Each year, the Montana State University College of Ag awards one of its highest honors to someone in the Montana agricultural community who inspires the respect of their peers and colleagues. The 2024 recipient of the prestigious Outstanding Ag Leader recipient is Tryg Koch of Kalispell.
Tryg is a familiar face in Montana’s agricultural spaces. He has been involved for many years with a variety of advocacy and research groups. He served as President of the Montana Grain Growers Association as well as serving on boards for the MSU Northwestern Ag Research Center, the MAES Advisory Council and the National Association of Wheat Growers. He has been a business owner in northwestern Montana for decades and routinely gives generously of his time to advocate for our industry and its people.
Koch grew up on a farm in the Flathead Valley near Creston and received a degree in agriculture and diesel mechanics from MSU Northern in Havre. In 2007, Koch and Lee Buller founded Heritage Custom Farming, which provides a variety of services tailored to small farm operations, including pasture maintenance and renovation, weed spraying, wildlife habitat support and farm equipment rentals. Koch and his wife farm more than 3,000 acres in northwestern Montana, collaborating with dozens of landowners, and also own a farm in Liberty County near Chester.
“It is a great joy to honor Tryg, whom I had the pleasure of working closely with, with this award,” said MSU vice president for agriculture Sreekala Bajwa. “He has made many contributions to Montana agriculture in his various leadership roles, including as the chair of MAES Advisory Council.”
“[Tryg] consistently advocates for agriculture, striving to inform, educate and serve in any way possible,” wrote nominator Bridgett Cheff of Lake Seed. “He is an informed and involved member of the community, making him a go-to person for many statewide farmers and ranchers.”
Nominators also noted Koch’s ability and willingness to collaborate, along with his commitment to balancing productive agricultural operations with healthy and sustainable wildlife habitat.
“Tryg is an exceptional candidate for this recognition, as he has diligently served the agricultural industry on a state and national level for many years,” wrote Raylee Honeycutt, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, who worked closely with Koch while he directed the MGGA. “While our two organizations focus on different commodities, there is always common ground that we find regarding policy, and working with Tryg means you truly have an advocate for the agriculture industry in your corner.”
Tryg will be honored during Celebrate Ag Week on campus at MSU, November 4-9. This year, Celebrate Ag has been expanded to a full week featuring a variety of events on campus.
Celebrate Ag will include agricultural equipment decorating the MSU campus; a chili feed on MSU’s Malone Centennial Mall; the Ag Olympics team games; a panel talk with young agricultural leaders; the Agricultural Economics Outlook Conference; the Montana AgTech Innovation Summit; and more.
“We are so excited for a new and improved Celebrate Ag event this year,” said Dr. Bajwa. “As we welcome our alumni and friends back to campus, it is always a joy to watch the forging of new connections and the strengthening of old ones. This event offers us an opportunity to pause and recognize the many people who play a role in Montana’s enduring agricultural legacy.”
Most events will be held on the MSU campus and are free and open to the public, though some will be held off campus and require advance registration. A full schedule can be found at www.ag.montana.edu/celebrateag.
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