Director, Legacy Consulting
“Keep Farmers Farming” (A Division of the SD Ag Foundation)
Alan Hojer is the Director of Legacy Consultant for Keep Farmers Farming (KFF), a division of the South Dakota Ag Foundation (SDAF). Having run the program for over eleven years, Hojer and the KFF program transitioned to SDAF on January 1, 2025 where he continues to focus on the estate planing and gerneration transition challenges that are facing our farmers and ranchers across South Dakota. As a Certified Estate Planner, Alan brings a wealth of knowledge on marketing and risk management, farm labor development and recruitment, and best financial business practicies.
After graduation from South Dakota State University in 1981, Alan joined Land O’ Lakes as a Sales Manager for Milk Procument for South Dakota and parts of Iowa and Minnesota. His chance to return to the family farm presented itself in 1989. In 1994, Alan and his wife Pam decided to start Hojer Gelbvieh Ranch. Starting with 10 cows and $25,000, they have survived the tests of mother nature, a catastrophic fire, and other challenges that many first generation family operations experience. Alan attributes the success of their operation to hard work, but also to “thinking non-traditionally” when times were tough. Of all of Alan’s accomplishments, navigating through those difficulties has been the most challenging and rewarding experience of his professional career.
Today, Hojer Ranch LLC consists of 450 registered Gelbvieh, Balancer and Angus females, and a 1,000 head feedlot with base operations at Lake Preston and Miller, SD. The operation is currently run by Alan and Pam’s son Blake, along with his wife Jennifer. Other family include their daughter Nikki Kroupa (Micheal) from Kimball and son Christian (Jessica) of Miller. They are also blessed with nine grandsons and five grandduaghters.
Alan is a proud Alumni of SDARL Class VII.
Some of his hobbies are hunting, being activly involved in the local community but most of all his newest hobby is whatever the grandchildren wish to do! Amen!