PARKER, S.D. —

Walt Bones

has spent his entire life as the fourth generation on his family farm in Parker.

“Our fourth generation, so to speak, is really the first generation that has spent our entire life here on the farm,” Bones said. “There is just an ingrown passion, and you learn the appreciation of stewarding what those previous generations did to get us to where we are, to give us the opportunity that we have.”

Throughout his life, he has been not only a farmer, but an active leader in the agricultural industry, serving on multiple organization boards and as the former South Dakota Secretary of Agricultural under Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

“I truly believe that if you are in an industry you need to do all you can. I mean, you do your things on the farm, but you also need to be involved in the industry so that you understand the implications of world markets, political policy, you know, all those things can impact our family farm here just as much as the weather or the prices or if the water tank is frozen up or if the tractor won’t start up,” Bones said. “So, it’s just vitally important to be engaged and involved in whatever you have a passion for, whatever you are involved in.”

Now, he is being honored in the

South Dakota Hall of Fame.

“It’s humbling,” Bones said. “We just got back last weekend from an amazing weekend in Chamberlain. There was a class of 10 of us, amazing individuals of very diversified backgrounds, of course. South Dakota is such an amazing state with such amazing people, and it was overwhelming — it frankly was — to get that sort of a recognition, to have all the family there, friends. It was just a really, really enjoyable and gratifying weekend. It really was.”

Agriculture is just one of the many industries recognized in the

South Dakota Hall of Fame.

“It was a great weekend to hear all these people’s stories and get to know them and all truly deserving, and there’s so many more people that are so deserving, not only in agriculture, but all over,” Bones said. “We just need to continue the passion, the dedication that those folks have for their industries as well as agriculture.”

Bones has recently begun retiring from the farming operation, but that doesn’t stop him from continuing to play an active role in the agricultural industry.

“I’m still engaged and involved with the Groundworks Connect,

South Dakota Ag in the Classroom

program. I’m still involved with the Avera Foundation where we have worked a lot with the behavioral health and suicide prevention type things and how that relates to agriculture, engaged with just a number of non-profits that are doing some amazing things. So I am staying plenty busy,” Bones said. “Every once in a while I do get a call and ‘hey can you come run a truck, or hey, can you run a combine or something,’ so it’s been really, really good.”

The full list of 2023 inductees include:

Dr. Robert Arnio

(Medical),

Bruce Bad Moccasin

(Business),

Walt Bones

(Agriculture),

Dr. Thomas Dean

(Medical),

Dr. José-Marie Griffiths

(Education),

Dr. Pamela Homan

(Education),

Gary Mule Deer

(Arts & Entertainment),

Larry Rohrer

(Arts & Entertainment),

Hani Shafai

(Business), and

Adam Vinatieri

(Sports).