The Farmfest family is deeply saddened by the passing of Marlyn Buss, one of the founding fathers of Farmfest. We send our condolences to his family during this difficult time.
Buss was a true entrepreneur in the farm show space. He was an exhibitor at the very first Farmfest in 1972. He secured the name Farmfest and revitalized the event in 1982, hosting it at his father Milton’s family farm in Lake Crystal, MN until 1989. Marlyn moved Farmfest to Austin, MN, from 1990-94, and Farmfest has had a home on the Gilfillan Estate in Morgan, MN, since 1995. We are so grateful for his vision to bring farmers and agribusiness together to forge a future for Farmfest – a vision he believed in so much that he also founded and launched Dakotafest in 1996 in Mitchell, SD.
Buss oversaw the shows for over a decade, building tradition and community through the farm shows. He sold Farmfest and Dakotafest in 1997, but he remained active in the shows as a consultant and attendee for years. His contributions to the shows are immeasurable. Buss’s legacy with Farmfest and Dakotafest will continue to be honored and carried forward.
