New board member Enninga has deep roots in ag
Mark Enninga said he fell in love with farming as a young boy who was deeply involved in his family crop and livestock operation in Fulda. That early passion led to a career in agriculture and now a seat on the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) Board of Directors.
Enninga joined the MCGA board in January at MN Ag Expo in Mankato. He said he’s appreciative of the work of MCGA and that he looks forward to giving back to corn farmers.
“It’s important to me to stay active and involved with the industries that I’m a part of,” he said.
The fourth generation of his family to farm in Fulda, Enninga said he was involved in “all things farming” growing up. He was especially active in the hog and cattle side of the operation, and also showed livestock for 4-H and FFA.
He said he enjoyed the variety of activities involved in farming, the fact that it allows him to work with family, and that farming often has a visible payoff at the end of each day.
“It’s really rewarding to me when you can literally see the work that you get done in a day,” he said.
After high school, Enninga enrolled at Minnesota West Community & Technical College in Worthington with plans to eventually transfer to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to obtain an agricultural business degree. After three semesters, Enninga, who had enlisted in the Army National Guard before graduating high school, was deployed for 12 months to Baghdad, where his unit helped train & support the Iraqi police. Following his deployment, he transferred to the University of Minnesota, from which he graduated in 2008.
Since college, Enninga has held several ag-related sales and business roles. Currently, he works as a key account manager for EnviroLogix, supporting grain elevators, exporters, milling, malters, and specialty grains with grain health & identity diagnostic tests.
Enninga partners with his parents, Spencer and Leann with the family farm in Fulda growing and marketing corn, soybeans, and beef. He and his wife, Elizabeth and 2-year-old son Jack have a residence in Rochester, so traveling to and from the farm is a frequent event to get on farm jobs completed.
Agricultural leadership
Beyond the farm, Enninga participated in the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL) Program from 2016-18 and currently chairs the program’s advisory board of directors. He also joined the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition and recently led the farm through Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality certification. Additionally, he has received Innovation Grants from Minnesota Corn to study how a planter weight distribution system and a compost extract affect corn production.
Enninga said his board run last month was inspired by a chat with outgoing respected board member, Bryan Biegler, who had encouraged him to run. He’d always thought about running, he said, and the timing proved opportunity since he’s about to term off the MARL board.
He said he thinks it’s important for farmers to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made that impact the agriculture industry. He added that it’s important for farmers to share their message not also with the public but also with elected officials.
Minnesota Corn welcomes Mark to the MCGA board! We appreciate his service on behalf of family farmers.
