Eastern Idaho Agriculture Hall of Fame set Friday

Five men will be inducted into the Eastern Idaho Agriculture Hall of Fame during its 45th annual recognition dinner Friday. The inductees include: Garn Theobald, of Pocatello, is a potato producer/shipper for the chip industry in Pocatello. Theobald has been active in promoting Idaho chip potatoes in markets outside of the United States and has been on trade missions to Russia, Japan, China and Mexico. A member of his local Lions Club, Theobald has also been a member of the US Potato Board and has been recognized multiple times as the western and national supplier of the year by Frito Lay. He and his wife Debbie make their home in Pocatello and are the parents of three children.
Albert Wada, of Pingree, is a potato and fresh pack producer. Wada was born shortly after his family moved from California to Idaho at the outbreak of World War II. Wada is a nationally honored potato industry leader active at the state and national level of production leadership and other ag-related civic organizations. Wada and his wife Christine are the parents of four children Bryan, Andrea, Jennifer and Christopher. Wilder Hatch, of Bancroft, is an agricultural producer and rancher. Hatch has served ag producers as a leader in the Caribou Soil Conservation District for over 30 years. Hatch uses his role in the conservation efforts to recognize, and encourage, ag producers by annually awarding an “Outstanding Cooperator of the Year” for conservation activities. Hatch and his wife Kathy live on their ranch near Bancroft where they raised six children. Bob Huskinson is an agricultural producer and rancher from Rexburg. Following military service, Huskinson joined his father and brother in farming the original plot of 160 acres east of Rexburg homesteaded by his grandfather. Today at 84 years old, Huskinson continues to run nearly 300 head of cattle using his canyon land on the Rexburg Bench for grazing, and winter pastures the cattle in Fremont County. Huskinson and his wife Sue are the parents of five children. David McFarland is a rancher from Carmen. Among his many contributions to agriculture, McFarland has been involved as a member of the Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board, Lemhi County Planning and Zoning Board, Water Master of Carmen Creek Drainage and as ditch manager on Freeman Creek. He has also helped with sage grouse management, assisted neighbors with water filing during water adjudication and pioneered changes in grazing for fall utilization. McFarland and his wife Janet are the parents of two children and grandparents to three. The recognition dinner will be held at the Idaho Falls Shilo Inn Convention Center. A no-host social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to all interested persons.