Joel Foster to Retire After 28 Years With Grant County FSA

Joel Foster might not be as famous as Marie Kondo, but both have built their careers on keeping other people organized. Marie is a genius when it comes to spiffing up your closet, but Joel has the corner on your farm. He has been the Farm Service Association (FSA) program analyst in Grant County since the person in charge was called a county agent.

Regardless of the job title, for nearly 29 years, Joel provided crucial support to Grant County farmers and ranchers. He helped hundreds of producers navigate USDA programs to locate capital, mitigate risk, and recover from disasters. If you needed help with your farm acreage report? Joel was your man. And you never worried. Joel had those sneaky deadlines on lock.

Now, on Friday, August 29, Joel is retiring. He will no doubt leave his office neat as a pin for his successor. The dozens of manuals from decades gone by are lined up on shelves like soldiers. Of course, the manuals have been meticulously updated. His collection spans an entire wall and is used as a reference because it is known across the state as the only complete set in print.

Joel, however, began his career in agriculture on the other side of the desk. He grew up on a farm near Garden City along with his five siblings. They raised cattle, potatoes, and small grain. He and his brothers and sisters still share ownership of the Foster homestead.

When Joel left the farm for college, he didn’t stray far from the land. He graduated from SDSU in Brookings in 1990 with an ag business degree, and after a summer stint at Stone’s Truck Stop, he became a County Operations Trainee (COT). At first, no permanent positions were open in an FSA office (called ASCS before 1994), so he was based in the state office and sent out to various counties. What seemed like a disadvantage, however, turned out to be a cloud with a silver lining. Joel is grateful for the three and a half years he spent as a “free agent” as he was closer to his mother and able to spend more time with her. She died of breast cancer in March 1994.

In May 1994, Joel landed briefly in Ziebach County (Dupree). In February 1995, he took on his first long-term assignment in Sanborn County.  Forestburg, the county seat of Sanborn County, holds the title of Watermelon Capital of South Dakota.  Its hot days and unusually sandy soil make Forestburg the only place in South Dakota that raises watermelon commercially. If you travel on State Highway 34 on your way to the South Dakota State Fair, you might consider making a watermelon stop. Stands mounded with green or striped orbs dot the roadside this time of year. Growers offer only perfectly ripened beauties like Black Diamond and  Crimson Sweet – all hoed and harvested by hand.

Moving on from Forestburg, Joel arrived in Grant County in December 1996. A coworker mentioned SDCOE and NASCOE – the professional state and national organizations that represent county-level employees of the USDA Farm Service. The groups advocate for members on issues like pay and working conditions. Joel  promptly joined and served in several capacities, although he said, “I never thought I’d be running for president of NASCOE.” But that’s exactly what happened. 

Joel co-chaired the planning of the national convention that convened in Sioux Falls in 2018. “It was there I was approached about becoming the Northwest Area (NWA) Alternate Executive – a secondary leadership role. The experience gave me a front row seat to the dedication of the NASCOE team and led me to serving the NWA states as their executive, and then as the NASCOE vice president.” Joel was elected as the president of NASCOE to lead its over 7,000 members in 2023. He completed his term this past July.

The presidency and his earlier executive positions provided him with the opportunity to travel, and Joel took to it like a grasshopper to a cornstalk. He counts Washington, DC, and Florida among his favorites. This year’s 66th Annual NASCOE Convention was held in Whitefish, Montana, near Glacier National Park. Joel hopes to continue exploring new places after he retires, but he notes it will be tough to find a better steak — his favorite food – than those grown right here in South Dakota. 

So, as the days count down to retirement and after a total of nearly 35 years with FSA, is Joel ready to permanently hang that Gone Fishing sign on his door? The whopper mounted and hanging above his desk would suggest the answer is “Yes.” But Joel says,”I’m not really that into fishing. It was my first fish! I caught it ice fishing on Bitter Lake with my son Tyler.” Time will tell, but with that kind of crazy luck and an empty calendar, Joel will soon be in high demand as a fishing buddy.

Join everyone at The Pump in downtown Milbank on Friday, August 29, at 6 p.m. to celebrate Joel’s retirement.