Annual Meeting

Dave Nelson

Dave Nelson was one the founding members of Ag Ventures Alliance and has been on the board since 1999. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1975. He is married to Sue, and they have three children and two grandsons.

Dave has farmed near Belmond, Iowa since 1973. He grows corn, seed beans, and vegetables. In the early days of AgVA, Dave served on the Grain Processing Committee where he became involved in the formation of Midwest Grain Processors (MGP). He became President of MGP, helped grow the business through Global Ethanol and then folded it into GPRE. Dave also sold Pioneer Seed Com from 1984-1999.

Dave is extremely active in his community as well as farm related organizations. He is a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond, was active in the JCs and is a longtime member of the Lions Club. He is active in the Belmond Area Arts Council and founder of the Prairie Homestead Antique Power Show. Dave served as the President of the Iowa Com Growers Association in 2003 and served on the board of the National Com Growers Association from 2005-2011. He is a founder and was a board member of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and served on the board of the Renewable Fuels Association from 2000-2011. Dave is currently on the Executive Board of the Iowa Chapter 5 IH Collector's Club and currently serves as Secretary.

David Underwood

David lives in Clear Lake, IA with his wife Margo. Margo operates her own business where she provides community coaching services. She currently volunteers with the Association for the Preservation of Clear Lake, serving as it's President. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. Their daughter is a retired nurse, and their son is a partner in a large CPA firm.

David has served on the board as a director and Treasurer/Asst. Treasurer since 2012. He is currently serving on the Audit/Investment Committee, Business Development Committee, and the Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Countryside Angels.

David is a US Navy veteran and served as an intelligence officer during the Vietnam War. He was a Certified Public Accountant for many years and then transitioned to manufacturing as a Chief Financial Officer. Now he owns a consulting firm that provides executive consulting to small and medium sized businesses and organizations. He grew up working on the family farm and has owned farms for many years. He is currently a conservation farmer in Floyd County.

Dean Moretz

Dean lives in rural Northwood, IA with his wife Tanna. They have been members of AgVA since the beginning. Dean has served as board director since 2016 and on various AgVA committees. They have three adult sons and two grandchildren. Their son Nathan (wife Melissa and children Kole & Bria) farms with them while his wife works in banking. Their son Mitchell (wife Hannah) is an electrician and his wife works in the medical field. Their son Timen is a crop adjuster and is employed by NAU Country Insurance.

Dean has been farming all his life and currently farms soybeans, corn, and hay. He feeds out beef cattle and sells show calves from their cow-calf operation. His is a member of Sion Lutheran Church in Lake Mills and serves on the church council. He was a Brookfield Booster 4-H leader for 15 years and served as a director of the Worth County Fair Board, the Northwood Cooperative Elevator, and the Worth County Cattlemen's Association. He also occupies a seat on the board of directors of NSB Bank.

Helle Ruddenklau

Helle grew up on a specialty seed farm in Denmark, and immigrated to the US in 1984, when her parents bought a farm in Oregon. She earned her BS and MS (wheat breeding) from Oregon State University and met Bruce from New Zealand while there on an exchange program. In 1991 they bought their farm near Amity, Oregon where they raise turf type grass seed, specialty seed crops, wheat, vegetables for processing, and hazelnuts. They were early adopters of no-till in their area and have a strong focus on soil health. Helle does the office work including bookkeeping and helps with the practical farm work as needed. They operate around 1,200 acres without hired help. They have three children, who have all worked on the farm, though none wish to take over.

Helle is on the Oregon Tall Fescue Commission, Oregon Seed Council, serves on the Oregon Agriculture In The Classroom Board and the board of the ER Jackman Friends and Family (OSU College of Ag Science student and early faculty support). She is a past president of Oregon Women for Agriculture and has been active for many years in her local school parent organization.

Helle is passionate about educating the public about modern agriculture. She runs a Facebook page for Ruddenklau Farms showing what they do on the farm and why. She goes into elementary classrooms with the Oregon AITC literacy program, and they bring middle schoolers out to the farm through the Adopt-A-Farmer program. They also host college honors students and nutrition students who want to learn more about where their food comes from.

Helle joined Ag Ventures Alliance in April of 2022 where she also became an active member of Countryside Angels and AgLaunch Farmers LLC.