 1

  • Bennet Co.
  • Todd Co.
  • Tripp Co.
  • Gregory Co.
  • Charles Mix Co.
  • Douglas Co.
  • Bon Homme Co.

District 3

  • Haakon Co.
  • Stanley Co.
  • Sully Co.
  • Hughes Co.
  • Hyde Co.
  • Hand Co.

District 5

  • Corson Co.
  • Campbell Co.
  • Walworth Co.
  • McPherson Co.
  • Edmunds Co.
  • Brown Co.

District 2

  • Jackson Co.
  • Mellette Co. -Jones Co.
  • Lyman Co.
  • Buffalo Co.
  • Brule Co.
  • Jerauld Co.
  • Aurora Co.

District 4

  • Ziebach Co.
  • Dewey Co.
  • Potter Co.
  • Faulk Co.
  • Spink Co.

At Large

  • Any SD location

Ample Wildlife

Just like people, wildlife needs food, shelter, and water not just to survive but to thrive. The farming practices we follow at Dakota Lakes nurture a robust ecosystem that provide for the needs not only of the deer and pheasants that are popular with local hunters and nature enthusiasts but also a diverse range of species that ideally keeps pests at bay naturally without the need for intensive pesticide intervention.

Healthy Food

Much of the nutrient acquisition in plants is mediated by microbes, so soils that are home to a rich diversity of microbial life are better equipped to provide plants with their required nutrition effectively and efficiently. Recent studies have shown foods, including meat, grown under regenerative farming practices contain higher levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than those grown under conventional farming practices. While the science behind these studies is complex and sample sizes are small and highly variable, preliminary results suggest that regenerative practices can enhance the nutritional profile of many of the foods we eat.

Clean Water

Carbon is one of the best water filters known to man, and regenerative farming practices like no-till, cover crops, and livestock integration help to maintain or even increase soil carbon levels. Plants serve as natural “carbon pumps,” bringing carbon in from the atmosphere by way of photosynthesis and feeding it to soil microbes in the form of exudates. In addition, plants take up and hold onto nutrients that are mineralized in the soil, so keeping living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible goes a long way to preventing nutrient runoff into local waterways.

Living Soils

By following diverse cropping rotations, keeping a living root in the ground as much as possible, integrating livestock, maintaining good soil armor, and keeping soil disturbance to a minimum, we are nurturing the soil microbiome and providing favorable conditions for the bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, insects, earthworms, and other living creatures that call the soil their home. Just a teaspoon of healthy soil can contain billions of microbes and our goal is to promote a natural, balanced environment that allows them to thrive.