Harold Chapman, general manager for eight Missouri locations of Crown Power and Equipment, received the Frederick B. Mumford Award for Distinguished Service as part of CAFNR’s 2020 Celebration of Excellence.

Chapman received his Bachelor of Sciences degree in Agricultural Mechanization from the University of Missouri in 1985.

Chapman worked with John Poehlmann, now-retired assistant director, Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, to help design an equipment lease program with CASE IH equipment that has transformed CAFNR’s Ag Experiment Station with its network of research centers across the state. Since the program’s inception in 2011, more than $9 million of farm equipment has been provided annually at a cost that fits the budgets of the 17 different research centers and their individual needs in the field. Within the program, participating dealers receive an incentive to be involved.

Through this program, students are able to use modern equipment and technology for on-farm studies in all facets of production agriculture. Before using Chapman’s innovative program, it wasn’t uncommon for much of the equipment to be 30 to 50 years old, making it difficult to do general farm work or conduct research on present-day agricultural needs.

“The CASE IH program operates in several other states; some with even zero cost to the colleges. Harold wanted to make sure that our research centers were provided the same level of service as a regular customer and he needed to compel other dealers in Missouri to be a part of this program,” says Poehlmann. “New research tools often require the higher hydraulic capacity of modern tractors to operate well. It has taken a team to make this work. Harold Chapman is the coach that makes it successful.”

“Without this equipment, we simply could not accomplish the work that needs to be done within the limited window that the weather allows us to operate,” says Andrew Biggs, superintendent, Bradford Research Center.

“I speak for all the Superintendents in MOAES in regards to the positive impact that Harold’s hard work and devotion to CAFNR have had at our various research centers both financially and programmatically,” says David Davis, superintendent, Forage Systems Research Center.