David Baker, assistant dean emeritus in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, was inducted into the 2025 Missouri Agriculture Hall of Fame. Baker is the first MU faculty member or administrator to be inducted.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture praised Baker’s “vision for collaboration.” From allying with county soil and water conservation districts to establishing ties with Congressional offices, Baker has continually sought opportunities to leverage resources and multiply impact by forming partnerships.

After coming to MU in 1975 as an extension safety and occupational health specialist, he worked with colleagues, farmers, the ag industry and government to build one of the nation’s top ag safety programs. In addition to working with small farms, Baker started working with large commercial ag operations to help them put in formal safety programs in place. In 1993, Baker led the university’s contributions to recovery efforts following catastrophic flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The scale of the disaster highlighted the need for broad-based collaboration, eventually resulting in the creation of the national Extension Disaster Education Network, which connects educators, emergency responders, government agencies and communities to coordinate efforts in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

In a series of administrative roles at MU, Baker oversaw strategic investments in programs such as pasture-based dairy and replacement heifers that created hundreds of jobs and had an estimated statewide economic impact of up to $120 million. At the state and national levels, he forged close ties with government leaders, legislative offices and agricultural groups. Following his retirement from MU, Baker worked with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, leading special projects for state agriculture directors Richard Fordyce and Chris Chinn.

Reflecting on his induction into the Missouri Agricultural Hall of Fame, Baker admits to a certain satisfaction. His high school geometry teacher thought sending him to college would be a waste of money, but others believed in him, and Baker graduated from Illinois State University in 1970 with a degree in agricultural education. He was the first in his family to go to college.

While serving as a county extension agent, he earned a master’s in occupational safety and health from ISU. When Baker came to MU in 1975, he only expected to stay in Missouri for a few years. “But I fell in love with the state, with its people and with the diversity of its agriculture.” He was also impressed with the cooperative extension model put in place by C. Brice Ratchford, who as extension director and, later, president of the University of Missouri System, emphasized the importance of disseminating research-based knowledge to the public, particularly in agriculture and rural development.

“Extension is a great profession,” he says. “It’s a challenging one, but it has been a rewarding experience.”

“Dave’s acceptance into the Missouri Agriculture Hall of Fame is a tribute to his dedication to advancing Missouri agriculture,” said Garrett Hawkins, president of Missouri Farm Bureau. “Dave’s influence has been felt throughout the agriculture community, and the impacts of his work will last a lifetime. Dave has been and continues to be a mentor to many, including me. I am thrilled he was selected for this honor.”

MU Extension honors Baker’s legacy with the David E. Baker Distinguished Extension Programmatic Leadership Award, which recognizes an MU Extension faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in the development and delivery of strategic educational efforts or programming to address emerging agriculture and/or natural resource challenges and issues.

The Missouri Agricultural Hall of Fame recognizes farmers, ranchers and agribusiness leaders who have made outstanding contributions to Missouri agriculture. Nominees for the Hall of Fame are evaluated by a committee of representatives from the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Missouri State Fair Commission and the Missouri State Fair Foundation.

The other 2025 Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees were former Director of Agriculture Lowell Mohler; former Missouri Gov. Mike Parson; Diamond Feeds co-founders Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter; and farm equipment dealer Eddie Sydenstricker.