Originally released June 1, 2021.
BROOKINGS, S.D. - After 31 years of providing education and service to South Dakota livestock producers, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Dairy Field Specialist Tracey Erickson has announced her retirement. Her last day is June 21.
"Over her Extension career, Tracey has prioritized providing clientele with the educational knowledge and technical skills that were needed to improve their lives," says SDSU Extension Director Karla Trautman. "She is recognized at the local, state and regional levels as a talented educator, a true collaborator and a knowledgeable resource for all. She prioritized building engaging and personal relationships with constituent audiences and then empowered them in the learning process. Tracey has been the consummate Extension professional, and as a result, her efforts will continue to impact clientele, stakeholders and other Extension professionals for years to come."
Erickson, who holds a bachelor's degree in dairy production and dairy manufacturing from SDSU and a master's degree in administration from the University of South Dakota, first joined Extension in 1989 as a county Extension agent based in Milbank. In 1993, Erickson briefly left Extension to take a position as a livestock production specialist for Land O' Lakes. She returned to the Grant County Extension office in 1995 before moving to Kingsbury County in 2000 to serve as the Extension educator for livestock.
In 2011 she moved into her current role, where she has successfully worked with dairy producers across the state to resolve management and production issues on farm, hosted numerous employee trainings and farm safety seminars and served as a valuable resource for animal care, nutrition and husbandry information.
Prior to her retirement, Erickson served on the Central Plains Dairy Foundation board and the Dairy Fest organizing committee for many years. Additionally, she is an advisor to the South Dakota Dairy Field Representatives Association and the South Dakota Dairy Producers Association and is a coach for the South Dakota Dairy Ambassadors. An area she is most noted for is being one of the core team members for the I-29 Moo University consortium, a multi-state dairy Extension team collaboration that advocates for a sustainable dairy community along the I-29 corridor by providing resources and education.
At home, her family runs Erickson Family Farms, a 2,500-acre grain farm near Oldham. The operation is run by her husband, Brian Erickson and her in-laws. Erickson enjoys helping around the farming operation as much as time allows, whether it is operating equipment or assisting with tough business decisions. She has one son, Trevor, a graduate of Mitchell Technical Institute, who is employed as a machinist/welder. She and her husband are avid snowmobilers, UTV (utility terrain vehicle) and motorcycle riders, and enjoy pretty much any outdoor activity.
"Working for SDSU Extension for the past 31 years has allowed me to be involved in an industry which I truly love, agriculture," says Erickson. "But, more importantly, it has been the people I have met, been able to help, and worked with through the years that have made the job worthwhile."
