SD Ag Foundation Welcomes Shannon Kubik as Keep Farmers Farming Consultant

PIERRE, S.D. (January 5, 2026) — The South Dakota Ag Foundation is pleased to welcome Shannon Kubik to its team as a Keep Farmers Farming Consultant, a role focused on helping South Dakota farmers and ranchers successfully transition their operations to the next generation.

Kubik began working part-time with the Foundation in the summer of 2025 and officially joined the organization full-time on January 1, 2026. In her role, she will work directly with farm and ranch families across the state to support transition planning, leadership development, and long-term business continuity.

“Bringing Shannon on full-time is a significant step forward for the Keep Farmers Farming program,” said Alan Hojer, Director and Legacy Consultant with Keep Farmers Farming. “The demand for transition planning support continues to grow across South Dakota, and Shannon’s experience, energy, and personal connection to agriculture strengthens our ability to serve more families in deeper, more meaningful ways. As we look to 2026 and beyond, her addition allows us to expand the program’s reach and impact for the long term.”

Prior to joining the South Dakota Ag Foundation, Kubik built her career in the seed industry, where she developed brands focused on the farmer’s needs, led teams, and worked closely with dealers and growers throughout North America. Her professional background, combined with her passion for enriching the lives of others, brings a unique blend of business insight and personal understanding to her work with agricultural families.

Kubik and her husband live on his family farm near Hamill, South Dakota, where they are raising cows, crops, and kids. Being directly involved in a multi-generation farming operation gives her firsthand perspective on the challenges and opportunities farm families face when planning for the future.

In addition to her work with the Foundation, Kubik is a runner in the 437 Project in 2026 — a run across South Dakota dedicated to suicide prevention. She is deeply passionate about the project and its mission, with her focus on raising awareness around mental health in agriculture.

“Farming and ranching can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be isolating and overwhelming,” Kubik said. “So much of what farmers and ranchers face is out of their control — the weather, the markets, the pressure to keep going. I believe it’s important for people in agriculture to know that it’s okay to not be okay, and that they are not alone.”

Kubik hopes to help foster open conversations, stronger family communication, and healthier transitions for future generations. Her personal “why” is simple yet powerful: to inspire others to be more, be better, and be themselves. She looks forward to living out that purpose by walking alongside South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers as they work to bring the next generation into their operations.

Looking ahead to 2026, the South Dakota Ag Foundation’s Keep Farmers Farming program will continue to expand its statewide reach by increasing the number of farm and ranch families served, deepening one-on-one and community legacy and transition consulting, and creating more opportunities for education, peer connection, and early-stage transition planning. With the addition of Kubik as a full-time consultant, the program aims to meet families earlier in the transition process, foster stronger communication across generations, and help ensure South Dakota’s farms and ranches remain viable, resilient, and family-owned for generations to come.

For more information about the South Dakota Ag Foundation or the Keep Farmers Farming program, visit www.sdagfoundation.org.