Pat Duncanson

Owner, Partner and Chief Financial Officer

Pat is an owner, partner and Chief Financial Officer at Highland Family Farms. He has devoted his life and career to farming the land his family bought after World War II. Today, he works alongside wife Kristin to manage a diversified crop operation with their sons near Mapleton, Minnesota.

Pat is committed to growing corn, soybeans, rye, oats, sweet corn and raising hogs using the triple bottom line approach of economic profitability, environmental improvement and community engagement. He believes that leaning into conservation practices, nutrient management and adopting new technology are key to growing the family business.

He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Applied Economics. He also participated in the Executive Program for Agricultural Producers at Texas A&M.

Pat actively advocates for agriculture and has held leadership positions in several groups. He’s a member of the Southern MN Ag Innovators peer group, a University of Minnesota delegate to the Council on Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching and actively participates in the Moving Forward Advisory Council which explores business opportunities for family farm operations. He has also chaired the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and the Southern Minnesota Corn Economics Group.

He has earned several awards, including:

• Finalist for Top Producer of the Year (2009).

• Outstanding Alumnus for the University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics (2015).

• MN Pork Producers Association Environmental Stewards of the Year (2009).

In addition to these achievements, Pat and Kristin have adopted drainage and conservation practices to certify Highland Family Farms as river friendly.

As a father and grandfather, who enjoys traveling, being active in the church and curling, Pat demonstrates his love for the land, his family and community by being open to new ways to increase crop productivity that also protect and preserve the environment.