Lynn Aggen

Dr. Aggen grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota near Rushmore. He attended the University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine graduating in 1973. He and his wife Barb moved to Harmony, MN and joined the Harmony Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Aggen has owned and operated Oak Meadow Farm since 1977. Oak Meadow began with 80 acres and a few crossbred cows but started specializing in purebred Simmental beef cattle in 1981 when sons Matthew and Mark began showing Simmental heifers in 4-H. The herd grew when their other children Mary and Michael also started showing cattle.

The operation has expanded to 230 acres of land with 135 registered Simmental breeding age females. With those females and progressive AI and embryo transfer, they have developed one of the more respected Simmental seedstock herds in the Midwest.

They market roughly 25 bulls per year private treaty off the farm as well as marketing bulls through the MBCIA bull test sale every April. They also market close to 25 top-end open and bred females annually to their customers as well as the MN Beef Expo, the Wisconsin State Simmental sale, the North Central Fall Classic sale, and the National Western Stock Show. Dr. Aggen also exhibits cattle at the Minnesota and Iowa State Fairs annually as well as the National Western Stock Show. He has raised numerous winners at these shows, including the Grand Champion bull at National Western in 2002, the Reserve Supreme Champion Heifer at the MN State Fair 4-H show in 2003 and several other division and Grand Champion honors at national and state shows.

Dr. Aggen has been very active in the Minnesota and American Simmental Associations since 1985, serving as president for two years in the early 1990’s. While serving as president of MSA, he helped organize the American Simmental Association National Show in Rochester, MN in 1993. Lynn and his family have also been quite active in the Minnesota Beef Cattle Improvement Association (MBCIA) and in 2008 were awarded the “Seedstock Producer of the Year” award. He has been very active in the Fillmore County Cattleman’s Association, serving as President in 1987 and 1990. In 1991 he was awarded the “Cattleman of the Year” award. He also served on the Minnesota Beef Profitability Task Force, which helps create policies and guidelines for Minnesota beef producers.

Dr. Aggen has been a strong community leader and contributor in Fillmore County over the years, supporting many worthwhile programs and events. He served on the Harmony School Board for 16 years. While serving as the member/chairman of the board he gave leadership in working with the Preston/Fountain School Board in the consolidation of the two districts. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Harmony United Methodist Church. He has given leadership and training to a youth safety camp for the past 16 years. Lynn has also served as a Fillmore County 4-H Beef project leader for 30 years and has been on the Fillmore County Fair Livestock Auction Committee for the past 24 years. Since 2003, the Aggen family has awarded 4-H beef showmanship jackets to the six overall MN State Fair 4-H Beef Showmanship champions, in memory of their son Mark. In 2005 the Aggens were awarded the “Fillmore County Family of the Year” award. Lynn has helped many young people get started with 4-H and FFA beef projects over the years.