This year’s Missouri Agriculture Hall of Fame honorees reflect the grit, innovation, and deep-rooted values that define the state’s farming legacy. The 2025 class includes Richard Kampeter and Gary Schell, the entrepreneurs behind one of the world’s largest pet food companies, and former Governor Mike Parson, a lifelong farmer whose career in public service never strayed far from his agricultural roots. Other inductees include David Baker, Eddie Sydenstricker, and Lowell Mohler.
Together, their stories highlight the powerful intersection of hard work, homegrown values, and long-term vision.
From Meta to Millions: The Diamond Pet Food Story
What started with scoops of kibble and plain paper bags in the town of Meta, Missouri, has grown into a global enterprise. In 1970, brothers-in-law Richard Kampeter and Gary Schell founded Diamond Pet Food, a modest family-run feed company where pet food was an afterthought. But as the market began to shift in the 1980s, they saw an opening and seized it.
A critical $180,000 bank loan helped fund their move into what was then a new frontier: high-quality, nutrient-dense dog and cat food. By the end of the decade, Kampeter and Schell had pivoted the company to focus on the emerging super-premium pet food market, upgrading ingredients and sourcing locally, all while staying grounded in the values that shaped them.
Their employees were treated like family. Profit-sharing, healthcare, and a culture of loyalty were central to operations long before these policies became mainstream.
That approach paid off. Over the decades, Diamond expanded from its Missouri base to new manufacturing facilities in California, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kansas, and soon Indiana, where a seventh plant is set to open later this year. Their brands, including Diamond Naturals and Taste of the Wild, are now found on the shelves of Costco, PetSmart, Tractor Supply, Sam’s Club, and Walmart, and increasingly online through Chewy and Amazon.
Through it all, Kampeter and Schell stayed close to their Missouri roots, building a global company on a small-town foundation of trust, community, and faith. Their induction into the Hall of Fame recognizes not just business success, but the values that carried them there.
A Farmer in the Capitol: Mike Parson’s Journey Comes Full Circle
Also joining the 2025 class is former Governor Mike Parson, whose public service career never pulled him too far from the pasture. Raised on a farm in Hickory County, Parson has spent most of his life advocating for rural Missouri, not just in word, but in deed.
He served six years in the U.S. Army, then returned home to spend over two decades in law enforcement, including time as sheriff of Polk County. His political career began in the Missouri House of Representatives in 2005, continued through the state Senate, and eventually led him to the Governor’s Mansion, where he served as Missouri’s 57th Governor from 2018 to 2025.
Even at the height of his political career, Parson remained a farmer at heart. He and First Lady Teresa Parson live in Bolivar, where they operate a cow-calf operation and raise their two children and six grandchildren with the same values that shaped his early years on the farm.
During his time in office, Parson made agriculture a priority, supporting workforce development and rural infrastructure while advocating for Missouri farmers in Jefferson City and beyond.
His induction into the Hall of Fame comes as he returns to private life, and to the land that has always grounded him.
A Celebration of Missouri Agriculture
In honoring Kampeter, Schell, and Parson, this year’s Hall of Fame class captures the full spectrum of what Missouri agriculture represents: entrepreneurial spirit, principled leadership, and deep community ties. Whether building a billion-dollar business from scratch or guiding public policy through uncertain times, each honoree brought the same core values to their work, and to their fields.
As they join the ranks of Missouri’s agricultural legends, their stories serve as a reminder that success, in any form, often begins with strong roots.
Jake Kroesen is a Jackson County native and a graduate of the University of Central Missouri. He holds a B.S. in Political Science.
