FARGO, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Little International Livestock Show is the largest student-sponsored event on the NDSU campus involving over 300 students. The show features showmanship classes of beef, dairy, sheep, goats and swine as well as ham curing and public speaking.
The Little International also honors an Agriculturist of the Year. This year its Dr. Gerald Stokka. The position commemorates an individual who has not only excelled but also contributed substantially to the agriculture industry.
Stokka grew up on his family’s farm near Cooperstown, North Dakota. After graduating high school from Cooperstown, Stokka attended the University of North Dakota for two years before finishing his bachelor’s degree in animal sciences at North Dakota State University. Following his completion at NDSU, Stokka continued his education at Iowa State University, graduating with a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine. Soon after, Stokka moved back to the Cooperstown area to operate a private practice at the Cooperstown Veterinary Clinic for the next seven years.
Following his time practicing private medicine, Stokka obtained a master’s degree of production medicine from Kansas State University. Soon after, Stokka held a feedlot medicine position at Kansas State in 1995, and then a role within the Kansas State extension service from 1995-2001. During this time, Stokka traveled to multiple countries including Ukraine, South Africa, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Uruguay providing outreach services within the cattle production and veterinary sector. Following his time in Kansas, Dr. Stokka took on a new role with Pfizer Animal Health as part of the veterinary operations tech team. Stokka held this position from 2001-2012. In 2012, Stokka joined North Dakota State University’s Animal Science department as an associate professor of livestock stewardship. While at NDSU, Stokka worked with issues regarding animal stewardship and welfare through outreach and learning experiences. Dr. Stokka was a part of the animal science department till the summer of 2024.
Dr. Gerald Stokka, and his wife Connie of more than 50 years, have lived in Cooperstown most of their lives. They have four children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Aside from his professional veterinary career, Dr. Stokka and his brother Murray have operated a purebred/commercial herd of Red Angus cattle for the last 20 years, striving for longevity and fertility within his cattle. Dr. Gerald Stokka advocates for the importance of continued service during one’s lifetime. Currently, Dr. Stokka is the President of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame board, where his tasks include operating the board, accepting nominations for the Hall of Fame, and other various activities around the state. He serves time on his church’s board, having the title of chairman for many years. Stokka has served as the President of the Academy of Veterinary Consultant board and is a lifetime member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners board, the American Veterinary Medical Association, North Dakota Veterinary’s Association, North Dakota’s Stockmen’s Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the American Society of Animal Sciences. Stokkas’ dedication to animal husbandry, to veterinary medicine, to his community, and to the great state of North Dakota is apparent in his life’s work and makes him well suited for the title of 99th Little International Agriculturist of the Year. Congratulations Dr. Gerald Stokka!
Little “I” Royalty
A long-standing tradition of North Dakota State University’s Saddle & Sirloin Club is to crown highly qualified royalty to be the faces and voices of the largest student run event on campus, the Little International. The queen and her two Princesses serve as the club’s main public liaisons for the Little “I” stock show. This Position is an extreme honor and a very important part of the Little International. Every year, the club selects 3 club members as Little “I” royalty to represent the club and promote the event. The queen and two princesses take part in several publicity events leading up too Little “I”.
The 99th Little International Queen is Jolie Sanders. She is the daughter of Josh and Kyla Sanders of New Salem, ND. She is a senior majoring in Human Development Family Science with a minor in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
Princess Caryn Marty is the daughter of Jake and Anita Marty and is from Chokio, MN. She is majoring in Industrial Engineering.
Princess Madison Mertens is the daughter of Matthew and Kristen Mertens of Berlin, WI. She is majoring in Agricultural Sciences.
The full interview with Jolie Sanders is below.
