Bio
W.D. Farr, born on May 26, 1910, in Greeley, Colorado, was a prominent businessman, rancher, and conservationist who significantly impacted agriculture and water development in Colorado. After attending the University of Wisconsin, he returned to Greeley to join his father’s business, which focused on irrigated farming and lamb feeding. In 1933, he married Gladell Judy, and they raised four sons together. An innovative farmer, Farr taught himself to survey and introduced irrigation techniques that transformed northern Colorado’s fields. The Farr Company became well known for shipping pinto beans and later shifted its focus from lamb feeding to beef cattle as consumer preferences changed.
Farr’s influence extended beyond his business. He attended his first American National Cattlemen’s Association (ANCA) Convention in 1938 and eventually served as its president in 1970. He was a founding member of the Greeley T-Bone Club, a group that pioneered modern cattle feeding practices. His passion for water management led him to play a crucial role in developing Northern Colorado’s water resources, serving on the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Greeley Water Board for 40 years. He acted as a mediator, balancing agricultural and municipal water needs.
Farr also pursued banking, contributing to Greeley’s growth as Chairman of the Greeley National Bank and co-founding Affiliated Bancshares of Colorado. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fly fishing, often with his wife, Judy, and their family. The couple shared a love for the outdoors, spending time fishing in Wyoming and British Columbia and hunting in Colorado and Canada. W.D. Farr’s legacy is one of innovation, conservation, and a deep connection to the land and community.
