Well-known Kansas rancher Richard Porter will be recognized by Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Science and Industry as the 2025 Stockman of the Year.

The award is presented by the Livestock & Meat Industry Council (LMIC) at the annual Stockmen’s Dinner, to be held Mar. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center.

Registration for this year’s Stockmen’s Dinner is due by Feb. 20. The cost to attend is $50/person. Registration is available online at asi.ksu.edu/stockmensdinner or by calling 785-532-1267.

LMIC officials note that Porter is known as being loyal to his workers, suppliers, alliances, community and – especially — Kansas State University.

He owns and operates a grazing and backgrounding operation located approximately 60 miles southeast of Manhattan, Kansas. He receives around 7,000 head of three-weight, high-risk calves from the southeast annually and grows them to eight-weights.

For most of the year, the cattle are on native grass supplemented with distiller’s grains. During winter, the calves are in a drylot receiving corn silage.

Known for being an independent thinker, Porter has two degrees from K-State — chemical engineering (1972) and Master of Agribusiness (2004). He also earned a law degree from Southern Methodist University in 1975.

“Growing up I knew I would not be in agriculture,” Porter said. “So I didn’t pay attention to management decisions for the ranch, nor did I take any agriculture classes in college. Then I returned to the farm in 1979. I was certain that I knew nothing about farming. This made me very dependent upon the extension specialists at K-State, especially when the ag crisis of the 1980s hit, a year after my return to the farm.”

Porter has participated in numerous cattle research trials with K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. He is a member of the LMIC Board of Directors and served as president from 2020 to 2022. He follows in the footsteps of his late father, Walter, who was involved with LMIC from its founding, and worked closely with the K-State College of Agriculture.

A staunch supporter of the K-State animal science department, Porter generously served as the lead donor for the Stanley Stout Center. He has donated to many departmental projects and to the College of Agriculture. Among his recognitions, Porter has earned a National Stocker Award by BEEF Magazine and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics.

In addition to the Stockmen’s Dinner on Mar. 6, K-State will host its 112th annual K-State Cattlemen’s Day on Mar. 7 at the National Guard Armory in Manhattan.

Cattlemen’s Day begins at 8 a.m. with refreshments, educational exhibits and a commercial trade show. The program begins at 9 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Visit KSUBeef.org for a detailed schedule and registration information. The early registration deadline for Cattlemen’s Day is February 21.

Following Cattlemen’s Day, the 48th annual Legacy Sale will begin at 4 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center. The offering includes 47 bulls, 17 fall-bred females and 21 commercial heifers. To learn more about this year’s offering and to request a sale catalog, visit asi.ksu.edu/legacysale.