Lifetime Leaders of Rodeo & Ranching Rodeo Ranching Great Westerner Western Entertaiment & Arts Rodeo Producers & Livestock Special Achievement Cowboy Long Rider Legacy Award

Ranching

Jack Dahl
2004 Inductee

 Jack Dahl was born Jan. 15, 1930, a son of Max and Eleanor (Reed) Dahl. He was raised near Chaffee, where his family farmed, raised beef cattle and operated a feedlot. Jack graduated from NDSU, Fargo. In 1952, he married Dottie Davis, purchased a ranch at Gackle, and entered the Army, where he worked as a meat inspector. He returned to the ranch in 1954 and began stocking Dahl Land & Cattle Company with Hereford share cows. Because of difficulty finding quality performance-tested bulls, Jack bought a performance-tested heifer calf crop out of Neb. He became active in the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Assn., serving as its first president. Their cattle operation includes purebred of Red Angus, South Devon and Salers; their commercial herd is mostly crossbreds of those. Jack initiated the Gackle Pen of Three Feeder Calf Show in 1965, and the Dahl Land & Cattle Company has claimed many grand or reserve champion awards. Jack was active in the North Dakota and American Hereford assns.; judged numerous county, state, regional and national cattle events; and served as a local 4-H and FFA judging coach. He served as North Dakota Stockmen's Assn. president in 1972-74, has been active on numerous agricultural advisory boards and committees and served as National Cattlemen's Assn. president in 1987. In 1988, President Reagan appointed him chairman of "Farmer Mac," the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation that provides secondary mortgages for farm loans. Jack has been honored with many awards, including N. Dak. Man of the Year in Agriculture, 1980 NDSU Saddle & Sirloin Club Agriculturist of the Year and 2003 Agri-Business Award. The Dahls have three sons, who work in the partnership, and one daughter.