The Rural Voice, 1990-04, Page 50THE "AG REP"
Don Pullen retires after 27 years
of service to Huron County
by Jim Fitzgerald
Often, when the word "govemment bureaucrat" is men-
tioned, especially in farm circles, it elicits a strong reaction,
ranging from a hiss to a profusion of four-letter words. But
there is one notable exception: the agricultural representative.
He, and lately she, is looked upon so favourably by the farm
community that at times the "ag rep," as he is affectionately
known, seems bigger than life.
That's why, when Don Pullen, Huron County's long-time
agricultural representative, announced his early retirement a
few weeks ago, the farm community was both regretful and
unstinting in its praise of the man and his work. To a person,
farmers, colleagues, farm leaders, co-workers, and supervis-
ors were quick with their compliments about the quiet, red-
headed, soft-spoken man who always has a smile on his face
and a friendly handshake, no matter how tough the situation.
After working 27 years for the Ontario Ministry of Agri-
culture and Food plus an additional four years as a summer
assistant, Don, only 53, was enticed into retirement by a pro-
vincial government program called "Voluntary Exit Option,"
which allowed him to leave early without losing his pension
benefits. The program expired at the end of March, and Don
had to make up his mind quickly. He says he was also
shocked last year by the sudden death of a colleague, which
made him think that it might be time to try something new.
Huron County's dairy specialist, Dennis Martin, has
worked with Don for 13 years and will be acting as ag rep
until a new one is found. "Don's a real people person,"
Martin says. "He dwells on the good things about people and
it seems to bring out the best in them. People go the extra
mile for you when you do that. He had confidence in the staff
and never interfered. He stressed that everyone was part of a
team and he was always giving credit to someone else, but he
was a big part of the reason things went so smoothly."
Even when asked recently about being named, in 1982, the
first winner of the Distinguished Extension Worker Award,
Don attributed his win to luck and "none of that would have
been possible except for the people I've been associated with
who have always been strong supporters ... and along the
way there's always been strong support from head office."
Like the old-time country doctor, Don was more than the
man from OMAF. Like the country doctor who would brave
a snowstorm to deliver a baby, Don went beyond the call of
duty, whether it was counselling a farmer in financial distress
on the phone in the middle of the night, or making an emer-
gency farm call, or giving up an evening or weekend with his
family to attend a farm meeting.
"He was a friend as much as an OMAF employee," says
Doug Gamiss, a former president of the Huron County Fed-
eration of Agriculture and a regional director of the Ontario
federation. "You knew he was going to do his best for you."
Don's winning the Huron federation's award for his out-
standing contribution to agriculture "shows how strongly
we feel about him," Garniss adds.
This year's Huron federation president, Chris Palmer,
comments that Don "has always been there with a helping
hand. He has been an ambassador for OMAF."
"He's been a friend of many of the families as well
as a business adviser," says Bruce County ag rep Mac
Bolton, a native of McKillop Township in Huron. "I've
known him 25 years for his quiet ways and wise sayings."
Gordon Hill of Varna, the dean of Ontario farm lead-
ers, remarks that Don has always been "a real gentleman.
He was always interested and sympathetic. He never
talked over your head; he was always down to earth,
practical and reasonable. We're sure going to miss him."
As the man in charge of Huron County's 12 full-
time and half a dozen part-time workers at the office in
Clinton — his "team," as he likes to call them — Don has
loved "extension work" for the food producers of the
most productive county in Ontario. Huron's 3,416 farm-
ers sold $366 million worth of produce in 1986, according
to the latest Statistics Canada census. And Don is always
quick to point out the accomplishments of Huron County
farmers, noting that they are tops or near the top in pork,
dairy, beef, poultry, white beans, fodder and grain corn,
winter wheat, oats, and barley.
"He was super to work for," says Cathy Potter, the
office manager who has worked with Don for 22 years.
"Wc hate to see him go."
"If I were going to define the term ag rep, I would say
'Don Pullen'," says Howard Nodwell, a colleague of 32
years and Don's immediate supervisor at OMAF.
Former Ontario agriculture minister Jack Riddell, a
46 THE RURAL VOICE