Meet Richard Magnusson, U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative Co-Chair and small grains grower from Roseau, Minnesota. Richard has been serving as the Grower Co-Chair of the USWBSI since January 2021. Outside of the USWBSI, he operates a 11,000-acre farm with his nephews in Roseau County, MN.

Farming with Family

Richard attended the University of Minnesota-Crookston and received his associate degree in general agriculture. Following graduation, he attended North Dakota State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy. In 1983, he started farming with his father, Yvonne, and his two brothers, John and Robert, in Roseau, MN. Transforming over time, this partnership now includes himself and his two nephews, Aaron and Matthew. Together they produce both spring and winter wheat, perennial ryegrass, soybeans, sunflowers, flax, canola, rye, oats, and forage grass for seed production.

In addition, to these crops, the three of them also focus on seed production for both public and private genetics. They were also one of the initial growers of Kernza®, a perennial intermediate wheatgrass, as part of the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative.

Actively Advocating

Richard has served on many committees throughout his career. Among those include serving as the Director and President of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, a member and Chairman of the Minnesota Wheat Council Research Committee, and Director and Chairman of the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association.

Joining the USWBSI was important to Richard because, in 1993 the Northern Plains experienced a scab epidemic. Shortly after this, he was elected to the Minnesota Wheat Growers board and began advocating for wheat growers in St. Paul, MN and Washington, D.C. During his first trip to the Nation’s Capital, Richard was teamed with Tom Anderson, former USWBSI Co-Chair, and Gerald Lacey both of which were affected by the scab epidemic and passionately advocating for USWBSI funding.

Richard hopes to help the Initiative continue to move forward to lessen the impact of FHB (scab) to wheat and barley growers. When asked what he enjoys most about being a farmer, Richard says “Something new every day. Always something new to learn.”

You can also check out the series of previous USWBSI Featured Researchers.